Do We Really Need to Send 17 Year-Old's 1500 Miles Away?

Do We Really Need to Send 17 Year-Old's 1500 Miles Away?

On the East Coast kids want to go to school in California. On the West Coast they want to go to schools in Colorado, and in Colorado they want to go to the East Coast.

I'm not sure why this is, other than the common teen desire to get as FAR away from parents as possible. But it is expensive and kind of silly.

A Miss is as Good as a Mile

As I tell my kids, a mile is as good as 1000 when getting away from Mom and Dad. As soon as you are living on your own, you are living on your own. Mom and Dad are just people you see sometimes.

Students with lots of cash to burn should of course blow it wildly on travel and exotic places. I can think of few better ways to squander money. But those who are trying to get a degree at a reasonable price should look at schools closer to home.

After graduation, degree in hand, and 4 years older and wiser, students will be well-positioned to travel and make the most of all that travel has to offer. Until then, they should keep eyes on the prize: to get a decent degree without crippling debt.

What if I Live in the South?

One exception to this rule is if the student feels they live in a geographical area that promotes intolerance, bigotry, or hate. If that's the student's place, then moving far away is possibly a good idea. Those qualities cannot be allowed to seep into the education of young minds.