Should I stay home or go away to college?

[Michael]

Well to keep this as brief as possible, I am going to graduate from a CC this spring, with a 3.45 GPA in Accounting. I have been accepted by 3 SUNY schools, (I live in NY) and one of which is literally around the corner from my house.

I'd kinda like to stay home, but I don't want to regret the missed opportunities, I understand one of my choices, SUNY Oswego, is a very good school for accounting, on the other hand, the one close to my home, SUNY IT, is not as great.

I just want to hear people who have either stayed home for schooling or went away to better schools, and how their life was after.

Society puts in your head the better the school the better you do in life, I just want to know how true that is.

I'd love to stay home, stay connected, continue working and saving money and save $15,000 on tuition if I should, I'd just like to know what type of handicap I would be at choosing the lesser school if I were to stay home.

On the other hand, how much better off I'd be if I went to a better school.

Sorry if I'm all over the place, I only have until May, please ask me any more information I will be happy to assist.

[Sam]

its better to go away to college

[leonard c]

u should go where the program is the best good luck to u

[homebuyer]

Going away to college is an incredibly rewarding experience. You get thrust into a new environment, opportunities to meet people you never would have otherwise, make life-long friends, and focus on your education in ways that aren't possible if you're living at home.

I always suggest making the leap to a school away from home. If it doesn't work, say you are miserable the 2nd semester of your freshman year, you can always transfer to the school right around the corner from home. You'd be switching within the SUNY system, so it is likely all your credits would transfer just fine.

[Frosty327]

A tough question to answer because there is no clear cut "right" solution! There are points to consider either way as you note. If you have a hard time paying for one or the other then your choice is easier. If you are unduly tied to home life then getting out on your relative own could be very helpful in maturing. Going to a "better" school is certainly a study in relativity and is really overrated as to how you will fare in life afterwards. Its what you do that will determine your degree of success, not where your schooling was. Best of luck in your life's adventure!

[Jules]

Moving away is a really personal choice. You should take into account your flaws and things that may distract or bother you if you moved.

I lived on campus for one year and I did not like it. I get easily annoyed by things. I actually had to drop a class once because a girl who always sat in the front of the class played with her hair for half of the class and it distracted me and made me agitated. I am a sensitive person and things just bother me so I did not get along that well with my roommates. They weren't that bad, it was mostly just me. A lot of people say moving away is the best decision, but what they are really saying is that it was the best decision for THEMSELVES. I was told that I would love where I lived and I would have so much fun, but I didn't. I wasn't prepared to live with other people and I can't let things role off my back like other people can. I much preferred living at home, other than the fact that my house is far away from my school.

If you are a calm person who can role with the punches and things do not annoy you so you can get your studying done, then moving may be a good option.

Both me and my sister did not like living with random people. It depends on who you are. I know a lot of people who do like living with other people they do not know that well, though.

If you go to the school that is around the corner, you do not have to worry about loans. You can also consider studying abroad for a semester.

To make up for the lower ranked program, you can get an internship or two to make up for it. I love internships PERSONALLY, they really help me prepare to succeed in the real world. You should also join the accounting clubs at your schools if they have them. Before you make your choice, check out if they have accounting clubs and see if they have a facebook page. Those clubs help you network and prepare you for when you eventually graduate.

You have to take into account your own personality and if you want to be in that much debt.