<p>The internships and jobs available in the DC area (or within easy commuting distance of any major city) should be a consideration. U-Md is an easy metro ride from everything in DC. This was something that was barely on my radar years ago, and certainly wasn’t a part of my kids’ thinking when choosing colleges. But it should have been. Easy physical access to internships and jobs made a difference. Kids (the ones I know) attending rural colleges have had to work much harder to find work and internships. Having said that, my youngest could easily end up at a small, rural LAC. Sort of laughing at myself right now. :)</p>