Why More Students Should Consider Going to a State School
A big school comes with big opportunities.
Like almost every other student in my high school, going to my state college was not my first choice. In fact, it was my last.
I desperately wanted to get away from my dreary hometown and boring state. So with dreams of going to more prestigious schools in beautiful cities like Boston, New York, and Philadelphia I applied to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey as a last resort “safety option.”
After hearing back from plenty of schools all over the northeast, I had a good amount of acceptances that provided me with the option to move far far away from my parents and start completely fresh.
However, after much deliberation and contemplation I found myself placing a deposit and enrolling into my “last choice” state university.
I recently completed my freshman year at Rutgers University and here’s why making the decision to attend this school exactly one year ago was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
1. You Can Make a Big School Feel Like a Small School, But You Can’t Make a Small School Feel Like a Big School
One of the biggest reasons why I initially dismissed going to a state school was the overwhelming idea that I would be going to school with a whopping 70,000 other students. I was scared that I would get “lost in the crowd” of trying to make friends, stand out in my classes, and get the crucial one on one time with professors and advisors.
However, as I got involved in more clubs, started attending events on campus, and joined a sorority I made an incredibly close group of friends while also having people that I would simply say hello to at the library, dining hall, or in class.
As for academics, the benefit of going to a large school is that there is always someone available to help you. Professors often hold office hours more than once a week at different times. But even if I couldn’t make office hours there were plenty of qualified teacher’s assistants that would hold their own review sessions all throughout the week. Free tutoring centers were also open for most of the day and got me the help I needed ASAP.
2. Money, Money, Money
With more people applying to and attending college now more than ever, it comes no surprise that tuition is getting higher and acceptance rates are getting lower. However, not only do state schools generally prioritize accepting their in-state students, but they’re also about half the price of their private school counterparts.
While going to a 70k a year private school may make the most sense for some, the fact that I am currently paying less than half of that and still receiving a quality, challenging, and rigorous education says something about the scam that is astronomically high college tuition rates.
It is even more crucial to consider what your tuition will be like if graduate school is a possibility. As someone who has hopes of attending dental school in the future, I knew being at least $200,000 in debt before I even finished my undergraduate schooling was not something I could ever wrap my head around. Knowing that I am saving so much money by attending a much cheaper school takes just a little bit of that stress away when thinking about “how the hell am I ever going to afford this?”
3. Being Close To Home Is Not The Worst Thing In The World
As much as I thought I wanted to get as far away as possible from my parents and my old “high school life,” being close to my family made the hard college transition just a little bit easier.
There will be times when you need your family and no one else. Before I could even finish the dreaded “I’m sick” sentence to my mom over the phone, she was already waiting outside my dorm with home made chicken noodle soup and more medicine than is probably legally allowed in the state of New Jersey.
It’s 100% normal to feel alone and confused during the first couple months away from home, so knowing that my family was just a short drive away if I needed them really helped me get through that stressful and scary time.
4. The Opportunities Are Endless
A big school comes with big opportunities. There are a million events, clubs, and organizations on campus. Joining a fraternity/sorority, becoming a member of a club that helps you learn more about a possible career, or listening to a renowned guest speaker are just some of the many ways to get involved.
For some, getting a job is necessary to help pay for the multitude of expenses that accumulate throughout your four years. With big schools comes a variety of different jobs such as working at the post office, gym, or the library. State schools are often big on research so there are ton of jobs where you can do research that interests you while also getting paid.
Rutgers, like most other big schools, also has its own app where you can easily find job opportunities and connect with potential employers on or near campus making it so easy to be a little less broke.
Lastly, whether it was going to “Neptune Night” that featured lobsters, crabs, and shrimps at all of the dining halls or simply taking a walk through the huge campus there is literally ALWAYS something to do.
5. You’ll Experience True School Spirit
Ask almost any student at any state school and they will probably tell you that their favorite days in college are none other than game days. There is something amazing about your whole school waking up at 9 am on a Saturday (sometimes 8 or 7 am) and just blasting music.
Everyone is going to be outside and decked out in your school's colors. You will be in the best mood because nothing in college brings people together like game days.
It’s an amazing experience and one you’re really only going to get at a big state school that cares about college football.
I’m not saying that big state colleges don’t come with their cons, but it really is a lot of fun and I hope all high school seniors at least consider it before ruling it out completely.
