Going away to college.

[Sammy-San]

After starting college recently and still feeling very confused about what choices I want to make and my career, there's another thing that I have a hard time deciding. What are the pros and cons of going away to college? I'm asking this question to those who either went to college or are in the beginning years of college like I am. I've heard its an experience, but many people I know say that they like to stay home.

 

[Cearbhall]

What are the pros and cons of going away to college?

Off the top of my head...

Pros:

• 24/7 access to campus resources (libraries, study buddies, etc.)
• Easier to attend extra-curriculars and social events
• Minimal transportation costs (if any)

Cons:

• Cost of dorm room
• Cost of food plan (usually more expensive per meal than if you were to cook for yourself)
• Possibility of a bad roommate experience that adds to your stress

I chose to move away. If cost isn't a deal-breaker, I would advise almost everyone to live on campus.

 

[Sammy-San]

Off the top of my head...

Pros:

• 24/7 access to campus resources (libraries, study buddies, etc.)
• Easier to attend extra-curriculars and social events
• Minimal transportation costs (if any)

Cons:

• Cost of dorm room
• Cost of food plan (usually more expensive per meal than if you were to cook for yourself)
• Possibility of a bad roommate experience that adds to your stress

I chose to move away. If cost isn't a deal-breaker, I would advise almost everyone to live on campus.

What about emotionally? Many people like to stay home, yet others like the experience of being far away. My question is this-what is the appeal of being far away from home most of the year? My young adult years should definitley be exciting and adventurous, but another part of me says experiencing my school years with family and friends at home is the best, and I may feel homesick if I went away.

College isn't an excuse to go away from home adventure in other states and explore the world-it's to study. I know people who are living at home for their fist four years of college, but travel to Pennsylvania a few times a year. Going away to college is a lifestyle. What's the appeal of it, exactly? There are many exponentially cheaper ways to achieve the goal of getting away from home and exploring the world.

 

[Cearbhall]

What about emotionally? Many people like to stay home, yet others like the experience of being far away.

Well, I can't answer that for you in particular. Everyone is different. For me, moving away was the right choice. Not that there was really a question about it. I can think of one friend from high school who didn't immediately live on campus.

My question is this-what is the appeal of being far away from home most of the year?

Well that depends on where you go to college. A lot of people stay in state and can go home for the weekend.

 

[iluvatar5150]

What about emotionally? Many people like to stay home, yet others like the experience of being far away. My question is this-what is the appeal of being far away from home most of the year? My young adult years should definitley be exciting and adventurous, but another part of me says experiencing my school years with family and friends at home is the best, and I may feel homesick if I went away.

Your college years ARE your young adult years.

College isn't an excuse to go away from home adventure in other states and explore the world-it's to study. I know people who are living at home for their fist four years of college, but travel to Pennsylvania a few times a year. Going away to college is a lifestyle. What's the appeal of it, exactly? There are many exponentially cheaper ways to achieve the goal of getting away from home and exploring the world.

College isn't all about money. Yes, living at school can be expensive, but you really should be picking a school based on what it has to offer you, not solely on its geography. If you live in an area with great schools, great, but many people don't. I don't think choosing the local State U just because it's local is a very good idea.

There's been a lot of talk about student debt lately, but some comprehensive analysis of it has just come out that's challenged some of the commonly-held beliefs about it. Most of the debt that people struggle with (and default on) isn't from people who took out large loans to attend pricey 4-year schools; it's from people who took out loans to attend community college and/or for-profit schools, but then dropped out. The people who graduated from traditional 4-year schools typically make enough afterwards to be able to handle their loan payments. Be wise with your money, but don't put cost above everything else.

 

[Cearbhall]

College isn't an excuse to go away from home adventure in other states and explore the world-it's to study. I know people who are living at home for their fist four years of college, but travel to Pennsylvania a few times a year. Going away to college is a lifestyle.

It's not usually about that. Most people who move away for college just chose a college that's out of reach of their parents' house. Reasons include scholarship offers, religious affiliation, and the reputation of a certain program. It's not like you have a lot of options if you want to be a commuter.

And you don't need an "excuse" to do those things. Not sure why you're wording it that way. Exploring the world is an important part of one's studies in higher education, and going away from home is called adulthood.

 

[Dr GS Hurd]

I moved away. My freshman GPA was a 1.02.

I didn't get expelled, surprisingly. But I did learn that I needed to study; I needed to drop extra "fun," and I needed to quit my part time job. (Oh, and it didn't ruin my academic future).

 

[Sammy-San]

It's not usually about that. Most people who move away for college just chose a college that's out of reach of their parents' house. Reasons include scholarship offers, religious affiliation, and the reputation of a certain program. It's not like you have a lot of options if you want to be a commuter.

And you don't need an "excuse" to do those things. Not sure why you're wording it that way. Exploring the world is an important part of one's studies in higher education, and going away from home is called adulthood.

Do you think going away to college is better for studying habits than living at home? Lately I feel like living at home, I'm very disorganized with my work-I forget and lose things. At college, don't you think being in that internment 24 7 can help me overcome that?

The main worry I have now is that, due to the high cost of tuition, it obviously costs far more money to switch majors and go away at the same time, than to just go to a college at home and switch majors.

 

[Cearbhall]

Do you think going away to college is better for studying habits than living at home?

For me, yes. But not for everyone. I personally would find it difficult to live under someone else's roof and be the child of the house while dealing with adult responsibilities like college/work/internship.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Off the top of my head...
-snip-
I chose to move away. If cost isn't a deal-breaker, I would advise almost everyone to live on campus.

I agree, but I also disagree. Going to a local college after high school is not a good idea. Travel outside your safety zone and learn to live as a free being.

As for living on campus, no. Live off campus and learn to take care of yourself. The school I’m at, the off-campus housing landlords are nearly as Draconian as the on-campus housing managers. It’s one thing to have rules and express them, but then to play it out as if I am stupid? Disrespect can be reciprocal.

I moved away. My freshman GPA was a 1.02.

I moved away. My freshman GPA took a dump when I missed class. It’s now 2.57.

 

[Cearbhall]

As for living on campus, no. Live off campus and learn to take care of yourself.

That's not even an option for freshmen at my college, so it didn't occur to me. Even so, I would recommend living on campus for purposes of becoming integrated into the community. It's much easier to meet up to study when someone lives in the same building. Going back and forth from campus to an off-campus apartment all the time sounds like a pain.

 

[waylon101]

The pros are having the opportunity for more jobs. Even if you are applying for a job that has nothing to with your major, you can often times make more than the others just because you have a college education. The cons are the fact that its expensive. It all comes down to would you rather go to college, get a degree, work a job that you didn't even go to school for that pays $9+ an hour or you can not go to college, work for minimum wage and try to increase your pay over multiple years. I knew a woman at a fast food Mexican place that made $16 an hour but she had been there for 30 years so not a very exciting or fulfilling life. There is no way to truly know so I suggest praying and asking God if that is where you should be in your life right now.

 

[Cactus Jack]

I moved away. My freshman GPA took a dump when I missed class. It’s now 2.57.

It's now 3.02.

 

[Sammy-San]

It's not usually about that. Most people who move away for college just chose a college that's out of reach of their parents' house. Reasons include scholarship offers, religious affiliation, and the reputation of a certain program. It's not like you have a lot of options if you want to be a commuter.

And you don't need an "excuse" to do those things. Not sure why you're wording it that way. Exploring the world is an important part of one's studies in higher education, and going away from home is called adulthood.

Do you like anything about the experience of going away, though?

I talked to someone about this recently, and they said you don't necessarily miss out on that stereotypical college experience if you live at home as long as you get yourself involved.

 

[Cearbhall]

Do you like anything about the experience of going away, though?

I can't really think of anything I don't like, except the cost. I think I've made that clear.

I talked to someone about this recently, and they said you don't necessarily miss out on that stereotypical college experience if you live at home as long as you get yourself involved.

It seems like you've already figured out that you want to stay at home and are maybe just looking for reassurance that you're making the right choice. The opinions that you've expressed suggest that you've already made up your mind on the matter. That's completely fine, and it may very well be the best choice for you, but no matter how many different ways you ask me, you're not going to get me to say that I wish I had lived at home. My advice to you is to be confident in your decision without needing other people to agree with you. You know your situation better than any of us do.

 

[Sammy-San]

I can't really think of anything I don't like, except the cost. I think I've made that clear.

It seems like you've already figured out that you want to stay at home and are maybe just looking for reassurance that you're making the right choice. The opinions that you've expressed suggest that you've already made up your mind on the matter. That's completely fine, and it may very well be the best choice for you, but no matter how many different ways you ask me, you're not going to get me to say that I wish I had lived at home. My advice to you is to be confident in your decision without needing other people to agree with you. You know your situation better than any of us do.

But how can I be sure if what I want now is what I really want? I go through phases. Last year, I was obsessed with studying abroad in Asia, but now i lost that interest. It's just a part of my personality. For example, I used to be obsessed with certain bands, that now I don't listen to as much (less serious than college-but still an example of how my interests change).

 

[Bananagator]

But how can I be sure if what I want now is what I really want? I go through phases. Last year, I was obsessed with studying abroad in Asia, but now i lost that interest. It's just a part of my personality. For example, I used to be obsessed with certain bands, that now I don't listen to as much (less serious than college-but still an example of how my interests change).

The truth is that you won't really know what's "best" for you until you try it. If you truly want to commute from home, do it. If you want to try something new, live away from home. If you choose one of those and don't like it, the option to transfer is usually there.
There are pros and cons to both: living at home surrounds you with familiarity and will probably save money, but you won't get to experience the character building that comes along with living in a dorm and being on your own in a controlled environment for the first time. Going away from home opens up a whole new world, but you won't have the comforts of home there with you.

From personal experience, going to college away from home was the best thing for me. When I started my freshman year I deeply regretted going away to school because I was homesick and generally unhappy with my situation.Three years later I realize that being away from home has forced me to learn how to deal with various situations by myself with little support from others. It's done wonders for my self-efficacy. Would this have happened if I had stayed at home? Probably not.

I needed that push, but you may not. Everyone's different. And to be honest, you'll adjust to whatever situation you end up in. It may take some time, but you will.
So I would focus on what schools have your desired major/atmosphere/tuition range/etc. and then go from there instead of focusing on local vs. not local.

 

[Sammy-San]

The truth is that you won't really know what's "best" for you until you try it. If you truly want to commute from home, do it. If you want to try something new, live away from home. If you choose one of those and don't like it, the option to transfer is usually there.
There are pros and cons to both: living at home surrounds you with familiarity and will probably save money, but you won't get to experience the character building that comes along with living in a dorm and being on your own in a controlled environment for the first time. Going away from home opens up a whole new world, but you won't have the comforts of home there with you.

From personal experience, going to college away from home was the best thing for me. When I started my freshman year I deeply regretted going away to school because I was homesick and generally unhappy with my situation.Three years later I realize that being away from home has forced me to learn how to deal with various situations by myself with little support from others. It's done wonders for my self-efficacy. Would this have happened if I had stayed at home? Probably not.

I needed that push, but you may not. Everyone's different. And to be honest, you'll adjust to whatever situation you end up in. It may take some time, but you will.
So I would focus on what schools have your desired major/atmosphere/tuition range/etc. and then go from there instead of focusing on local vs. not local.

How can I decide that too? As I said before, my interests are always changing quickly. I don't want to be in my late twenties and still undecided. I'm in no "rush", but I want to decide these types of things at a usual pace.

 

[Bananagator]

How can I decide that too? As I said before, my interests are always changing quickly. I don't want to be in my late twenties and still undecided. I'm in no "rush", but I want to decide these types of things at a usual pace.

Well, I guess the best thing you can do is try to understand exactly what your situation is. For tuition, it's good to think about what you think is reasonable. Is going to a school that you have to pay 80,000 USD a year to attend worth it? Will your student debt be so overwhelming that you won't be able to pay it back post-grad? If you're nervous that may be the case, it's better to look at cheaper schools.If you're rollin' in the Benjamins then cost may not be as big of a deal.

For atmosphere, there are several different types of schools. You've got your huge universities, small liberal arts schools, and whatever's in between. All of them have different characteristics that may or may not appeal to you. The best way to figure out what's the best fit for you is to physically visit a lot of different campuses.

Deciding on a major depends solely on you and your interests. Some questions to consider: what classes in high school interested you the most? What do you like to do in your spare time? It may help you to talk to an advisor; sometimes they're helpful in figuring out what might be a good fit.
Choosing a major isn't always straight forward, and that's okay. Trust me, I've been there. I've switched my major twice. Luckily this third one turned out to be a good fit, but for awhile there I was beginning to lose hope XD
Try not to worry too much about it right now, you have plenty of time over the first few semesters to figure out what you want to do.

 

[Sammy-San]

Well, I guess the best thing you can do is try to understand exactly what your situation is. For tuition, it's good to think about what you think is reasonable. Is going to a school that you have to pay 80,000 USD a year to attend worth it? Will your student debt be so overwhelming that you won't be able to pay it back post-grad? If you're nervous that may be the case, it's better to look at cheaper schools.If you're rollin' in the Benjamins then cost may not be as big of a deal.

For atmosphere, there are several different types of schools. You've got your huge universities, small liberal arts schools, and whatever's in between. All of them have different characteristics that may or may not appeal to you. The best way to figure out what's the best fit for you is to physically visit a lot of different campuses.

Deciding on a major depends solely on you and your interests. Some questions to consider: what classes in high school interested you the most? What do you like to do in your spare time? It may help you to talk to an advisor; sometimes they're helpful in figuring out what might be a good fit.
Choosing a major isn't always straight forward, and that's okay. Trust me, I've been there. I've switched my major twice. Luckily this third one turned out to be a good fit, but for awhile there I was beginning to lose hope XD
Try not to worry too much about it right now, you have plenty of time over the first few semesters to figure out what you want to do.

But how can I trust my feelings? I used to be interested in computer science, but now my feelings are different because I don't know if I would like sitting behind a screen all day.