Choosing a college is one of those tough decisions that everyone who is intending on getting a degree has to go through. The research that goes into deciding on a college is never an easy task. Colleges can vary drastically from majors provided, to degree options, size of student body, size of the campus and location. To me, location can make or break a school. Whether you’re looking for a break from parents’ rules, a fresh start in a new city where no one knows your name or whether you enjoy the feeling of a fast-paced big city; location plays a key role in the outcome and success of your college career.
College is the first real test in adulthood. It is the first time students can choose what they are going to do with our lives. Students all around the country spend twelve years in school, under their parents’ roof trying to abide by rules and get good grades. When the time to choose a college comes up on the radar, many students panic. I know I did. I was convinced that I had to stay relatively close to home, yet I wanted independence along with the ability to stay out as late as I wanted. Having the stress of school every day for eight hours as well as constantly bumping heads with my parents, made the transition into college an easier process.
Being a short distance from them allowed me to spread my wings a little bit while still maintaining contact with them. However, it doesn’t come without its downsides. . Many of those real-world problems that people tell you about aren’t made clear to you until you have to go through them yourself. Maybe you like having your mother there to do your laundry, having a home cooked meal every night or having family time. Even the little problems overwhelmed me at the beginning, “Wait, I have to buy soap and toothpaste too?! Those don’t just come with the on-campus housing?” It takes meticulous planning and confidence in yourself to move away from home. I have friends who were ready to sprint to college after getting their diploma. Places and people get old, so having a fresh start in a new city is good for people who are up for the challenge of change.
“I chose KSU because they offered a sports management program with opportunities to work with pro and semi-pro teams,” said sports management senior, Jens Byberg. “Also, being from Sweden, the weather and campus also made the choice easier.”
Location is extremely important when thinking about the major and career that you want.. Perhaps a communications major would be a little more inclined to go to a school near a bigger city that would have plenty of internships available. Internships are a crucial part in the communication fields as well as many others. Media corporations that hire interns aren’t always readily available in every single city. Moving forward in the communication field is also difficult from a school that doesn’t have connections to bigger city resources. Education programs, for example, are available everywhere. An education major can be a teacher’s assistant in any city in this country and get valuable and necessary experience.
The big city versus rural atmosphere debate is also strong. People are naturally inclined to either enjoy fast-paced big city living where the streets are crowded and there is always high-energy or rural towns where there are more open spaces, less people, less energy and more calmness. Each side of this spectrum has its advantages and disadvantages and every personality type has different preferences.
According to universitylanguage.com, “The college’s social setting will effect nearly everything you do outside of class. For the best college experience possible, you’ll want to figure out what kind of social setting you want to live in for the next four years– or more.”
Everyone has his or her reasons for choosing a school, and usually when ample thought is put into location as well as the academic rigor of the school, the outcome is admirable and success is higher. You are far more inclined to stay at a school when you feel you are in a place that is the right fit for you. In all of these cases, location proves to be of high importance.
