Aarush Reddy

Ever since my freshman year of high school, I knew I wanted to stay in-state for college. The affordability, distance and sense of home were my biggest considerations. While we live in Kansas, which many may think is boring, staying in-state for school is not always the wrong choice. Kansas has six public universities and over 50 community, technical colleges and private universities which all provide hundreds of courses falling under numerous categories. 

When I watched my big sister move into her dorm at the University of Kansas (KU) when I was only 8 years old, I knew I wanted to go there. The sense of adulthood and independence I was beginning to crave started in Lawrence, Kansas. When I applied to KU over the summer, the ease of the application process took so much stress off my shoulders, benefiting both my summer and sanity. 

Coming from someone involved in many activities, jobs and AP classes, stress is something I have come to know. Applying to college with ease felt like a reward rather than another stressor on top of my dedication to school. For many years, however, I thought I wanted a change, to move somewhere other than Kansas. 

Placing myself in environments that allowed me to be surrounded by individuals with similar interests and academic goals made me feel insecure about my dream school only being a 45-minute drive from home. The talks of big-name colleges with low acceptance rates and in states I’ve never even visited made me weary of my choice. Allowing the ideas and dreams of others to make you question yours is not the way to chase your goals. While I’m happy my peers are going off to those colleges, I am content with where I chose to go. 

Deciding to stay in-state for college has been one of the best decisions I have made for myself. Tuition costs seem to rise every year, leaving me with fears of debt. According to the Education Data Initiative, out-of-state tuition in Kansas is almost triple the cost of in-state tuition. When I toured KU, this was what caught my eye on the pamphlet I was given. 

For me, the college experience involves making responsible decisions for myself. For some, that doesn’t mean staying in-state, but for me I knew the decision was clear. Data from KU states that 62% of students are originally from Kansas. A sense of community from people who grew up in the same state, yet also the beauty of being able to show my home state with people from across the world is something that excites me. 

Staying in-state for college brings me a sense of independence in the same way it gives me the sense of home, knowing if I called my dad he’d be only a short drive away. Every time I miss my sister, my cats or just my bed, I can get home easily. For me, the perks outweigh the cons of staying in-state for college.