A pivotal point in one’s adolescence is the decision of going to college. Various emotions of staying home or leaving everything you’ve ever known flow through your brain as you contemplate whether or not to further your education, praying you make the correct decision.
Continuing your education to the next level is a challenging decision. As a plethora of factors influence your decision; grades, money and test scores start to take over your senior year of high school. After the first semester of your senior year, college acceptance letters and scholarships pour in, and just as you think you still have so much time to spend with your friends and family, reality sets in, and the decision of staying in-state or going out-of-state becomes the main priority of determining the rest of your life.
Although both in and out-of-state options are equally important, the reasoning behind choosing one or the other is significant. Going out of state can be more of a risk factor as you embark on a new journey. Surrounded by new people and environments, it is way more complex than staying in-state, where your community is the majority of people you went to high school with.
“Each student is so different when choosing where they want to go to college,” counselor Amy Reoh said. “Exploring both options of in or out-of-state is beneficial for choosing the right school for you. However, the biggest advantage of staying in-state for college is the cost, out-of-state tuition is significantly higher than in-state tuition.”
Attending a public university outside of your state is a challenging decision, however, one in five students choose to do so. Going out of state for college gives you a new sense of independence in your life that you did not have before. In addition, out-of-state colleges provide you with additional academic programs that better prepare you for your career path, as they have additional funding to expand your knowledge on the subject.
“Choosing to go out-of-state was an easy decision for me,” senior Delaney Lueck said. “Of course it is hard leaving my friends and family, but I’ve always been a person that has wanted to broaden my horizons, and college is the perfect place to do that.”
When choosing a college, attending an in-state university is also a great option. In-state universities are always going to be a great way to stay connected with the people you went to highschool with, but still allows you to meet new people from neighboring communities or out-of-state students. It is a great way to build on top of relationships you previously had, and stay connected, possibly setting up jobs and opportunities for your future.
“Staying connected with my friends but more importantly my family was the deciding factor for my decision to stay in-state,” senior Carley Bailey said. “The opportunities you can make by knowing the same people all your life are endless, and I am looking to strike on those opportunities, and make something for myself.”
As every senior closes their yearbook and hangs up their cap and gown for good, each individual is entering a different stage of their life. Whether it is attending college or continuing on a different path, picking the option that is right for you is the only one that matters.
