Which college a student attends matters a lot – and not only in terms of quality of education and job prospects, but also in regard to personal growth, attitude development, and social relationships.
Therefore, the choice of a college is one of the most important decisions students need to make in their young lives. That decision, however, is influenced by many factors – from available majors and extra-curricular activities to financial concerns and potential opportunities. The location of a college – and how far away from home it is – is an essential consideration as well.
For many young adults moving away for college and living independently is an exciting experience they’re eagerly looking forward to. For others, moving out of home – and stepping out of their comfort zones – is a scary prospect they would rather avoid.
Most students, though, are unsure of whether moving out for college is worth it.
If you too are asking yourself “Should I move away for college?”, you’ll be interested to know the advantages and disadvantages of studying away from home so you can make an informed decision.
Here are the most essential pros and cons of moving away for college to help you make the right choice for you:
Benefits of moving away for college
Moving out for college is often seen as an opportunity to expand one’s horizons, gain maturity, and establish valuable social connections.
Studying away from home and living on your own will give you freedom and independence – but also responsibilities and challenges. It will force you to grow up and will help you find your true self. And you’ll get the chance to meet new people, make new friends, acquire various useful skills, and lay a solid foundation for your future.
More options and better prospects
If you’re willing to go to a school far from home, you’ll have a wider choice of colleges – and will be able to pick the best program for you. Different universities are renowned for different things and it makes sense to choose a college that excels in what you’re keen on – the best such college you can get into.
There may be a university close to where you live, but that university may not offer the major you’re interested in – or may not be prominent in that field. You may have much better options if you consider far away colleges. Attending a school far from home will be the right choice for you if that school has the major you want – and ranks among the best colleges for that major.
Independence, freedom, and maturity
One of the greatest advantages of studying far away from home is that you learn to cope on your own and not to rely on anyone but yourself. Having no parent or guardian around to regulate your life and come to the rescue if something goes wrong allows you freedom and makes you responsible and resilient.
- There will be no rules to observe and you’ll be able to do what you want, direct your own schedule, and make decisions for yourself;
- There will be no one to remind you that you need to study, eat healthily, get rest, etc., so you’ll have to learn to take care of yourself, organize your time, make good decisions, and handle your responsibilities;
- There will be no one to cook, clean, do the laundry, or buy groceries for you, so you’ll have to find the time to do the chores yourself – and learn how to do them efficiently;
- Your family and friends won’t be around to help you, so you’ll need to learn to overcome difficulties and challenges by yourself and to stand on your own feet.
All in all, moving away for college is a great way to acquire and practice essential life skills. Students who move out for uni usually find that studying away from home teaches them a lot more than classes do – it’s a maturing experience that coincides with earning a qualification.
New experiences, new perspectives, and new friends
Going away to college is a wonderful opportunity for young adults to immerse themselves in a new environment, experience a different type of life, try new things, meet new people, and gain a new perspective.
Distancing yourself from what you know (familiar places, familiar people, familiar lifestyle, familiar attitudes, etc.) can actually change your whole world view:
- The new area will offer new opportunities and new experiences. You will be able to explore new places, enjoy new sights, try new activities, taste new foods, etc. It will broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of the world;
- There will be cultural and environmental differences that will challenge you and will enhance your perspective on life. You will discover new ideas, new beliefs, and new ways of living and will get a new outlook on the world;
- You will meet and interact with many different people who come from different backgrounds than you. You will become more open-minded, your social skills will improve, and your social circle will expand;
- Living on campus will give you the opportunity to get connected with other students and build your own community away from home. All the hardships, struggles, and fun you experience together with other students as you study, party, and live together will create a special bond between you – and you will form close friendships that will last a lifetime.
Fresh start and self-discovery
Being able to start afresh is one of the biggest benefits of moving away for college – going to a place where you don’t know anybody and nobody knows you makes for a clean slate. It allows you to escape expectations and create a new image for yourself. You get the chance to become the person you’ve always wanted to be – not who your parents want you to be or who your childhood friends see you as.
In fact, being in an unfamiliar environment among unfamiliar people will heighten your self-awareness and make you figure out who you actually are – the new experiences, new ideas, and new challenges you encounter when moving away for college will help you grow as a person, find your true self, define your values and your priorities, and decide what you want to do with your life.
So, is moving out for college worth it? In most cases it is, but there are downsides to studying far from home too – going away to college is not the right step for everyone.
Disadvantages of moving away for college
As exciting as moving away for uni may be, it can also be quite scary – you’ll be all by yourself, hundreds or thousands of miles away from your loved ones. And especially if you’re not a very outgoing person, it can be a rather isolating experience – not to mention all the hardships you’ll have to overcome on your own.
Homesickness
Even if you’re eager to move out for college and start your independent life, after a while the excitement will wear off and you’ll start feeling nostalgic for your life back home – you’ll miss the security and comfort of your home, the predictability of your old routine, the joy of being with loved ones… You’ll need time to get used to being away from family and friends, make new social connections, and become independent and self-reliant.
It won’t be easy to overcome the sadness and anxiety of being away from everything and everyone you know and love, but you can do it – you just need to focus on your new life, while also staying in touch with your old world. (See also: How to deal with homesickness after moving)
If you’re missing home so much that you can’t enjoy campus life, however, moving away to college may not be worth it. Especially if you’re close to your family, love your hometown, thrive in your current environment, and have good friends there, moving far away for uni is likely to cause you more pain than gain. In such a case, it may be better to stay at home and study at a nearby college.
Lack of support
When you move away for college, you’ll have no one to rely on but yourself. You’ll have to take care of your own life, take full responsibility for your decisions and your actions, and stand up for yourself in difficult situations – mom and dad won’t be there to help you.
Facing challenges and overcoming hardships on your own will make you stronger and help you grow as a person, but it won’t be easy. Without your parents’ constant support (emotional, physical, and financial) you may feel like you’ve been thrown in at the deep end.
And if an emergency occurs (illness, accident, crisis, etc.), either to you or to a loved one, being away from family and home will be awful.
Difficulty adjusting
Moving someplace new is beneficial in many ways but being in a completely different environment and facing a completely different lifestyle may be quite overwhelming – it may make you feel lost, sad, and uneasy.
Many young people who go away to college find that they can’t handle the transition – the new social and academic pressures induce high levels of stress and those who have trouble coping with change may become prone to depression, binge drinking, or other self-destructive behaviors.
If you can’t see yourself living in a vastly different environment and finding your place in a completely new community, then moving to a far-away college may not be a good option for you. Keep in mind though that the culture of a university does not depend on its geographic location – you may be able to fit better in a college at the other end of the country than in one in your hometown.
Related: How to adjust to a new environment after moving
High costs
College is expensive and the added costs of living away from home may be too much for you and your family. On top of high tuition fees, students studying away from home spend thousands of dollars on room-and-board costs, travel expenses, and other extra expenses:
- If you move out for college, you’ll have to pay for housing, utilities, and food – expenses you won’t need to worry about if you live at home;
- If you attend college in another state, you’ll be charged non-resident tuition for the first year;
- When moving to a far-away college, you may need to hire college movers to transport your belongings to the dorm (or to your rental place if you’re going to live off campus) See also: What to pack for college;
- Living far from family presents an additional financial burden when it comes to traveling home for holidays and breaks.
Related useful information: How to move into a dorm; How to save money in college
Now you know why you should move away for college – and you know what the downsides of studying far from home are. Research your educational options, assess your financial situation, and think about how comfortable you’re being away from home – it should be easy enough to figure out if moving away for college is worth it in your case.
