7 Reasons to Attend a College Close to Home ...

1. You Can Commute

Perhaps one of the most convincing reasons to attend a college close to home is that you can commute. Commuting to school instead of living on campus saves a lot of money. In the long run, you'll be grateful for saving thousands of dollars and saving yourself from massive piles of debt. While it may mean sitting in traffic more often than you'd like, the benefits far outweigh the consequences.

2. Laundry

Every student you meet who lives on campus will probably complain about laundry. They will have to pay to get their laundry done on campus or take it to a laundromat. However, if you attended school close to home you'll be able to go home on the weekends to do your laundry—for free!

3. Familiar Area

One of the dangers of attending a school far away is unfamiliarity with the area. You'll get lost more often than you would somewhere near your hometown where you can recognize landmarks. To save yourself the stress of getting lost your first semester on your own, attend a school near your home.

4. No Homesickness

Homesickness is a real psychological illness that most freshmen have to face. Even though if first when you move out on your own everything seems new and exciting, eventually you'll begin to long for the comforts of home, such as your family, friends, etc. However, if you live near home, then simply knowing that your parents and hometown are less than an hour away will provide you with great comfort. And if you live at home, homesickness will be almost completely gone!

5. Little Ones

If you have little ones and your family such as cousins, little siblings, nieces or nephews, you'll want to see them grow up. But you can't exactly do that over Skype and FaceTime. The best way to build a healthy relationship with the little ones and your family is to stay near home during your college years.

6. Save Money

Attending a college near your home saves infinite amounts of money. You can live at home which saves thousands of dollars that would be spent on room and board. Also, you can simply purchase a smaller meal plan because you'll be able to eat at home for free on weekends, or every day if you're living at home.

7. Baby Steps

Entering adulthood can be a scary process. For the first time in your life you have to pay your own bills, buy your own food, set your own curfew, and more. Instead of letting all these firsts bombard you at once, take baby steps. Go to college, but stay near home so that your parents are always there when you need help.

Attending a college close to your hometown isn’t the right decision for everyone, but it certainly works for many college students! Are you planning to attend a college near your hometown? Why do you recommend attending a college close to home?