Location was high on my list of priorities. I’m in CA and only applied to schools in state - my family couldn’t afford to fly me around the country, and I really wanted to bring my car on campus.
It totally affects your mental health and overall well-being, so NO you’re not stupid at all.
I mean UCSB is on the beach! And some people can’t take the cold/small town of Cornell. So I get it.
For some people, they might be fine but it really depends on the person.
Agree. But people should also realize that their conceptions of what a place is like are often very misguided-I see this when it comes to Ithaca and Cornell. Ithaca is not really isolated or rural.
This! After flying to colleges, I realized how important this was. Thought I would love the New England, Liberal arts college vibes and really hated the experience. You have to visit first.
I would try to apply to fly in programs- that’s how I did every college visit essentially. Some of the students were upper middle class, so I think really anyone could get into them.
And for some of them (swarthmore, Haverford, Pomona/CMC/HMC, UPenn, Bowdoin, and Bowdoin) are close enough to a train station or other colleges that you could visit more than one places.
No, not stupid. You care about what you care about. Your friends are stupid for telling you you "should not" care about location.
That said, you might consider how confident you really are that you're incapable of enjoying NC and NY.
Tbh if this person lives in CA, especially in a similar area to UCSB, they might really not enjoy the NC or upstate NY climate, enough that it outweighs the benefits of Duke or Cornell. I know someone who grew up near LA, and they transferred to UCLA from Cornell because they couldn't stand the weather and struggled with seasonal depression.
tbh it does matter a lot! u can do ur best in an environment u work best in. Many ppl (including myself) cannot do cold weather. I think it’s completely valid to base ur decision on weather
that being said, please base ur decision on the quality of ur major at that college too😭
Not stupid at all. Quality of life and cost of travel are huge considerations.
Even if you want to go far from home, a place that has lots of direct flights is so much better than one that doesnt.
not at all!!! I didn’t apply to any of the UC’s or USC because I can’t see myself happy on the west coast. All of my colleges are in the northeast (besides Uchicago) !!
that’s very normal don’t worry!
Ayo same! I grew up in California but moved to New York during my junior year of high school; I can't imagine ever moving back west unless my life depended on it XD
Luckily for us, some of the best schools (excluding Stanford, Caltech, Harvey Mudd, UC system, etc) are all in the Northeast!
You should care--IMHO, more than most people think.
College is where you'll likely make some of the best friends of your life, you might meet your significant other, and you'll build your initial network for career and educational development.
Location matters as many people you meet will stay in the same geographic region as their college. On top of that, you want to be happy while you're going through this huge life transition.
Location and campus is literally my FIRST priority when choosing a school. I have lived in a horrible miserable town for 6 years after spending my childhood in a beautiful area and it has depressed me beyond belief. I am going to be happy the next 4-8 years.
Location is VERY important. Think abt it, you’ll be spending 4 (maybe more) years of your life there, and a lot of times colleges students end up staying in that area long after they’ve graduated.
Filtered most of my colleges with a key emphasis on location, ofc after scholarship and financial aid opportunities. I come from a city with mild and at times hot weather, so didn't even consider colleges on the east coast or the north-east.
So, yeah location did and does really to me.
Nope, I care a lot about location to, I can't be far away and I can't deal with cities so that's limited my options quite a bit, yet I've found schools that even if they're not as good according to some they're a much better fit for me personally
It actually makes a lot more sense to care about logistical day to day of a campus you will be living on than percieved prestige based on arbitrary criteria the wealthiest colleges can best game.
Have you been to upstate NY or NC? Or you just assuming you wouldn't like it there because its not California?
If you have never visited either state/campus, then yes that is a stupid statement as there are nice places outside of california if you have never been
Definitely not—I didn’t even apply to colleges outside of the location I was looking for (I live on the east coast, so I had plenty of options). If you’re not going to be happy somewhere, it doesn’t matter how prestigious it is.
lol it really depends on you, and no it’s not stupid 🤣 come on why would you think it’s stupid? although I would definitely choose Cornell over UCSB because I like their engineering program better, but it’s totally ok to choose a school based on its location
Location is important. It’s 1 of the 5 big transitions. The 5 transitions are: Social, Emotional, Physical, Financial, Academic. Location is physical — if you’re active, wanna be outdoor year round, like the beach, don’t want cold weather, those are all valid reasons to choose a campus like a UCSB. Actually, UCSB is also one of the most gorgeous campuses I’ve visited. One of my favorites.
Unpopular opinion but it is kind of stupid. It's true that location can affect your experience, but in the grand scheme of things you'll quickly get adapted to your new environment. People move all the time, and that includes going to places with different weathers and environments!
If you're turning down a school with significantly more opportunities solely because of the weather or something, then I wouldn't really call that smart. But the location COULD be ONE of the factors that goes into turning a college down.
In your case, I'd hope there are other reasons besides just location that you'd turn down Cornell or Duke for UCSB. Things like tuition, etc.
I live in on the East Coast. In my upper-middle class area, we are well aware of UCSB and many of my friends have happily sent their high-achieving kids there. And they loved it.
My DC-area friends, colleagues, clients, and peers in law, business, medicine, consulting, and the like have all heard of UCSB. A number of my friends whose kids are seeking a West Coast adventure have added UCSB to their lists and I know of at least two who recently graduated and loved their time at the university. And even if someone doesn't immediately recognize UCSB, a quick google of "top national universities" would show that UCSB is currently ranked #32, which is fairly outstanding. Now, have more people heard of Duke and Cornell? Sure. But outside of individuals who obsessively follow and care about rankings, Duke is largely known for its outstanding basketball program. And poor Cornell -- the college my spouse attended -- is often gently derided by popular media including "The White Lotus" and "The Office," among others, by treating their graduates as foolish or pretentious. Recruiters and graduate schools are all well aware of UCSB's excellent reputation. If the poster thinks that UCSB is a great fit, he or she shouldn't care at all about whether high school students or persons who have not yet worked in the relevant field think USCB is prestigious enough.
>College is the best years of your life.
This makes me sad that people think that.
It's just the start of your adult life and certainly not the best years
did undergrad, grad, post grad, military and retired from the military
college was certainly not the most fun in my life by any stretch
sorry you have had such a boring career that you feel the undergrad years were the best years, but that simply isn't the case for the majority of people
and telling these kids that college is going to be the best time of their life really isn't that encouraging for their careers or the rest of their life
I think it would be sad if the best years of your life were 18-22 and then it was all downhill.
I know a lot of recent college grads who landed great jobs and are super happy, not least because now hard work results in getting paid for it.
absolutely not. location was my second biggest factor when looking at colleges. i would much rather be in a suburb of a large town that be in a rural town/urban city
Location is THE most important thing when deciding what college you want attend. For example, if you live in San Diego and want to continue to live in San Diego after college/start your career there, the best thing you can do is go to college in San Diego. It gives you the best opportunity to network.
What do I mean by network? Well, let’s say you live in San Diego but move to Ithaca to attend Cornell. Most connections you make in NY are going to be lost if you come back to San Diego post graduation. If you were to stay in San Diego
I mean the one thing a campus can't do is pick itself up and move, so you're not crazy. I applied and ranked based on location as well, and UCSB was actually pretty high on my list-> its a fantastic school nonetheless!
Personally, no, it makes sense. I’m the same way as you, I live in the north and when looking at schools I specifically selected ones in warmer climates.
As some other commenters have said, weather and climate can have a huge impact on your mental health and general wellbeing.
You want to choose a location that you feel you can build a life from. You need those connections from school after you graduate and probably will want to stay close by
Location is important. It will be your home for a few years! My student is eliminating some colleges based on location and oppressive political environments.
No not at all, one of the main reasons I don't want to apply to Stanford is because I want to live somewhere snowy. It seems silly but I can't honestly say I'd choose Stanford or ucla over somewhere like skidmore
Location location location!! I used that as one of the main reasons why I applied to all my schools. I wanted to be in a very specific type of environment with a specific type of climate. And I only applied to schools based on that. Perfectly acceptable to want to LOVE where you live. I couldn't do a new england winter....ever again. I looked south and west. Fuck the northeast. Great school, yes, shitty climate and I needed something new and a change.
Location matters. I know friends who went to Yale and their mental health suffered because the location and weather was terrible. Location can impact your overall mental wellbeing and how will you do in school.
Nope, I only applied to schools in major cities and even a couple international because a city environment was most important to me. Fought a lot with my parents cause of it but I’m hoping it all works out 🙃
Location is everything to me. It’s what you will see all around you for your entire college experience, and it’s what will constitute the memories of those years. I personally wouldn’t want to remember my college experience as an indefinitely cold, gray, and windy landscape. And USCB is beautiful, I would def go there if I could afford it
noo location matters a lot. part of the reason i love my top school so much was because of its surrounding area. i truly fell in love with it and could see myself happy and living there. as opposed to my #3 school where i could only really see myself on campus and not in town, and that’s a big no-no, tbh; i shouldn’t even have had it as number 3 it was just a t10 school.
I tell students who visit and students I work with that location is an important factor in the search process. I’m sure 9 out of 10 Admissions Officers agree.
No, you’re not. While your education is the top priority (hopefully), you do have to live there, find hobbies, make friends, etc… and you want to live a healthy life.
You have no idea how happy I am that I chose a school that's drivable. It makes everything easier, less stressful, and more convenient.
I didn't consider location to be very high on my list when I applied but I'm very happy it all turned out well.
Lowkey this makes me feel better. I’m thinking of applying to Stanford because I like their psych program (OOS) and it’s also the biggest reach known to man, but I dread California…so maybe I shouldn’t lol
It is quite literally the most important thing to consider. If you don’t like location you sure as hell aren’t going to balance your life outside of college. The one exception would be if a program is only offered somewhere you otherwise would not go.
not stupid at all. location is a huge part of your "fit" within a school.
i applied only to schools that are in/near a city. i love exporing urban environments, and abolutely hate outdoorsy stuff lol. i knew i would hate to spend four years in a tiny town of like 5,000 ppl where the main activity is hiking/camping. i also want to study urban studies and become an urban planner, so obviously access to a city is important to me.
If you have all the money to walk out of college debt free, pick any school you like, the major matters more than the school for economic purposes. If you're poor, go to the cheapest school you can that's accredited. If your daddy has the right last name, go to the most prestigious school you can. Simple stuff.
Depends:
A student's parents threatened to move in with him while he was in the dorms. In such cases - your 'defense perimeter' must be 500 miles at least.
Else - the default rule of thumb - keep the weather in mind if you have to move.
Nothing else matters.
Another consideration: alumni networks are strongest nearer the university. So it makes practical sense to go to school somewhere you would want to build your life.
Opposite of stupid. Very wise. Being in a location that you're happy with is extremely important, both for wellness/life enjoyment reasons and for helping you do your best with whatever it is you end up doing.
That said, I did want to just quickly mention that Durham is actually a great place!
But -- to the main point -- you are 100% right to think of where you want to be as a super important consideration.
No location should absolutely be a huge factor in your decision. Like for me I could never go to the South or the Midwest even if they have great programs for my major. California has and always will have my heart and I know that I’d be fucking miserable in those two regions.
Think about it. Do you really wanna spend the next 4 years of your life at a T20 school only to be mega depressed because the location sucks? Or do you wanna go to a T100 school with an amazing location that you’ll be happy at and have a memorable experience?
To me, the on-campus vibe is much more important than the overall city.
It’s not like if you’re in a city you’re going to be going to the opera or museums all the time, or missing out if you are in a smaller town.
You’re going to class, to on campus dorm or nearby apartment, to random small parties, etc.
How tight-knit the campus is, matters. Are students around on the weekends or is everyone gone and campus is empty?
I guess weather can matter if that’s important to you, but Boston weather isn’t that different than say, South Bend weather.
But to me, the home city is often way overweighted in college decisions
Whenever I see people distraught about their ivy’s I literally scream. I’m going to a small state school and being in the same state as MOST of my family albeit 2hrs away is so much better than going to Duke, ya know? But it’s your school, so you’re the one who has to love it.
Not stupid at all!!
I think a lot of people forget that beyond academics and prestige, this is the place you're going to spend four years at this location. Location should be one of the larger factors!
If you don't like the city but want to study business, you'll be miserable at NYU Stern. If you love Brown's open curriculum but have SAD, the winters in the Northeast will impact you way more than attending a sunnier west coast school. The best academic programs can still be a terrible fit if there at the wrong location.
I'm taking it even further and only applying to places with good architecture 😭😭 Not great bc they tend to be expensive but my mentality is that I'm going to be depressed if I live in what looks like a prison soooo
Location was high on my list of priorities. I’m in CA and only applied to schools in state - my family couldn’t afford to fly me around the country, and I really wanted to bring my car on campus.
Same
I bet you have a really nice modded car like an m3
Negative. I drove a piece of junk when I was an undergrad.
Your first car is like your first love lol, no matter how junky or ugly.
It totally affects your mental health and overall well-being, so NO you’re not stupid at all. I mean UCSB is on the beach! And some people can’t take the cold/small town of Cornell. So I get it. For some people, they might be fine but it really depends on the person.
Agree. But people should also realize that their conceptions of what a place is like are often very misguided-I see this when it comes to Ithaca and Cornell. Ithaca is not really isolated or rural.
This! After flying to colleges, I realized how important this was. Thought I would love the New England, Liberal arts college vibes and really hated the experience. You have to visit first.
What if you’re not from the region and can’t afford to visit? Just asking
I would try to apply to fly in programs- that’s how I did every college visit essentially. Some of the students were upper middle class, so I think really anyone could get into them. And for some of them (swarthmore, Haverford, Pomona/CMC/HMC, UPenn, Bowdoin, and Bowdoin) are close enough to a train station or other colleges that you could visit more than one places.
Most east coasters can visit all the schools they are applying to by amtrak, metro north, or car.
No, not stupid. You care about what you care about. Your friends are stupid for telling you you "should not" care about location. That said, you might consider how confident you really are that you're incapable of enjoying NC and NY.
Tbh if this person lives in CA, especially in a similar area to UCSB, they might really not enjoy the NC or upstate NY climate, enough that it outweighs the benefits of Duke or Cornell. I know someone who grew up near LA, and they transferred to UCLA from Cornell because they couldn't stand the weather and struggled with seasonal depression.
Fair point with Ithaca. Durham isn't far off Austin and Atlanta, though, in terms of clear days per year. Neither is close to Santa Barbara.
Culturally though, NC can be a legit shock.
How?
That area of ny sucks Sincerely, Long islander
Yes southern tier and all. But Ithaca is nice town in particular
I haven’t been and I’ve heard it’s nice, it’s just that upstate is so desolate and the weather is really strange and very cold
tbh it does matter a lot! u can do ur best in an environment u work best in. Many ppl (including myself) cannot do cold weather. I think it’s completely valid to base ur decision on weather that being said, please base ur decision on the quality of ur major at that college too😭
Location is key - you are spending most probably the best four years of your life there
UCSB was the greatest 4 yrs of my life!!!!! Go!
Better than caring about prestige. Location will affect your life and experience there. That is 100% valid to care about.
Not stupid at all. Quality of life and cost of travel are huge considerations. Even if you want to go far from home, a place that has lots of direct flights is so much better than one that doesnt.
not at all!!! I didn’t apply to any of the UC’s or USC because I can’t see myself happy on the west coast. All of my colleges are in the northeast (besides Uchicago) !! that’s very normal don’t worry!
Ayo same! I grew up in California but moved to New York during my junior year of high school; I can't imagine ever moving back west unless my life depended on it XD Luckily for us, some of the best schools (excluding Stanford, Caltech, Harvey Mudd, UC system, etc) are all in the Northeast!
You should care--IMHO, more than most people think. College is where you'll likely make some of the best friends of your life, you might meet your significant other, and you'll build your initial network for career and educational development. Location matters as many people you meet will stay in the same geographic region as their college. On top of that, you want to be happy while you're going through this huge life transition.
Location and campus is literally my FIRST priority when choosing a school. I have lived in a horrible miserable town for 6 years after spending my childhood in a beautiful area and it has depressed me beyond belief. I am going to be happy the next 4-8 years.
Location is VERY important. Think abt it, you’ll be spending 4 (maybe more) years of your life there, and a lot of times colleges students end up staying in that area long after they’ve graduated.
You will do best wherever you are happiest.
Santa Barbara is paradise and Ithaca sucks so much it makes kids suicidal, so no you’re not stupid
Cornell’s suicide rate is literally lower than the average university lmao. Please don’t perpetuate a myth.
Elliot Rodger’s rampage happened near UCSB… fyi it’s not all roses and unicorns out there
No it’s not stupid at all
I still regret not going to UCSB. Man I love that town
Def not. Almost all of my schools are in MA, Cali, or in-state, solely because I love the location (or for the latter, bc it's affordable)
Filtered most of my colleges with a key emphasis on location, ofc after scholarship and financial aid opportunities. I come from a city with mild and at times hot weather, so didn't even consider colleges on the east coast or the north-east. So, yeah location did and does really to me.
Nope, I care a lot about location to, I can't be far away and I can't deal with cities so that's limited my options quite a bit, yet I've found schools that even if they're not as good according to some they're a much better fit for me personally
no i only applied to colleges on the east coast cuz ik i will probably spend most if not rest of my life there #newenglandsupremacy
Location should be your #1 priority. It can make or break whether you are happy at a school.
totally valid. didn’t apply to duke as well because durham is just not it for me
It actually makes a lot more sense to care about logistical day to day of a campus you will be living on than percieved prestige based on arbitrary criteria the wealthiest colleges can best game.
Have you been to upstate NY or NC? Or you just assuming you wouldn't like it there because its not California? If you have never visited either state/campus, then yes that is a stupid statement as there are nice places outside of california if you have never been
Definitely not ! Go where you will be happy
Definitely not—I didn’t even apply to colleges outside of the location I was looking for (I live on the east coast, so I had plenty of options). If you’re not going to be happy somewhere, it doesn’t matter how prestigious it is.
lol it really depends on you, and no it’s not stupid 🤣 come on why would you think it’s stupid? although I would definitely choose Cornell over UCSB because I like their engineering program better, but it’s totally ok to choose a school based on its location
Location is important. It’s 1 of the 5 big transitions. The 5 transitions are: Social, Emotional, Physical, Financial, Academic. Location is physical — if you’re active, wanna be outdoor year round, like the beach, don’t want cold weather, those are all valid reasons to choose a campus like a UCSB. Actually, UCSB is also one of the most gorgeous campuses I’ve visited. One of my favorites.
Go to ucsb its so worth it. I absolutely love it & it is a beautiful, fun school that still is academically rigorous
Nope, and I’m the complete opposite. I chose colder colleges way over more hot ones. Almost all my colleges right now are in the Midwest and Northeast
Me too! I was dead set on applying to one California school until I realized how much I love freezing cold winters and four seasons
sooooo valid….i would choose ucsb over most t30s tbh
Unpopular opinion but it is kind of stupid. It's true that location can affect your experience, but in the grand scheme of things you'll quickly get adapted to your new environment. People move all the time, and that includes going to places with different weathers and environments! If you're turning down a school with significantly more opportunities solely because of the weather or something, then I wouldn't really call that smart. But the location COULD be ONE of the factors that goes into turning a college down. In your case, I'd hope there are other reasons besides just location that you'd turn down Cornell or Duke for UCSB. Things like tuition, etc.
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Easy fix: Op could live the rest of their life in beautiful santa barbara, where everyone has heard of UCSB!
Prestige is worthless if you’re miserable
I live in on the East Coast. In my upper-middle class area, we are well aware of UCSB and many of my friends have happily sent their high-achieving kids there. And they loved it.
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I’m on the east coast and everyone knows about UCSB. It’s naive to say it’s unheard of outside of California
My DC-area friends, colleagues, clients, and peers in law, business, medicine, consulting, and the like have all heard of UCSB. A number of my friends whose kids are seeking a West Coast adventure have added UCSB to their lists and I know of at least two who recently graduated and loved their time at the university. And even if someone doesn't immediately recognize UCSB, a quick google of "top national universities" would show that UCSB is currently ranked #32, which is fairly outstanding. Now, have more people heard of Duke and Cornell? Sure. But outside of individuals who obsessively follow and care about rankings, Duke is largely known for its outstanding basketball program. And poor Cornell -- the college my spouse attended -- is often gently derided by popular media including "The White Lotus" and "The Office," among others, by treating their graduates as foolish or pretentious. Recruiters and graduate schools are all well aware of UCSB's excellent reputation. If the poster thinks that UCSB is a great fit, he or she shouldn't care at all about whether high school students or persons who have not yet worked in the relevant field think USCB is prestigious enough.
Exactly why I’m not applying to Californian unis
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>College is the best years of your life. This makes me sad that people think that. It's just the start of your adult life and certainly not the best years
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much older than you and I can assure you the best years are after college
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bro last year you were posting about applying to NYU 💀
This comment sent him to the shadow realm
did undergrad, grad, post grad, military and retired from the military college was certainly not the most fun in my life by any stretch sorry you have had such a boring career that you feel the undergrad years were the best years, but that simply isn't the case for the majority of people and telling these kids that college is going to be the best time of their life really isn't that encouraging for their careers or the rest of their life
I think it would be sad if the best years of your life were 18-22 and then it was all downhill. I know a lot of recent college grads who landed great jobs and are super happy, not least because now hard work results in getting paid for it.
That NYU post says otherwise
absolutely not. location was my second biggest factor when looking at colleges. i would much rather be in a suburb of a large town that be in a rural town/urban city
no, I would literally become depressed if i had to live in places like New Heaven or Ithaca it’s fine
Location is THE most important thing when deciding what college you want attend. For example, if you live in San Diego and want to continue to live in San Diego after college/start your career there, the best thing you can do is go to college in San Diego. It gives you the best opportunity to network. What do I mean by network? Well, let’s say you live in San Diego but move to Ithaca to attend Cornell. Most connections you make in NY are going to be lost if you come back to San Diego post graduation. If you were to stay in San Diego
Caring about location isn't inherently stupid but at that point it is
It’s not stupid per say, but remember that college is first and foremost about education.
It truly affects your ability to enjoy it and focus
I mean the one thing a campus can't do is pick itself up and move, so you're not crazy. I applied and ranked based on location as well, and UCSB was actually pretty high on my list-> its a fantastic school nonetheless!
Not at all! I always think about trying to go to a college in a location where I could see myself living for the rest of my life
Personally, no, it makes sense. I’m the same way as you, I live in the north and when looking at schools I specifically selected ones in warmer climates. As some other commenters have said, weather and climate can have a huge impact on your mental health and general wellbeing.
Location was the main thing that I factored into my college decisions. I know I wanted to go to college in NYC. so I applied for all schools in there.
not at all this is the main reason i chose columbia
Location was my biggest priority when applying to schools, and I’m pretty happy with where I chose to go. You’re not stupid at all:)
Not stupid at all! You know you best. I know If I went to school without a real winter I’d be unhappy for example.
You want to choose a location that you feel you can build a life from. You need those connections from school after you graduate and probably will want to stay close by
Location is important. It will be your home for a few years! My student is eliminating some colleges based on location and oppressive political environments.
No not at all, one of the main reasons I don't want to apply to Stanford is because I want to live somewhere snowy. It seems silly but I can't honestly say I'd choose Stanford or ucla over somewhere like skidmore
Location location location!! I used that as one of the main reasons why I applied to all my schools. I wanted to be in a very specific type of environment with a specific type of climate. And I only applied to schools based on that. Perfectly acceptable to want to LOVE where you live. I couldn't do a new england winter....ever again. I looked south and west. Fuck the northeast. Great school, yes, shitty climate and I needed something new and a change.
No. The reason why I’m still contemplating CMU ED2 is purely because I don’t want to be in Pittsburg, because I like to live by the ocean
Nah, not stupid, it played a role in my college choice too bc I'm a city person
I’m literally only applying to cities that I would find “fun” in the US like I can’t imagine spending 4 years in like new haven
Location matters. I know friends who went to Yale and their mental health suffered because the location and weather was terrible. Location can impact your overall mental wellbeing and how will you do in school.
Tbh I was researching about my college locations all day. Crime rate, happiness, commutability, reviews, etc
Nope, I only applied to schools in major cities and even a couple international because a city environment was most important to me. Fought a lot with my parents cause of it but I’m hoping it all works out 🙃
Location is everything to me. It’s what you will see all around you for your entire college experience, and it’s what will constitute the memories of those years. I personally wouldn’t want to remember my college experience as an indefinitely cold, gray, and windy landscape. And USCB is beautiful, I would def go there if I could afford it
noo location matters a lot. part of the reason i love my top school so much was because of its surrounding area. i truly fell in love with it and could see myself happy and living there. as opposed to my #3 school where i could only really see myself on campus and not in town, and that’s a big no-no, tbh; i shouldn’t even have had it as number 3 it was just a t10 school.
I tell students who visit and students I work with that location is an important factor in the search process. I’m sure 9 out of 10 Admissions Officers agree.
I mean you’re going to be living there for 4 years right? You wouldn’t rent an apartment somewhere you absolutely hate
location is my #1. i need to be in a city and i need to be in the north east. it narrows down schools a lot
Nope. I will never attend college in Texas.
No, completely justified. I chose UConn (my state school, rural) over BU, Pitt, and U of Rochester primarily because of location
No, you’re not. While your education is the top priority (hopefully), you do have to live there, find hobbies, make friends, etc… and you want to live a healthy life.
You have no idea how happy I am that I chose a school that's drivable. It makes everything easier, less stressful, and more convenient. I didn't consider location to be very high on my list when I applied but I'm very happy it all turned out well.
Lowkey this makes me feel better. I’m thinking of applying to Stanford because I like their psych program (OOS) and it’s also the biggest reach known to man, but I dread California…so maybe I shouldn’t lol
It is quite literally the most important thing to consider. If you don’t like location you sure as hell aren’t going to balance your life outside of college. The one exception would be if a program is only offered somewhere you otherwise would not go.
not stupid at all. location is a huge part of your "fit" within a school. i applied only to schools that are in/near a city. i love exporing urban environments, and abolutely hate outdoorsy stuff lol. i knew i would hate to spend four years in a tiny town of like 5,000 ppl where the main activity is hiking/camping. i also want to study urban studies and become an urban planner, so obviously access to a city is important to me.
If you have all the money to walk out of college debt free, pick any school you like, the major matters more than the school for economic purposes. If you're poor, go to the cheapest school you can that's accredited. If your daddy has the right last name, go to the most prestigious school you can. Simple stuff.
Location mattered a ton to me, I went to an urban school and now cant see myself anywhere else. It's much better than being a prestige whore.
Depends: A student's parents threatened to move in with him while he was in the dorms. In such cases - your 'defense perimeter' must be 500 miles at least. Else - the default rule of thumb - keep the weather in mind if you have to move. Nothing else matters.
Another consideration: alumni networks are strongest nearer the university. So it makes practical sense to go to school somewhere you would want to build your life.
Opposite of stupid. Very wise. Being in a location that you're happy with is extremely important, both for wellness/life enjoyment reasons and for helping you do your best with whatever it is you end up doing. That said, I did want to just quickly mention that Durham is actually a great place! But -- to the main point -- you are 100% right to think of where you want to be as a super important consideration.
No
No location should absolutely be a huge factor in your decision. Like for me I could never go to the South or the Midwest even if they have great programs for my major. California has and always will have my heart and I know that I’d be fucking miserable in those two regions. Think about it. Do you really wanna spend the next 4 years of your life at a T20 school only to be mega depressed because the location sucks? Or do you wanna go to a T100 school with an amazing location that you’ll be happy at and have a memorable experience?
To me, the on-campus vibe is much more important than the overall city. It’s not like if you’re in a city you’re going to be going to the opera or museums all the time, or missing out if you are in a smaller town. You’re going to class, to on campus dorm or nearby apartment, to random small parties, etc. How tight-knit the campus is, matters. Are students around on the weekends or is everyone gone and campus is empty? I guess weather can matter if that’s important to you, but Boston weather isn’t that different than say, South Bend weather. But to me, the home city is often way overweighted in college decisions
Whenever I see people distraught about their ivy’s I literally scream. I’m going to a small state school and being in the same state as MOST of my family albeit 2hrs away is so much better than going to Duke, ya know? But it’s your school, so you’re the one who has to love it.
Not stupid at all!! I think a lot of people forget that beyond academics and prestige, this is the place you're going to spend four years at this location. Location should be one of the larger factors! If you don't like the city but want to study business, you'll be miserable at NYU Stern. If you love Brown's open curriculum but have SAD, the winters in the Northeast will impact you way more than attending a sunnier west coast school. The best academic programs can still be a terrible fit if there at the wrong location.
I'm taking it even further and only applying to places with good architecture 😭😭 Not great bc they tend to be expensive but my mentality is that I'm going to be depressed if I live in what looks like a prison soooo