<p>I know choosing a college ultimately comes down to a personal choice, but I figured presenting my options wouldn't be harmful to those who have more experience than I.</p>
<p>I lived in Florida from the ages of 4-17 and just recently moved to Colorado for my senior year of high school. There are 3 colleges I'm looking at for different reasons. If anyone has had any experience similar to this, I'd love to have your input. I plan to major in economics. I'm doing my best to view things objectively, but obviously I'll have my biases, so I'm looking for an opinion from someone separated from it all (obviously my family and friends have their biases as well). The colleges are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>University of Colorado at Boulder
PROS: Good school; close to all of my family; Boulder could grow on me (see cons); I'd get in-state tuition; access to a lot of nature
CONS: I'd go in there knowing essentially no one; I feel as though many of the local parks will be extraordinarily crowded since EVERYONE loves nature there; I've been to Boulder many times and the people there, at least from what I can see, don't seem like the type I'd get along too well with; I could always go hiking when I visited my family</p></li>
<li><p>University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
PROS: Far and away the best school for my major (right?); Minneapolis is filled with things to do; a lot of people = a lot of clubs and activities; school spirit = most enjoyable sporting events
CONS: Winters; I wouldn't know anyone, which COULD be intimidating; most expensive by a few thousand (biggest factor); I haven't visited the campus yet, though I plan to, so this one shouldn't be a big problem; No family</p></li>
<li><p>University of South Florida
PROS: All of my closest friends; I'm familiar with the area, school spirit; after a series of emails resulted in me discovering I could in fact qualify for residency; making it the cheapest option; a lot of people = a lot of clubs and activities; my girlfriend (I listed this last because I figure it can be factored in the least)
CONS: Worst school for my major (?); No family; Ridiculously hot sometimes, but I lived with that for 13 years; I could always transfer if I absolutely needed to be with my family</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I'm sorry that was so long, but my obsessive habits have led me to mull that over for weeks now, and I'm still not close to settling on a decision. Thanks everyone who takes the time to give any input.</p>
<p>Well normally I’d say Minnesota, but the cost factor is important. Since you have in-state at both Colorado and USF, I think it honestly comes down to the family/friends and girlfriend factor. That’s probably a personal decision!</p>
<p>I really don’t either. It’s been less than 12 months, if that affects it. But ultimately, that was the conclusion of the long exchange of emails between my parents and USF. Maybe it will change, but so far it looks like the cheapest.</p>
<p>Take the “knowing no one” off the list of cons. Most students start school knowing no one. Unless you are very shy and/or introverted (and even then), going to school with high school buddies limits you. If you aren’t joined at the hip with your high school buddies, you will most likely find that you have a new circle of friends by second semester-and increasingly little in common with all but your closest high school friends.</p>
<p>USF is around the 4th or 5th best school in the state while CO and MN are flagships. I’d definitely take USF off your list. It seems its only there for your friends and gf. Why not UF or New College if you can get into these other schools OOS? </p>
<p>Having your HS friends go to the same college can easily become a crutch and screw you up early on. What inevitably happens is some of you will make new college friends and hang out with them all the time, while those who don’t make new college friends will become lonely and depressed late in the first semester having seemingly missed the new friend making window.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. I did apply to New College, but I don’t like the atmosphere of Gainesville too much (I’ve visited my sister there often enough to have a feel for it). I guess I should have mentioned that I’m very shy, though it’s not so severe that it inhibits me completely. I know it was the same way with my sister, and going to school with her more social friends helped her branch out to begin with, so that’s what I’m basing that off of.</p>
<p>In terms of academics, my plan is to go on to graduate school. As long as it’s not one of the universities of highest prestige, does it matter all too much where I go as long as I have a good GPA? </p>
<p>I know that if I want to go on to graduate school I obviously can’t bring my friends with me, so I guess that’s another good reason to force a sort of independence on myself.</p>
<p>Going to grad school is a good reason to save the most money possible. The less debt you have for undergrad the more capable you are of affording grad school.</p>