I would also say, follow your kid’s lead. I live in a part of the country with very low mobility, people are born here and they stay here. Since we live in commuting distance to the state flagship and a state directional, that is where most kids in D22’s class ended up, incl. the valedictorian and many of the top 10%. All of my D’s friends that went to the local schools are rooming with somebody they knew from high school. One of them would have commuted if she had not found a roommate she knew from HS. They all come home very frequently on the weekend. They don’t have the classic college experience, but they seem to be happy. This works well for them (and is the norm around here).
My D wanted out and went to a school where she knew nobody. But most kids there are from far away and also knew nobody, so everybody was very eager to meet new people in the first few weeks. She is not far but rarely comes home on the weekends, fully immersed in her college. That is the experience she wanted and that works for her.
So, what I want to say, two very different experiences, but each group got what they wanted and were comfortable with. My D’s friends were not ready yet to leave their comfort zone and that is fine. So, I would follow your D’s lead. Mental health issues are real and while my D has a great experience, there were times of high roommate and friend drama that took its toll on her.
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