I’m going to be a freshman in college next year. I’m from Texas in a town north of Houston. It’s a small conservative town and I have so many awesome friends here. A few buddies of mine are going to a local college and then transferring to Texas A&M the next year and I’m debating on doing that and living with them or coming to LSU and getting a single apartment or coming to LSU and maybe getting an apartment with one or a few randoms. These guys that I’d live with at this local college have been my best friends for years and we basically already live together. We get into arguments and stuff every now and then but we always are quick to get over it. So I’m debating heavily between living with them or coming to LSU. I will not live in a dorm at either school and if I came to LSU I’d get a one bedroom apartment or share an apartment/townhome with a few random people. But I’m really kinda shy I guess and not really great and venturing out and meeting new people and being outgoing. Another factor is ny grirlfriend of two years will be in high school for another year back in Texas and I really don’t know how that’s gonna work out although we’ve talked about it and said we’d be able to make it work. Any advice with all of this? I’m really struggling here and could use some help. Thank you.
You seem to be making choices on college based on other people.
You need to figure out what YOU want…and what you need.
Firstly, the local school to Texas A&M seems like a good idea…but what if you don’t make it? Would you be okay with that?
Most HS relationships are over by T-giving…its called “the Turkey drop”.
You may be different…but in either case, you should not make college choices based on your HS girlfriend. Either you will make it work or you won’t. But if you make a choice based on her and then you break up you are kind of stuck with it.
Re: your HS friends
Part of college is expanding your horizons. This generally includes living on your own for the first time and making new friends that come from different places than you. Right now, you don’t know what you don’t know. You don’t know if others have different view points because you have always been surrounded by the same people.
What if they are partiers and you want to study? Because if you don’t do well you won’t be able to transfer.
So I would remove friends/gf from the picture.
I would make a spreadsheet and include info like:
Net Cost
Number of Undergraduates
Faculty Student Ratio
%of students that live on campus
How big is the department for your major? If you are majoring in something that only has a couple of professors, that does not bode well.
Housing- do they offer all 4 years? freshman only?
Urban/rural/suburban
Is this a commuter school? (do students go home on weekends)
Surrounding area - what is the nearby town/amenities like?
Transportation - how would you get home
AP Credits - can you get credit for AP tests you have taken
Male/Female ratio
Greek life - what % of students are in greek life
Parking
Diversity
Safety
Sports
Jobs - what happens to seniors after they graduate
Internships - depending on your major, is it easy to get internships?
…and whatever makes sense for you
You might not care about, say, greek life. but if 50% of the kids are in greek life and you don’t want to be, that is something to know. Or you may want a big time sports scene or you might not want one. Grade them from 1-5 as they make sense to you.
Also, if you choose LSU are there any dorms available? I would try to live with people if possible so to try to make friends.