Pros and Cons of Attending College Close from home vs Far from home

Distance plays a very important part while deciding what college to attend. Attending a college close to home and far from home has many advantages and disadvantages. An advantage of one condition can be the disadvantage for another condition & vice-versa. The pros and cons depend on how you handle certain situations.

Attending a college close from home

Pros:

There is no relocation expenses or disruption and very few traveling expenses. You can save a lot of money by not living on campus or having to purchase all your meals at school or restaurants. There is an added bonus also i.e. you will not have to travel by plane or train for holidays or campus closings. Also, seasonal or part-time work may be easier to acquire due to the proximity of your old neighborhood and connections.

You have a familiar surrounding to go take a break or study. You are still connected to your support network. Your friends, family, mentors are still within a car ride away. This can be tricky depending on your circle. These friends can be a distraction or helpful  depending on what they may be doing with their lives.

Cons:

You will have fewer chances to become independent. The most common disadvantage of attending school close to home is that you may be deprived of a golden opportunity to develop new ideas and meet new people.

Your continuity to move in the very same circles you did as a high school senior then you are less likely to become significantly involved in campus life. Similarly, you may not find the need to forge new friendships if you are surrounded by the old gang.

Your participation in the extracurricular activity will be less.

You’ll still be asked by your parents to help with things around the house which perhaps gives you more pressure and you will get irritated.

You may also read : What is a Commuter School?

Pros and Cons of a Commuter School

Attending college far from home

Pros:

If you really want to get a college experience, live on campus.

Attending a college far from home will help you grow as a person, you will be closer to learning resources, and it is fun to live away from your parents.

It will help you in becoming independent.

You are likely to build new friendships if you live on campus and then you will be able to find roommates to live with in the future.

Cons:

You will miss the birthday parties, little siblings, sporting events and any other family events if you go to college far from home. You might also miss Thanksgiving and religious holiday celebrations.

You’ll miss home-cooked meals and a stocked refrigerator.

If you regularly see specialists at home for a chronic medical condition, finding an alternative near the college is stressful. Though the college campus does have on-campus medical centers, they are limited.

Conclusion

Staying close to home may maintain a certain level of comfort for you on one hand, but on the other hand it might also retard your growth in other areas depending on your maturity level.

Ultimately, it’s up to you. You are not wrong if you attend a college close to home, you just have to be intentional about starting your own personalized life.

Good luck!