Imagine attending school in the warmth of sunny Florida. You can study on the beach and play outdoor sports year-round. Are you interested in the fast-paced life in New York City? Perhaps you are interested in the laid-back California style? Location is important when choosing a school. You may also want to consider the proximity to your home town. You can attend a local college and save money by living at home. Often, attending an out-of-state college means paying additional, hefty fees for out-of-state tuition. You would also have to factor in the costs for traveling home for the holidays. Sometimes dorms are closed during school vacations, so you will have to find a place to store your private belongings during summer breaks. Alternatively, you can haul everything with you.
Transportation
How will you get around while you are in school? Will you need to take a bus or a taxi to do your grocery shopping? Is there a good bus or metro system nearby? Schools in the suburbs may have hourly transportation systems, but schools in larger cities may have bus and rail systems that travel every few minutes as well as overnight. Some universities do not allow freshman students to have cars on campus. So, if you are not going to use the school’s meal plan, you would have to factor in the transportation costs associated with food, shopping, and recreation.