Which is better? In-state or out-of-state schools?
Jazmyne Faith Viloria | Maui High School, Class of 2023
“It’s not Hawai‘i weather over there”, “You have to get used to freeway driving”, “No more Mom’s cooking” and “I hope there’s rice” are all thoughts that have at least once infiltrated Hawai‘i high schooler’s minds. As priority college application deadlines approach the present, the mental argument of “in-state or mainland college?” becomes louder and more frequent each passing day. With multiple factors and situations to consider, what is better, attending an in-state or out-of-state university?
“One factor I always look for is how far I am from home,” Jasper Bibat acknowledged. Similar to some Hawai‘i students, traveling across the Pacific Ocean to visit family for a week is not a part of their ideal college experience. “The convenience of a 20-minute rather than a 6-hour flight outweighs the pros of attending an out-of-state university for me,” Jasper concluded. Like Jasper, Dezamae Cabalse can’t fathom living out of Hawai‘i because “I want to be able to see my loved ones as much as possible. Hawai‘i’s weather, people and food are perfect and what I grew up with, so why would I leave that behind?”
“Las Vegas is jokingly known as the 9th island, so it will feel a little like home,” Elizabeth Bautista giggled; in her sophomore year, Elizabeth committed to the University of Las Vegas’ Women’s Soccer team (NCAA Division I). For most high school student-athletes, advancing to the collegiate level and the school’s athletic programs hold the utmost importance when picking their desired university; specifically for Elizabeth, the influential factor was “the coaching and the environment they provided when I visited.”
“For in-state schools, there are not as many options and opportunities for my major compared to mainland universities,” Abseydee Jayne Lizada, a prospective forensic science major, affirmed after researching universities. “Employment for the forensic science field is very limited, especially in Hawai‘i. The employment rate, job shadowing opportunities and overall easier initiative to step into forensic science convinced me to attend an out-of-state university.” Adding on to Absydee, Charie Jane Salacup also thinks attending an out-of-state university is “a great opportunity to grow as an individual. Just the thought of living in a different environment, establishing a new ‘normal’ and proceeding my academic adventure with a group of like-minded students ultimately encourages and excites me for the future.”
After hearing from multiple high-school seniors, there seems to be no universal answer nor set priority when picking a university. Every prospective college student must establish their response distinguished by their personal experiences, preferences, and future goals. Whether their influential factor is financial ease, athletic programs or even food, the student’s choice is the correct answer.
Google® Is Not Everything is a monthly column authored by high school students. The title of the column emphasizes education is more than just googling a topic. Google® is a registered trademark. This month’s guest columnist is Jazmyne Faith Viloria, a Senior at Maui High School. She is a member of SaberScribes (Maui High’s journalism club), Historian of the Video Club and Team Captain of Blue Thunder, Maui High’s Robotics club. Jazmyne is in the ACOM Pathway at Maui High, focusing on videography and photography. In her free time, she sews and refashions old clothes, journals, edits photos/videos and loves to analyze lyrics in songs. She is the daughter of Ruth Sagisi and Rudy Viloria.