The first consideration in the stay-or-go debate over college is whether a particular school offers a program in the student's chosen field of study. The Harvard Family Research Project cites the case study of a female student who was accepted to Johns Hopkins University in the premedical program and opted to attend despite family pressure to remain at home because she helped with rearing younger siblings. For certain fields, such as medicine, attending a school with a stellar reputation is a top priority, often overshadowing other factors such as cost of attendance or the preferences of parents.
Students who do well enough in high school may qualify for a scholarship or may elect to apply for federal financial aid to cover the cost of school, if their parents cannot cover their tuition. If neither of these is an option or if financial aid doesn't cover the cost of school, going away may mean that the student needs to look into a work-study arrangement or hold a job while in school. Some students find it difficult to work and keep good grades, or their parents may wish that they concentrate specifically on studies and not work while they are in school. Living at home can help both finances and focus, says the website Studenomics.
Students preparing to leave home for college may find that they are not as ready to leave their families behind as they supposed. A period of adjustment in which academic performance may not be steady and the student suffers from feelings of isolation and homesickness is not unusual. Vijai P. Sharma, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, advises that parents look upon the student's freshman year in college as a healthy period of transition. He notes that many students develop a greater appreciation for home and family as a result of the separation.
Other factors than just the ability to adjust emotionally speak to the readiness of students to leave home. Studenomics points out that for many students the freshman year of college is a first taste of independence from curfews, limited supervision and responsibility for managing time, money and personal maintenance items such as a regular diet and housekeeping chores. Some students have greater success in mastering these skills than others.