Location, Location, Location

Just like accepting a new job, accepting a graduate school offer is easier when it's in the right location. For me, location depends on a few things. Ideally it would be best to live somewhere with a low cost of living. It would also be nice to pay lower tuition based on where I'm living. A third factor that influences where I choose to go to grad school is my family and friends. My dad says that I need to go to a grad school that is right for me. Well, my family, friends, and boyfriend are all a part of my life and therefore sort of a part of me. While none of these factors will make any ultimate decisions, they are something to consider.

Factor #1: Cost of living

A perfect school would be located in Charlotte or somewhere within driving distance. That way, I could live at home with my parents, pay no rent or other housing bills, and still attend grad school. A second perfect school would be located in Wilmington, where I currently live. I know that I would have cheap rent and bills because I wouldn't have a problem finding (or keeping) my roommate(s).

i love new towns

The worst scenario here, in terms of cost of living, would be moving to a new town. Granted, I'm all for a new town, I love new towns! However, that would mean moving on campus or living alone which are both undoubtedly more expensive than my other options.

Factor #2: Tuition

I have definitely considered out of state schools. The problem with out of state schools is their tuition is substantially higher [at least double] for out of state students because we don't pay taxes in their state. That leaves me with the more cheaper option of remaining in North Carolina for grad school. A friend of mine told me that a lot of schools will give high paying assistantships to great students, so I'm not ruling out the out of state option.

Factor #3: The People

While this factor isn't weighted too heavily in my graduate school search, it still is something I'm considering. My family, friends, and boyfriend are really great support systems that I will surly rely on throughout my graduate school experiences. If I get accepted to UNCW, chances are I will go there. It fits many of my criterion of great graduate experiences. However, being realistic also means preparing for the unexpected or the small chances. There is a small chance (hopefully small) that I won't get accepted to UNCW. If I get accepted somewhere else I will definitely go, but that means long weekend trips back to Wilmington, assuming I have extra time and I'm not too busy working on my thesis.


A Question for my Readers

Which factor do you think is most important? Is there anything I'm overlooking when it comes to location?