My name is Abe. I am a California community college student majoring in Electrical Engineering who is preparing to transfer colleges.
TLDR: Is it a terrible idea to transfer to Boise State University to save my relationship with my girlfriend when the only other college options are Cal States?
Long version:
My girlfriend is moving to Idaho and will be attending Boise State University because she is unable to afford UCSB (she’s an Idaho resident). We do pseudo distance right now (live 2 hours away, but my car is not competent to make the drive,so we must utilize the Greyhound) and we have noticed that there is a strain on us right now.
I applied to universities last year and got into my mid-choice, which was UCSD. However, my father (who previously said he could afford it) said he was no longer financially stable enough to fund it. I foolishly only applied to UCs because I knew I could get into UCD (tag) and have had an irrational bias against CSUs. Note: I cannot get FAFSA because my family makes too much; however, because my family is irresponsible with their money, they cannot afford to fund a university. Moreover, because of their bad credit, I cannot get a cosign on a loan.
After various conversations, I found that my max price point was 10k a semester, which leaves only CSUs and a select out of state universities which participate in WUE. The main CSU I am eyeing is Cal Poly SLO and the out-of-state option is Boise State University.
I have decided that the decision to distance-or-not-to-distance with my girlfriend will be based on any significant disparities in academic/opportunity between these colleges.
Finally, is the disparity in academic quality between Cal Poly SLO (or CSUs in general) and Boise State University significant enough to thwart my career and education? If not, would it entirely unwise to go to Boise State to be with my girlfriend?
PS: I am visiting Boise for a week later this year to get a feel for the place and have visited a majority of the CSUs I am interested in.
Given what you have written above, you definitely want to consider the cost of university as a primary concern. You want to minimize loans that you would need to take on for university as much as you possibly can.
Also, when deciding whether to attend the same university as a girlfriend, you should ask yourself the following question: Assume that you and she would break up during your first month there. If this were true, would you still want to go there as your first choice? If the answer is yes, then it is okay to go there. If the answer is no, then don’t go there. Of course you might not break up at all. However, you should only go there if you would still go there even if you were going to break up.
I don’t know much at all about Boise State. Hopefully others can compare it with the CSUs.
With WUE, tuition for Boise State will probably be comparable in cost to most CSUs. Living in Boise is a LOT cheaper than living most places in CA - so, all in, it will probably be marginally cheaper than someplace like CSULB.
Assuming you are entering your second year at a CC and are looking to transfer next fall, I’d apply to BSU and several CSUs and see what doors are open to you in May. Then you will have a firm grasp on the total cost of each option, know how you like Boise.
Boise is a good school but, by most objective measures CPSLO and UCSD are ‘better’. That said, i agree with @bopper it will be easier to find a job near your college - so if you plan a permanent move, BSU is probably a better choice.
All that said, i’d advise my son to speed his way through a CA program we could afford. It is not uncommon to loose some credits when you transfer out of state so, you could need an extra semester or more to graduate. I would encourage him to grab an internship with Micron or what’s left of HP, both of whom have big presence in both states and may allow you to work in either during the summer, or may even pay for occasional travel to Boise. You don’t want to get stuck in a Boise winter, having moved there for your now ex-girlfriend. In the scheme of things, you’d be apart for a few several month stretches. If your relationship can’t withstand that, it isn’t meant to be.
@ajcohen1 But in all seriousness, if she is racist enough to leave California just because it has too many immigrants, you might want to rethink the relationship.
It’s been said a million times, mainly because it’s true: If you are meant to be together, you will make it work, no matter the distance. IMO, this is a bad idea. The fact that you are here, asking strangers if they think it’s a terrible idea, leads me to believe you have misgivings. A two hour Greyhound ride in pursuit of true love should prove no obstacle. Your question reminds me of the classic “should we have a baby to make our relationship stronger?” The answer is invariably “no.” Of course, this isn’t the same as having a baby, but nonetheless, it’s a major issue for you.
As far as reputation, I think most people would agree that CPSLO has a better reputation than Boise.
The other factor to look at is whether your CC program will articulate as well with BSU as it will with the CSU schools. If crossing systems will increase the number of semesters you will need post-transfer to graduate, that will be costly, so make sure it would be a smooth transition that wouldn’t require backtracking.
Beyond that… it’s a big move to make because of a relationship. Only you can assess whether the relationship is mature enough to carry the weight of being the whole reason for your move to Idaho. And conversely, only you can project how you will feel if you make the move and then the relationship still doesn’t make it.
A compromise option to keep in mind is that SLO (and other CSU’s) and BSU both participate in the National Domestic Exchange https://www.nse.org/exchange/find-campus/