<p>I live in Central Jersey and am considering some colleges. I will be going for computer science. My choices are Rutgers New Brunswick, Villanova, Lehigh, Drexel, and Northeastern. I have not been to Northeastern yet because it is so far away and my parents have not had a chance to take off of work to bring me up there. I think Northeastern would be the best choice because of the coop program, all the opportunities in Boston, and the better focus on computer science. However, it is about five hours away from my home, and my mom is worried I will be lonely up there. The few times I have been away from home, on week long retreats and such, I was not lonely or homesick, but otherwise, I don’t know how I would feel if I went to college that far away. Does anyone have any insight on what it’s like to be far away at college? What is the easiest way to get from Boston to Jersey? Is it worth going that far away, as opposed to getting a slightly worse college experience in Drexel?</p>
<p>I don’t know why you would be lonely without history of it and surrounded by a bunch of college students to make friends with. My daughter went from West Coast to East Coast so a 5 hour drive sounds like cake. You will get to go home Thanksgiving and spring break if you want, which she never did. College students in hard programs don’t usually have time to go home weekends anyway, it will be good not to have your parents expecting you to drop in all the time when you will have your own stuff to be done. Visit and see if you like it.</p>
<p>Drexel just doesn’t compare to Northeastern, even though it has a co-op program, and its financial aid is notably less good too.
Have you received your financial aid packages? How much does each college cost, after scholarships but BEFORE any loans?
(please provide actual numbers for each)
College students who choose a college for “fit” (where they feel they belong) don’t really feel homesick. You’ll have a lot of things to do and you’ll be so busy you won’t have time to be nostalgic - you may miss your home, or your parents, from time to time, but overall you’ll be busy and happy, building your own life. Your mom may be projecting a little too (she’ll miss you, so she imagines you’ll miss her as much… but she’ll get over it, that’s part of “letting go”, all parents have to do it to let their child grow into an adult).
However it’s important to see if the college “matches” your goals, personality, etc. NObody can tell better than yourself.which college is “you” .
Read about each college in Fiske Guide + Insider’s Guide to the Colleges + Princeton Review’s Best Colleges. Go to each college’s subforum on this website and ask questions.
Personally, before any financial information or fit, I’d think Northeastern>Lehigh > Rutgers > Drexel > Villanova.
But finances in particular, can totally change this evaluation.</p>