Anonymous wrote:Such a toxic idea, that you have to “dispose” of all of your old friends and high school acquaintances to prove you are doing college better than those who stayed locally. I went to college far away and would’ve loved having a few high school friends there to use as an anchor while also making new friends, but I am fairly shy. My sibling went to our state flagship and met lots of new people but also ended up married to someone from our high school. Also has tons of friends from our high school even now in 30s. Frankly I am jealous of this!

Huh? You can still keep your HS friends if you go to college out of the area. This was true even 30 years ago before texting/facetime.

It is a ridiculous concern. The number of kids from your high school that you’d meet at college is minuscule.

I don’t think it’s necessarily a toxic idea, but some kids might fare differently (in either direction) depending on how many familiar faces they’re surrounded by. If I could do it all over, I’d probably choose a school where no one from my high school was. (I went to UVA from a big NoVa high school.) Though I didn’t really hang out much with people from high school, there’s a certain amount of baggage that might be harder to shake off when you’re trying to start fresh. I think this is probably more evident at places that are more socially cut-throat, though.

Anonymous wrote:Such a toxic idea, that you have to “dispose” of all of your old friends and high school acquaintances to prove you are doing college better than those who stayed locally. I went to college far away and would’ve loved having a few high school friends there to use as an anchor while also making new friends, but I am fairly shy. My sibling went to our state flagship and met lots of new people but also ended up married to someone from our high school. Also has tons of friends from our high school even now in 30s. Frankly I am jealous of this!

Our kid met several of their HS friends & acquaintances over spring break. Some the first weekend, some the last before heading back to college. Those kids met up and just hung out together and ... baked! Yup as in making batter and baking. Boys & Girl. Brought tons of goodies home and they were yummy.
Doesn't mean they are not branching out in college and creating new contacts, but when they know they are all back in town they meet up and just have a fun together.
Those kids all have gone completely different path, from CC, part-time local college while working, college one hour away to college several states over.

I know lots of MCPS kids end up at UMDCP, but MCPS itself is quite large. As for the HS level, I know there are many from the same HS who end up at UMD, but most don't end up in the same LLP. I'm sure they will run into each other in college, but it's not as if the entire HS is going there, or that this cohort are the only ones there. It's a large school.

Uva was that for me!

Such a toxic idea, that you have to “dispose” of all of your old friends and high school acquaintances to prove you are doing college better than those who stayed locally. I went to college far away and would’ve loved having a few high school friends there to use as an anchor while also making new friends, but I am fairly shy. My sibling went to our state flagship and met lots of new people but also ended up married to someone from our high school. Also has tons of friends from our high school even now in 30s. Frankly I am jealous of this!

My DS is choosing GMU primarily for its location and proximity to the huge DC job market. Yes, he could go away for college, but if he will likely end up in the DMV anyway for his chosen field, he figures why bother. He plans to live on campus.

I think it depends on the kid. My DC is at school a plane ride away. Desperately wanted to go to UVA because living so far away from home is really hard. UVA was a rejection. DC is very happy at college, would never transfer (sophomore), but still mentions regularly they wish they were closer to home.

Anonymous wrote:Kids want a fresh start but keep running into their past.

+1

My son is at a state U where lots of classmates go. He only sees the couple close friends he makes a point of seeing. It wasn't an issue for him at all. My DD prefers schools where she won't run into HS friends. Either way is fine. However, I have encouraged my son to do study abroad, in part, to really get out of his comfort zone.

Nearly 70 percent of students (at a 4 yr institution) attend within two hours of their home, according to the latest Higher Education Research Institute’s CIRP survey.

https://econofact.org/going-away-to-college-school-distance-as-a-barrier-to-higher-education

I preferred to go to a college with very few people from my gihg school and none other than me that particular year. It was a relief to get away from the private school students I was forced to be with for 12 long years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids want a fresh start but keep running into their past.

and new experiences for growth. Let them go out of the pond.

Exactly. Plus, there are so many places that are more interesting than the DC area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"13th grade/year" is an expression used by people who want to disparage state schools that are popular among students. They usually use that term because their kids didn't get in and they have a huge chip on their shoulder that they just can't shake. No matter that these schools are all large and there is next to zero chance of randomly running into someone from high school.

In other words, it's a form of face-saving. Disparaging the school(s) that didn't accept your kids. Very typical for DCUM.

Maybe this but it could also be a way to poke at those that seem to remain within the same bubble that they grew up in. All this talk about diversity but there is something to geographic diversity as well.

Sure, but there is also geographic diversity (among other types) within the state universities. You could send your kid to Michigan, or UCLA, or what have you, and they'd still be among basically the same types of kids. And there's always grad school and/or jobs to experience living elsewhere. Where you go to college doesn't determine where you'll live for the rest of your life.

Actually, a lot of times it does!

+1

Plus your peers would potentially be based in that area too.