With the school year coming to a close, the all-encompassing question every high school senior is bombarded with is “Where are you  going to school in the fall?”

   Pressures put on the youth of today often urge them to strive for the most challenging goals and to succeed at all costs. There has become such a stigma around where students choose to go for college that they seem to believe that staying close to home isn’t even an option. According to the US Department of Education, a higher education has also become a much more essential aspect for success in today’s economy, to the point that students are given little choice but to attend college (ed.gov).

   In the heart of San Diego, UC High is close to many incredible schools that offer all the same opportunities as institutions that are hundreds or thousands of miles away. People should take advantage of this wide variety of colleges close by.

   Whether in search of a private school, a state school, or a UC, considering nearby schools is a great idea. By remaining local for college, students are putting themselves in a better place financially and will ultimately appreciate their decision when they aren’t being swallowed by student debt.

   UC High Senior Bea DeVera said, “I will be attending UC San Diego in the fall, and I’m very happy about this decision. Financially, it’s the best option, and I am still going to an amazing school despite choosing to remain in my hometown.” College tuition has increased greatly from what it once was, and it has become much less attainable to go away to school for four years and pay the cost of living that comes with it (ed.gov).

   According to a website with statistics on student debt, of the students in the college Class of 2018, 69 percent of college students took out student loans, graduating with an average debt of 29,800 dollars. This heavy burden of debt challenges new graduates trying to tackle the working world after college and is hurting their chances for long-term success (studentloanhero.com). When students stay local they have the option to avoid expenses by living, eating and doing laundry at home, which can  make a big difference when it comes to just how much student loan debt is accrued.

   Another common concern of high school seniors when contemplating staying local for college is that they are worried that they will miss out on the full college experience by not going away for school and living on their own for the first time. This is not the case. UC High Senior Aoife Fitzpatrick plans to go to San Diego State University in the fall and decided to live on campus the first year in order to achieve the full experience. “I wanted to live on campus the first year, because it gets you involved in all the new student activities around campus. I feel like dorms are one of the places you’d meet your closest friends,” Fitzpatrick explained.

   By choosing to only live on campus for the first year, students can get the experience they want while saving close to $10,000 each year in living expenses for the next three years (forbes.com).

   Ultimately, staying local for college is more sustainable financially and still allows students to experience college to the fullest extent, while also supplying them with an incredible education and less debt.