<p>I'm applying ED to Cornell however, if I'm admitted and join, I'll be 1600 miles away from home. I was wondering if leaving your family, friends, and possibly losing your girlfriend for it is worth it in the end as opposed to going to a college in my home city?</p>
<p>i wish i could give you an easy answer, but it's really more of a personal decision. i know it will be a tough decision to make and that there's no way of knowing how well you'll be able to adjust until once you're actually at the college. however, if it were me, i'd go for it knowing that cornell is truly my first choice. if, in the end, my decision leaves me unhappy, then i'll just transfer to a nearby college.</p>
<p>Nice nick, odysseus, I hope your college career doesn't entail ten years of wandering!</p>
<p>I think there's a lot to be said for attending a college that's farther from home than an easy drive. You'll find it to be a broadening experience, meeting people from around the country and world, with different family backgrounds, and very different interests. </p>
<p>Of course, you might be able to find a fantastic school close to home, too, but a big part of undergrad school is being involved with your classmates. Living on-campus is a key ingredient (if feasible), and NOT bailing out every weekend to be with your high school friends is important too.</p>
<p>While 1600 miles is a considerable distance, after the first few hundred it's pretty much the same. ;) </p>
<p>Although it's a personal preference, I really feel that the best college experience is one where the student can't hang out with his HS friends, can't bring laundry home, can't go visit Mom if not feeling well, etc. Going away to college and managing one's life in a culture of one's peers is a major stage of personal development.</p>
<p>Wait a sec...did an admin just post without being sarcastic? Call the Presses!!</p>
<p>Well actually the other possible college is 200 miles away from home so ultimately its more about the college itself because either way, it's away from home. Is it as important where you go for undergraduate studies? The other college I'm looking at is decent but not anything like Cornell.</p>
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<p>That's a really complex question. One could write a book about it, and various people have. Let me try two simpler questions:</p>
<p> [quote] Is it important to get an undergrad degree from a prestigious, well known university?
Almost certainly not, particularly if the bachelors degree won't be your terminal degree. Your grad or professional school will be more important from a career standpoint. There are a few areas of endeavor, particularly in East Coast financial and consulting firms, where a "name" undergrad degree might give you an initial boost; by and large, though, it's not a huge factor in career success or lifetime earnings.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is it important to attend a college where you will be challenged academically, get stimulated intellectually, meet many bright and diverse fellow students, study with accessible and occasionally brilliant professors, have the opportunity for novel experiences, and have a range of solid choices if you decide to change your major field of interest?
[/quote]
Yes. :)</p>