Thinking of going off to college? Consider staying local

Deciding where to go to college can be a difficult choice. There are a lot of factors to consider including programs, size and location – a big factor for a lot of collegegoers lately. According to EconoFact, 56.2 percent of public four-year college students attend an institution under an hour’s drive away.

There are several reasons that students may want to stay close to home for college. Here are a few to consider.

It’s familiar

Staying close to home for college means that you are familiar with the area you are learning in and the people you are around, and that can help students adjust to college life better.

“I have a close relationship with my family and staying home was great for me because I have my support system right here,” says Julia Lulgjuraj, a student at the University of Michigan-Flint. “People going away don’t have the luxury of having their parents right there.”

You can build a network close to home

By going to school close to where you live, you have more of an opportunity to use the contacts you make networking. It is also easier to maintain relationships you may have built before going to college.

“I went to high school with a few students I go to college with, so I was able to maintain those friendships,” says Anna Delgado, a student at the University of Michigan-Flint. “I also have a mentor at my church that I am able to stay in contact with being local.”

It’s a smart financial decision

The cost of going to school away from home can be upward of double what it is to go to college near home with additional costs to consider including room and board.

“Being close to school, I didn’t have to worry about paying for on-campus housing,” says Amy Anderson, a student at the University of Michigan-Flint. “It was a lot easier to stay close to home.”

Additionally, students who live and go to school in Flint can take advantage of Flint Promise, a last-dollar scholarship that helps students pay for tuition at local institutions including the University of Michigan-Flint, Mott Community College and Kettering University.

For more information on Flint Promise, visit TheFlintPromise.org.