Should You Allow Your College Age Teenager to Go Far Away to School?

It's an ongoing discussion in our family. My son wants to go to a college half way across the country. To me, that might as well mean the other side of the world. When he first mentioned this idea, my husband and I were immediately opposed. But the more opposition we expressed, the more defiant he got. And it occurred to me, why not let him go? As I explained to my husband, if we don't let him spread his wings now, he might leave after college and not come back for a long time, if ever. After all, both of us left our home town for jobs only to return some years later.

For us, college is two years away. So we have time. But if our son decides to go "far away" he has to prove to us that the added expense will be worth it, both monetarily and, let's say, for the sake of life experience. After all, college is not just about preparing for a job. It provides a transition from childhood to adulthood.

Make Your Child Give You Concrete Reasons Why this Particular School is Worth the Money

Say your daughter has a talent for interior design. And your state university offers an exemplary program in this field. She would have to give you a solid reason why the college located on the west coast offers a better opportunity then the one an hour's drive away. (And it can't be because she wants to learn to surf!) If she can prove that the college she is interested in has a much better job placement rate in her field say, or that she can obtain enough scholarship money to cover the cost difference, then you should consider it.

See if the School Your Child Wants to Attend offers a reciprocal Tuition Program with Your State

Our friends' son is a senior interested in architecture. Yet our state university doesn't offer an architecture program. So he found two nearby state universities that offer a reciprocal arrangement with our state. So he can go out of state for the same price he would pay in Missouri. That way your child gets the experience of going "away" without the hefty price tag.

Look at College as an Investment not a Rite of Passage

With so many kids graduating college with no job or a job that doesn't even require a degree, parents are wondering; is college really worth it? Yes, with the right degree. So, do your homework. And make your child do the research as well. It may be worth it to send your son or daughter to a college that offers the degree program that will actually get him a decent job after graduation.

And if you really don't want him to go far away, you can always say, "Ok, but you can't take the car." That might actually seal the deal for an in-state school!