<p>Why are some people so hostile against people who are going far from home for college? I live in the west coast, and I will be attending a college in the east... when I mention this to some of my friends, they react with such hostility.... "You're so far away, why are you doing that? You won't be close to your family. What if something bad happens to you? You made a bad choice." </p>
<p>Seriously, is there something wrong with going far away for college? Infact, isn't it ideal to leave where you grew up and experience life on your own for once, rather than cllinging onto your old high school friends, where the only reason they chose the college they chose was so they can be with them?</p>
<p>I also live on the west coast. In contrast, many people I know want to go to the east (as do i), but when I tell them I'll have to stay in California, they're appalled. Granted, California's a rather large state, so it might not be too bad. </p>
<p>My parents are pretty protective. I do want to be independent for once (total culture shock, but I think I need something like that to set me on the right path) but they really won't allow it. They're worried that I might have some type of emergency and will be much too far for them to help me or whatever, similar to what you said, bdreamm. One thing that makes me want to stay is the cost. Out-of-state tuition is usually more costly, and the plane trips back and forth during vacation and such would become really hard for my family financially.</p>
<p>Mcdewan, the cost is one of the factors that really makes my parents worried about me. My school is 36K a year, and although I did get a small scholarship, I'm still going to find "some way" to pay the remaining. <em>crosses fingers</em></p>
<p>However, unlike your situation, everyone around me is appalled that I'm leaving to the other side of the country. And sometimes there reasons are so unjustified to the point that I'm confused whether they just don't agree with me going far away, or if its jealousy that they still have to stay in the same state. :/ Nevertheless, its quite annoying. Ugh.</p>
<p>I could never go far from home. I'm too much of a homebody and need to be able to see my family. Thank God they wanted to move to Tennessee so that I could go there without being 11 hours from home.</p>
<p>Choosing to go far or stay close is your own choice, and no one has a right to criticize anyone for their own decision. Something can happen to you on the east coast, sure, but you know what? You can get hurt at a college in your own city as well. People have reasons for staying close, people have reasons for going far, but they are reasons, and the students that have them are entitled to go where they please for college IMO. It's one of the major decisions you can make.</p>
<p>I'm sorry you were criticized for your ambitions.</p>
<p>going far away can be a hard thing, for 18 years of your life you've pretty much had the security of having loved ones and your friends around you but to move far away you have to re-establish these friends and live more independently than ever. when i was choosing on what college to attend about a month ago, a family friend gave me some of the greatest advice, he said you can become independent now or you can do it four years from now when you are done with college, but in the next ten years you are going to have to take this step, it's just up to you as to when you do it.</p>
<p>for my parents, it was very hard for them to let me go attend a college where i'd have to be living in a dorm away from home. </p>
<p>Especially my mom. </p>
<p>But time comes when we have to become independent, time comes when we have to find ourselves, time comes when we need to figure out how to survive without living in our homes until we're 25. </p>
<p>Now, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR TO BECOME INDEPENDENT. I AM ONLY GOING TO BE 3 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME, BUT IT'LL STILL BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE IN TERMS OF GROWING UP AND BECOMING MORE INDEPENDENT. </p>
<p>You don't have to move 3,000 miles away to become more independent.</p>
<p>The big majority of kids go to college in their home state. It really is only the top colleges that get kids from all over. High family income is the biggest indicator for leaving your home state for college. Less educated parents are the most likely to not want kids to leave home. The more exposure parents get to what it take to succeed, the more willing and encouraging they are to letting kids leave home. Often the kids need to educate the parents.</p>