<p>A friend of mine's dad agreed to pay for college ONLY if he went out of state. It wasn't because they didn't get along, but rather because the dad wanted to ensure a different experience.</p>
<p>I know a lot of kids go to school in-state for tuition reasons, and some for preferential admission. (State schools can be super-selective for out-of-state students but more accessible to in-state kids.) I can't argue with either of those. Where those conditions are less important, though, I'd always advise that a student choose a college environment quite different than what he/she has grown up in. Small town kid? Go to an urban school. From the Pacific Northwest? Go south, or to the East Coast. In-state schools can often feel a lot like an extension of high school, particularly if lots of kids from the HS matriculate there. Absent decisive financial or admissions reasons, head out of state.</p>
<p>I also think it's a benefit to be far enough from home to discourage frequent visits (in either direction). I've known college kids who head home every weekend, and even attend HS football games. I don't think that's a good thing. Part of the college maturation experience is learning to do your own laundry, cope with illness, etc. without Mom to fall back on. Unless the student is already unusually independent, this requires a separation of at least a few hundred miles.</p>