Being from NJ, I know a lot of people that go to Rutgers. That’s probably the main reason why the stigma is there about NOT wanting to go from there as a NJ resident. But hey I’ve always liked it.
Distance is a personal preference just like Greek life and campus size. Also, due to finances and family, jetsetting off to California may not always be the most feasible option. Travelling on holidays, emergency travels to and/or fro (can’t really anticipate those), parent/family visits etc. are all factors that have to be considered when going farther than a ~10 hour drive. Everyone is different and not all kids (or parents) are comfortable being so far away from home.
@OP, et al - It might be a Jersey thing. NJ kids (and their parents) seem more willing to pay a premium to attend Pen State, UMD, UDel, et al, than residents of other states. That might just be a function of affluence. My younger son’s sole stipulation for colleges was that they be outside of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. He chose not to apply to any Mid-Western or Southwestern colleges, either. He applied to colleges in NC, FL, CA, LA, WA, and OR. Some colleges will consider travel expenses within the cost of attendance when determining a financial aid package.
Outside state tuition is expensive. I am going to college in my hometown and am living with my parents to save money. It is not that people don’t want to live far away to experience something new, it is that it is cheaper to stay near home. Apartments and dorms are expensive and the local school is much cheaper then out of state schools. Some people just can’t afford to go to school far from home.
Even though the in-state public comes at an affordable price, the average college student today can barely afford Tuition/Room & Board at these institutions. One would be hard pressed to find College students who could attend College without taking on some level of student loan debt. For most college students, in-state colleges are their ONLY option and for many, it is in-state colleges that are within easy commuting distance of their home (no R & B). OP, only a select few can afford to send their kid to University of Miami with a COA of $60K/year.
Note that McGill (as of now) has some degrees (covering many majors) at a cost that’s equivalent to in-state rates for Americans. And Montreal is not only fairly far away but in a different country with a different culture (in Quebec).
In any case, different strokes for different folks. MN residents are also lucky in that WI publics charge them in-state rates.
However, even if you are forced to go to school in-state and your state is a small one (many kids do not have the resources or qualify for enough fin aid or are good enough to get enough merit aid for schools other than in-state publics), there is (as @whenhen mentioned), study-abroad. Also National College Exchange (http://www.nse.org/exchange/memcam.asp).
As a New Jersey resident who will be going to school in North Carolina, most of my friends wanted to get the heck out. However, my graduating class actually seems to have more kids staying in NJ than most years…some kids who I would have bet good money on leaving the state. For some, it was to remain in close proximity to their favorite pro sports teams (as a fan of the Knicks and Red Bulls, that was not at all a factor). I personally only applied to one NJ school (Rider University), and that was my safety. I can honestly say that the only way I would have attended that school would have been if I literally got into none of the other schools I had applied to. I got admission into six universities in six different states in the end, and Rider was at the bottom of my list. I was eager to leave NJ behind.
Some people just can’t afford it, however. I’m incredibly grateful that I’m able to continue my education nine hours from home, in a school that I’m very excited and proud to be able to attend.
UT-Austin was only 20 minutes from my parents’ house. But since it had one of the top-ranked civil engineering schools in the country, I saw no point in applying anyplace else. I lived in a dorm, so I didn’t feel like I was close to home. My dad was one of my professors, though, so I had to behave!
Reasons we’re confronting in our house to stay local: cost of room and board plus travel, concern about medical care in unfamiliar city and response time to any medical crisis, less stress to the new college student to stay in a familiar place. Maybe grad school will be the time to reach beyond the known, geographically.
I grew up in NY and wanted to go to California. I did and I’m the better for it. It was culturally different and exciting. My daughter wanted to stick close to home. After flying to look at schools, she just couldn’t imagine relying on flights to get home. Plus she has so much more stuff that she wants to pack. I think the idea was daunting. She does want to go abroad for junior year though, so I think people spread their wings in different ways.
Yep, but you can go away somewhere after college as well. IMO, it’s more fun to explore a new region when you’re out working and actually have money than if you’re a poor college student (obviously, if your family is rich, what I said may not apply).
@ucbalumnus because outside of Princeton, TCNJ, and Stevens, our universities and colleges are PAINFULLY average. The taxes are insanely high, our politicians are disgustingly corrupt, and a lot of the people are incredibly arrogant, rude, and overly obsessed with tanning themselves.
