Because where you spend these four (or more) years of your life is a pretty big deal.
Christina Lu / BuzzFeed
I recently asked BuzzFeed writers how they decided where they went to college. Here are some of their stories.
1. "All of my friends were going to colleges in Florida, and at some point I realized I'd gone to grade school, middle school, high school, and could potentially go to college with the same group of people I'd known since childhood. That would excite a lot of people, but it made me realize that I needed a huge change to really push myself, otherwise I'd likely be stuck in the same spot for a long time. So I applied to schools in Boston, the only other place my parents allowed me to apply, and luckily, I got in!"
—Erin LaRosa
2. "I went to a school because I was recruited on a speech team scholarship for a team that, true story, is the most successful extracurricular team ever, in the history of anything (in terms of national championships won). I was super starstruck by this and sort of ignored the fact that I absolutely hated the school. That pretty soon caught up with me, and I ended up sort of freaking out and transferring out after my freshman year to a school in London. Don't go to a school you absolutely hate just because they are paying you a lot."
—Kristin Chirico
3. "I decided to go to Mount Holyoke College because I really liked the campus and got super-good vibes there. The classes were really difficult and intensive, and it seemed like the student body was really intentional, if that makes any sense. You just didn't end up at Mt. Holyoke by accident. A year later, I began to feel really disenchanted and stifled by being on such a small campus in the middle of nowhere, so I transferred out. I chose Penn in Philly essentially because I loved Philadelphia, and I knew that even if the school was terrible, I'd have other opportunities in the city."
—Julie Gerstein
Photo courtesy Sam Stryker
