<p>What I have heard often expressed to young adults who are considering where their friends are going to school as one factor in a long list of considerations in choosing their school is to be prepared that those friendships may not continue to be the same. Be accepting that your best friend now may be ready to break away to a new group before you are, and that may hurt. Be aware that you may make many new friends easily and be drawn to a group that your friend(s) are not and this may cause resentment and conflict. All of these things are absolutely manageable, and part of navigating mature relationships, but go into this scenario with your eyes wide open as to the potential drawbacks that may (or may not) occur.</p>
<p>Make sure this is one reason you are choosing this university and not the reason. Consider strongly if you would choose it as your number one dream school if you knew absolutely no one attending. That may help to clear the answer. Students pick one school over others for any number of reasons from academics, the campus, the food, the football teams, distance from home, social, you name it. You can only go to one and I’ve heard some pretty crazy reasons for knocking a school off the list. Going to a school because your friends are there vs a higher ranked one wouldn’t be the craziest. I’m not saying it’s my advise, it just wouldn’t be the oddest thing we’ve heard on CC.</p>