If you have a certain ‘radius’ for colleges…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who have a certain distance within which you will permit your kid to attend college….. what is your thinking? If your child applies to school across the country would you see that as fleeing the homestead, abandonment?… would you even permit the application? Or did you let your kid apply freely anywhere ? If so what is your thinking as well? I feel like there are two kinds of parents on this thread. The ones who will let their kids go absolutely anywhere. And those who have communicated a radius.

We are lower middle class and are currently not allowing the kid to apply to schools that would require a flight. Kid already knows that if the school they choose is 3+ hours away, a lot of their transportation to and from will consist of riding Greyhound buses.

This was my family when I was in school (social class, that is) but I ended up getting nearly a full ride to elite school across the country, based on family's financial situation. I worked hard during summer and had a part time job during the school year plus did some babysitting on the side to afford the flights back and forth, which my parents also contributed to since they ended up not paying any tuition.

I hope you have checked out what your financial obligation would be and also have considered DC's ability to get scholarships before completely restricting where DC can go.

[Anonymous]

We did not put any limits on it. DC ended up applying in a five hour radius and choosing one that is 1.5 hours away although the choice had nothing to do with distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those who have a certain distance within which you will permit your kid to attend college….. what is your thinking? If your child applies to school across the country would you see that as fleeing the homestead, abandonment?… would you even permit the application? Or did you let your kid apply freely anywhere ? If so what is your thinking as well? I feel like there are two kinds of parents on this thread. The ones who will let their kids go absolutely anywhere. And those who have communicated a radius.

We are lower middle class and are currently not allowing the kid to apply to schools that would require a flight. Kid already knows that if the school they choose is 3+ hours away, a lot of their transportation to and from will consist of riding Greyhound buses.

This was my family when I was in school (social class, that is) but I ended up getting nearly a full ride to elite school across the country, based on family's financial situation. I worked hard during summer and had a part time job during the school year plus did some babysitting on the side to afford the flights back and forth, which my parents also contributed to since they ended up not paying any tuition.

I hope you have checked out what your financial obligation would be and also have considered DC's ability to get scholarships before completely restricting where DC can go.

OP here. We will reconsider in that case, or rather, apply more widely geographically and then narrow done the list after acceptances/rejections come in.

[Anonymous]

Kid has had a lot of mental health crises in the past two years. I want to be able to drive to him if there’s a crisis or the warning lights start to flash.

I think the less stable the child is, the less it makes sense to fly him far away from his doctors/family/support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did not put any limits on it. DC ended up applying in a five hour radius and choosing one that is 1.5 hours away although the choice had nothing to do with distance.

We didn’t limit it at all either. Kid ended up only applying to mid-Atlantic schools and will attend one about four hours away. She had a distance preference while we did not.

[Anonymous]

We had no limits on distance. Our child, on the other hand, doesn't want to be more than a few hours from home.

[Anonymous]

within the state of Virginia (state school)

[Anonymous]

We didn't limit where DD applied (we live in PA and she applied to schools on the West Coast), but most of the schools ended up being in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast and the top choices ended up being a hometown university and colleges 2-4 hours away. She's now 3 hours away in Ohio. One of her classmates was strictly prohibited from applying anywhere farther than a day's drive away (5 hour radius for them), supposedly out of cost reasons (the reality was that the family had a one-parent income of $200k+ and two kids in private schools). Our family learned that there is some generous merit to be had in the Midwest, so it could have benefited the daughter to perhaps apply to a few colleges a stone's throw farther away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid has had a lot of mental health crises in the past two years. I want to be able to drive to him if there’s a crisis or the warning lights start to flash.

I think the less stable the child is, the less it makes sense to fly him far away from his doctors/family/support.

I posted earlier, but I didn’t share this as being one of my reasons. I get it. My child also has ADHD and school has been a struggle. Hoping she is able to become a mature adult without too much more trouble, but I am keeping all options open for her.

[Anonymous]

Different for every kid. For us, because our first two have had some health issues but nothing urgent in the last couple years within five hours drive or an easy (Limited connections).
Basically the middle of nowhere is okay if we can drive. Farther is mostly fine if we can fly prettily easily.
Will consider when our other kids are closer to going off to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our job is to prepare our kids to leave no matter how much that hurts that’s our job.

Now back to reality.

Amtrak tickets, plane tickets, storage units, time off from work to move the kid in and out--all of that adds up for some folks.

yes, for some and not for others

False. The kid has to get there and back.

[Anonymous]

I had an Illness that landed me in the student health center at the end of my first semester. My mom was so glad she could drive to me. I also think she will be forever thankful to my boyfriend, who literally carried me into the clinic and stayed with me while I was hooked up to IVs until she could get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our job is to prepare our kids to leave no matter how much that hurts that’s our job.

Now back to reality.

Amtrak tickets, plane tickets, storage units, time off from work to move the kid in and out--all of that adds up for some folks.

yes, for some and not for others

False. The kid has to get there and back.

And multiple times a year, for roughly 4 years.

[Anonymous]

If it's not in driving distance,.then travel there is too expensive.for us to consider unless they have a full scholarship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our job is to prepare our kids to leave no matter how much that hurts that’s our job.

Now back to reality.

Amtrak tickets, plane tickets, storage units, time off from work to move the kid in and out--all of that adds up for some folks.

yes, for some and not for others

False. The kid has to get there and back.

True. We have saved enough to cover any and all of the added expenses for anywhere in the world kid wants to go to college. We hope they go far. There and back.