The majority of people choose to stay in-state when they go to college for a number of reasons. For the most part it has to do with the expense and the distance from family, but there are a few other factors to consider as well. If you have any specific colleges that you really want to go to that are out-of-state, then you are going to need to figure out a few extra logistics, but it’s completely possible if you have the will and the tenacity. You just want to make sure you ask yourself a few key questions before you make your decision. Here is how to tell if you should attend an in or out-of-state college.
Can You Afford the Tuition?
Typically, the cost of attending an out-of-state college is much higher than staying in-state, especially if you attend a public or community college. That said, you may qualify for a much bigger financial aid award out-of-state. You definitely want to make sure that you apply to a few colleges that are both in and out-of-state so that you can compare the cost of attendance and then determine what you can and can’t afford.
Can You Afford the Travel?
In addition to the added cost of going away for college, there is the added cost of travel. You want to determine how often you plan to come back home throughout the year and how much the travel expenses will be during each time of the year. This cost should definitely be added to the cost of attendance so that you can compare and contrast expenses in a very accurate way.
Do You Have Anything Tying You Down?
A lot of people don’t leave their home state because there are different circumstances that require them to be close to home. Whether that is a sick family member, a job you can’t quit, a romantic relationship, or if you have kids, you might not have the option of leaving your home state. It might be fun to fantasize, but in the end, it’s probably far more trouble than it’s worth to completely uproot your life. If you don’t have any strings that are really tying you down and there’s a school you’ve been dying to go to, then you want to make sure that you’re not making any excuses that will hinder you from making your dream a reality.
Are You Planning on Going to Grad School?
If you know that you want to go to grad school immediately after finishing your bachelor’s, and the grad school you want to go to is out-of-state, then you may want to earn your bachelor’s degree in that state. Let’s say that eventually you want to earn your business degree from OU’s MBA no GMAT, then it’s not a bad idea to do your undergraduate years somewhere in Oklahoma. That way you can claim Oklahoma as your state of residence when you apply for business school and you won’t have to pay the extra fees for your graduate degree.
