can a college be too far away?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reminds me the parents who constantly screech “why aren’t kids getting their licenses at 16” these days. And you respond “due to the costs” and it’s like they have fingers in each ear, in a toddler-like manner.

Weird, I don't recall screeching.

Is this a thing these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there's anything "these days" about it--just differences between families. Distance adds costs and hassles for sure.

+1 There have always been people that preferred their kids to stay close to home and others that were open to anything.

[Anonymous]

It’s a factor related to cost and convenience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there's anything "these days" about it--just differences between families. Distance adds costs and hassles for sure.

+1 There have always been people that preferred their kids to stay close to home and others that were open to anything.

[Anonymous]

Yes, wealthier families can and do have their kids go to college wherever without regard for OOS or private tuition, transportation or storage costs. Poorer students, if they go to college, have traditionally attended closer to home and commuted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Reminds me the parents who constantly screech “why aren’t kids getting their licenses at 16” these days. And you respond “due to the costs” and it’s like they have fingers in each ear, in a toddler-like manner.

Weird, I don't recall screeching.

Is this a thing these days?

Everyone else has been polite. What's your issue?

[Anonymous]

I'm not proud of this, but COVID changed my mind. So yes, now there's a too far

[Anonymous]

Everyone is different. Some kids are homebodies and want to stay within 1 hour of home. For some instate is less expensive and a great academic option. My family we(including my student) wanted OOS but still within 3 hours of home. Others choose 5 hours away or are willing to go across the country or international.

Figure out what works for your family and student and plan it that way.

[Anonymous]

Surprised no one's mentioned this aspect yet -- A student with certain medical conditions might do better closer to home, depending on factors like the condition, how well it's managed, whether the student should be relatively near specific doctors who have been treating them, etc. I've seen threads on here talking about kids whose medical conditions meant it was wisest for them to be within a pretty easy drive of home, both for parental support and to be near medical facilities or doctors who were familar with them. That's probably a fairly rare situation but it's definitely a real one. Mental health is another consideration for some kids, I'm sure.

Travel cost and logistics surely is a much more common consideration, but medical/mental health can make some locations "too far away." Highly variable depending on the student and family though.

[Anonymous]

Uh, yeah.

[Anonymous]

Hello California! DS just decided USC would be his “what the hell” college application. Any thoughts, advice? (His stats are just below 50% now & hoping to get a little bit above before application time).

[Anonymous]

"Geographic diversity" is a thing. As a result of the Bakke decision of 1978, it's often much easier for students to get into a college where fewer students from their own home area apply. Therefore college counselors will sometimes push students to apply to top schools on the opposite coast, even when the families and students would prefer them to stay near home. This extra travel adds expense and is less environmentally sustainable but allows colleges to consider demographic characteristics with otherwise would have been forbidden in admissions.

[Anonymous]

It’s all about costs and how well your student can deal with travel and its issues.

My 3rd is 3k miles away, and two plane rides. This means for thanksgiving, when classes end at noon on wed (up to profs if attendance is mandatory) we go somewhere closer so they can reach family with a single 2hour plane ride or less.
It also means they can get stuck. That happened spring break—got stuck in Detroit with a snowstorm. thankfully I had planned ahead and precooked a hotel that morning due to bad weather. It took me over an hour to arrange a hotel that would let a 18 yo check in.
Had I not pre booked (and potentially lost money) they would have spent night alone in airport.
I also have the $$ and rebooked them on a next day flight from dtw once flight was delayed. Had I waited another hour there would not have been any seats for 48 hours. Now I got the money back a few days later, but I had to be willing to book another flight at 24 hour out prices or they would not have had a seat for two days.

My kid was fine with it but was very happy they had a hotel room to safely sleep.

But it was 2-3 hours of my time and upfront $$$ of over $800 to make it happen

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Geographic diversity" is a thing. As a result of the Bakke decision of 1978, it's often much easier for students to get into a college where fewer students from their own home area apply. Therefore college counselors will sometimes push students to apply to top schools on the opposite coast, even when the families and students would prefer them to stay near home. This extra travel adds expense and is less environmentally sustainable but allows colleges to consider demographic characteristics with otherwise would have been forbidden in admissions.

Cite, please.

FYI the kids coming from states where geographic diversity would be a real hook i.e. Idaho, Iowa, Montana, the Dakotas or West Virginia tend to be white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not proud of this, but COVID changed my mind. So yes, now there's a too far

This is what happened to my kid. The University of Washington was DCs first choice for a while, then COVID hit. DC decided the distance had to be drivable in a day, just in case, and ended up in Boston instead.