Every year, students face the challenge of deciding whether to attend in-state or out of state universities. While in-state colleges are often said to be cheaper, this is not always the case. Other things to consider, aside from just cost, are quality of education, location, and majors.

Junior Cici Cao said she plans “on attending an in-state college because the price out of state is really expensive and going to an in-state college would mean” she gets to see her “family [and] friends more often than out of state.” However, she also said that maybe after a year or two she “will attend an out of state [college].”

Senior Meenakshi Karthikeya expresses similar financial concerns as she mentions the “obvious difference in tuition so less loans and money worries.”  Meenakshi does note, however, that “there are a lot of very good colleges out of state too, and it would be fun to be independent living away from my parents.”

Some examples of such cost differences can be seen in a few of the state’s own universities.

At FSU, the difference between in-state tuition and out of state tuition is over $15,000 dollars according to Princeton Review.

Those looking into UCF also face similar statistics with a difference of over $16,000.

Lastly, those looking into USF face an over $9,000 difference.

Junior Matt Armogan said, “if you live near a good college like University of Central Florida or the University of Florida, then going there would be easy because we get the luxury of staying at home and not paying for a dorm.” However, Armogan also said that “there are great colleges like Harvard and Yale that have high ratings and if you get a scholarship there then you would be stupid to not take that offer.”

The fact of the matter is that some students, based on either income or merit, can receive scholarships that range from covering a percentage of their tuition, to all of it! The craziest part? Many of these are out of state colleges.

Junior Mahdi Kassam offers a more frugal solution. He said that for some, it might be a smart idea to “transfer to an ivy league after finishing up master’s and apply elsewhere.” This would allow students to get the undergraduate start they need, but still allow them to be well-qualified for future professions.

Other things to consider when looking at colleges are what programs they have. Sometimes, it becomes necessary to spend a little more money to find a school with the right majors and programs that are needed to get the degree necessary for a job.

Clearly there are many routes to go when it comes to college choices, but sometimes students might have to sacrifice in order to make the college dream possible. Whether it ends up being for financial reasons or just because of a  school’s prestige, always make sure the college chosen is the right fit!