Two scholars explain why they chose to stay or leave for college
By Aster Gardner
One of the most difficult decisions a senior has to make is where to attend college. Seniors Lillian Wittersheim and Zoel Vaughan recently had to make that call, considering factors such as cost effectiveness and academic opportunities into their decision.
Wittersheim, a senior scholar who has committed to attending the University of Arkansas, cites her main reason for choosing to stay in-state as cost effectiveness. “I’m planning on going to medical school,” she stated, “so I wanted to be able to save my money for my post-undergrad school. Going to the University of Arkansas was primarily a financial choice.” However, Wittersheim praised the quality of the college, adding that “for a state school [she’s] pretty pleased with all the options they offer,” such as the plethora of majors to choose from and the study abroad programs.
When asked if location factored into her decision, Wittersheim responded, “Definitely. I’ll be able to be close to my family. I’m still planning on dorming my freshman year, but I will only be about 30 minutes away from home.” Many scholars may find the idea of leaving home daunting, but choosing to stay in-state for college offers a sort of “baby steps” way to move out on their own.
Despite Wittersheim’s security in her decision, she acknowledges that it’s not all positives. “I think there are definitely places where I could be getting a more intense education and I know I could get into some higher schools if I wished,” she said. Wittersheim also expressed that she “[does] want to be able to have opportunities outside of Arkansas.” While there are limitations to staying in-state for college, Wittersheim adamantly believes it’s “not any less impressive than going to an out-of-state school.” She said she “definitely thought that for a while,” and felt as if she wasn’t living up to her full potential by staying in-state. She pushed past this belief, however, and has come to appreciate her decision for all its positives.
Vaughan is a senior committed to attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Unlike Wittersheim, cost effectiveness was not a factor in Vaughan’s decision on whether or not to stay in-state for college. They chose this university for both the quality of education it offers and the full-tuition scholarship they received. “I have the opportunity to follow a specialized honors pathway that allows me to have research opportunities as soon as freshman year and teaches the skills necessary for post-grad education,” Vaughan stated. They also highlighted the potential to pursue neuropsychopharmacological research, their intended field of study. The campus itself was another perk: “I liked that it was in the middle of a city but had a campus feel at the same time.”
For Vaughan, location wasn’t a huge factor in their decision. Other than the university being in “proximity to activities that [they] would want to do,” they weren’t significantly influenced by the state or city itself. However, there were perceived negatives on Vaughan’s part to attending college out of state. “It’s far from home,” they said, “and you don’t fully know what the people are going to be like.”
There are many aspects to consider in the decision between staying in-state or venturing out for college: location, academic opportunities, scholarships, etc. Each scholar approaches the decision from a different perspective. While it’s likely that uncertainty may persist well after their choice has been made, it’s ultimately up to the judgement of the scholar to select the best option for them.
