I’m going to be a Junior in college this fall and I am currently at a Uconn regional campus. I have the opportunity to transfer out of the regional and into the main campus at Storrs my junior year. The regional campus is really small and the commute is only 15 minutes from my house. Also the tuition I pay at the regional campus is less than half of the tuition students pay at the Storrs campus. I can complete my degree at both campuses, but I was just wondering if I should transfer for the “experience.” It’s a little harder to meet new people at the regional campus because mostly everyone commutes and have jobs. So what are your thoughts? The pro of staying is that I’ll basically graduate with very little to no debt, but if I do go I will have to take out $30K in student loans. So should I transfer campuses just for the experience?
What is your major?
The reason that I ask is that my best “college experience” was in graduate school. However, it is easier to afford graduate school if you have no debt from undergrad. Also, whether graduate school is needed will depend upon your major. I did have a couple of years of work experience between undergrad and grad school and IMHO that did help me do better in grad school – and also made it easier to afford.
Another question: Does the regional campus have the courses you need and want for the next two years?
I would just stick with it and finish. Trust me, your adult self will thank you later, especially when you decide to get married and have a family. Life is full of experiences, and they do a good job of coming to you 
$30k in student loans is too much money for an experience. Your life is so much bigger than college…get the UConn degree and then enjoy the rest of your life without being set back all that money.
I don’t think $30,000 debt is bad at all for four years of college. Many people spend that on a car without thinking it is a major life decision. If you really really want a true residential college experience, go for it. Realize that most upperclassmen will be living off campus, so it won’t be quite the same as the rah-rah dorm experience that many freshman have at a state flagship. UConn is a great campus and it might be a great life experience.
On the other hand, if you are basically happy where you are and it is so financially reasonable, it might not be worth the cost of a new car–i.e. couple hundred dollars a month for ten years when you graduate.
Will you be ready to start a career when you graduate or will you be looking for grad school, further training? That would factor in…
You only are young and an undergraduate once. Probably in your heart of hearts you know what is best for you.
I’d switch - not for the social experience but for the higher quality academics, more choices in classes and subjects, better career center and job fairs.
The federal loan maximum for junior year is $7,500 and another $7,500 for senior year. You would need to find a cosigner for private loans to borrow the amount of money you are talking about. Or your parents would have to borrow PLUS loans. If you were my kid, you would have to keep on commuting for two more years.
Must this be an either/or situation? Could you spend a semester at Storrs and see what you think? Kind of like a semester abroad. Since the major is offered both places, could you just wait and go there for senior year?
“Kind of like a semester abroad.”
Then there is also the option of taking an actual semester abroad.
I do understand that the cost of this can vary quite a bit depending upon many issues, including what sort of programs your university offers, what scholarships are available, and where you go. One daughter took approximately a semester abroad in high school and the extra cost was just the cost of the airplane flights.
I would say you can’t afford it. If you really want experience, use 30K to travel around the world for a couple of years after you graduate. I do sympathize with the urge to finish on the main campus, but it costs too much.