<p>I've always wanted to go out of state, and I still really do for that matter, because I want to see what else is out there. I'm from a small town in Minnesota and so I've always been curious about what other states and locations can offer me. However, the closer I get to sending in applications, the more I feel like I may not be happy across the country. I come from a pretty close family and I don't know how I'll handle not being able to hug them every other weekend minimum, you know? I feel like what I'm thinking and feeling is normal, but I'd really like some advice from anyone who has gone OOS or has a child OOS. I don't want to be miserable and wanting to go home my entire college life, but I want to explore and get out there. Plus, and this may sound weird because I'm second guessing distance from home, but eventually I want to live in DC. Like I said, any words of advice are greatly appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>You don’t have to go across the country to experience something new and different. Also, in this day and age, most kids are pretty similar. There really isn’t any difference between suburban kids from Chicago, Cleveland, Memphis, etc. With you being from a small town, just about any campus in an urban area will introduce you to new and different things and people.</p>
<p>For example, maybe consider a place like Marquette, in a large city, but still close to home. I’m from a small town in Iowa and went to school at Northwestern. Only one state away but very different. But not so much different that I couldn’t fit in or have a great experience.</p>
<p>If you’d rather stay close to home, then that is what you should do. I think it is a mistake to discount your gut feelings in the college search process. How other people react to living far from home should not matter – every person is different – you should only be concerned about how you think you would feel far from home.</p>
<p>My S also didn’t want to go far away. In fact, the college he chose was probably a half hour from our house. He lived on campus in NYC (rather than the suburbs) so it was a different experience. He had an absolutely full and wonderful college experience. As things turned out my S almost never came home other than school breaks, and (this is important) we never intruded on him at college. But I think he felt comfortable knowing that he could get home at any time. In fact, a couple of times it was very helpful that he was close (ex. when his laptop broke I drove down with an old one we had in the house for him to use while his was being repaired). He went on to attend grad school halfway across the country! </p>
<p>So I would say that if you prefer to stay close to home now that is fine. Listen to your own heart. There will be plenty of time to live and work somewhere else. Haystack’s suggestion of finding a nearby school with a different environment is a good idea (that is what my S did). And at most schools you can take a summer, a semester or a even year abroad or with a program at another US school so you can experience living further away, but for a shorter period of time.</p>
<p>UW Madison is a world away and you still get to pay just instate tuition. Best of both worlds.</p>
<p>^^agree </p>
<p>But my daughter loved going away from the West Coast to the East. Mostly stuck around her college but got to visit classmates in Boston and NYC. It was me that was sad (though happy for her).</p>
<p>Now she is loving Madison. Vibrant town, loves the music scene.</p>