JasperSlaff

3/15/16

2010005

Richards

InStatevs.OutofState:AReviewofCollegeSelection
Theoveralltopicofthispaperisthefactorsthataffectdecidingbetweengoingtoa
universityinstateorgoingtoacollegeoutofstate.Inthispaper,Iwilllookatanddescribe
multiplefactorssuchasprices,whetherornotadegreeisworththosepricesandifgoingtoan
outofstateuniversitywouldbebeneficial.Tuitionisnottheonlythingthatstudentspayfor
whentheyattendauniversity.Thepriceofattendingauniversitydependsonmanythingssuch
ashousing,food,books,andothermiscellaneousfeesthatyoumayencounterfromclasstoclass
aswellastravelcost,andmaybeevenmoreobscurecostssuchasthetimetofindanewjobor
eventhecostoffriendsandfamily.Thismeansthatitmaytaketimetofindanewjobortransfer
toanewlocationwhichcoststime.Alsomakingnewfriendsandspendingtimeawayfromyour
familycostshappiness.Whetherornotitwouldbeworthpayingthosepricesisadifferent
question.Worthwouldbedeterminedonjobprospect,knowledgebaseandoverallqualityof
livingwithadegreeversuswithoutadegree.Knowledgebaseincludesacademicknowledge
suchasmathandequationsaswellasworldknowledgesuchasculture,commonsense,and
awarenessoutsideyourself.
Manydonotconsiderallthethingsthatcanaffectgoingtocollegeoutofstate.Infact
manydonotevenconsideritwhentheyseethedifferenceinonlyonefactor:cost.However,
determiningifgoingtocollegeoutofstateisbeneficialtoyourlifeisdependentonmany
factors.Amongthoseafewkeypointsarethecostoftheeducationandthetravel,andthe
qualityoftheeducationversusthequalityoftheeducationofferedinstate.

DiscussionofHigherEducation:InStateVersusOutofState
Thetopicofinstateversusoutofstateisnotsomethingthatisattheforefrontof
people'smindswhenthinkingofhighereducationalreform.Howeverthisdoesnotmakeitany
lessimportant.Academicstalkaboutwhetherornotthediversityofattendingaschool
outofstatewouldhelptoimproveeducation,theytalkaboutthedifferenceincost,theygive
statisticsonwhetherornotstudentsaremorelikelytostayinstateoroutofstate,andthey
discusswhetherstayinginstatewouldbemorebeneficialthanleaving.Manyacademicsagree
onthismatter.Theyusedifferentexperimentsandstatisticalstudiestosupporteachother's
claims.
OnepairofauthorsthatusesmanystatisticalmodelsisthatofBradleyCursandLarry
Singell.Intheirpaper,AnalysisoftheApplicationandEnrollmentProcessesforInstateand
OutofstateStudentsataLargePublicUniversity,theyanalyzetheapplicationandenrollment
decisionsforinstateandoutofstatestudents.Intheconclusionoftheirpapertheysay,The
modelsprovidethefirstformalevidencethatoutofstatestudentsareasignificantlydifferent
populationthantheirinstatecounterparts.Theresultsindicatethatoutofstatestudentsare
significantlymorepricesensitivethaninstatestudents(Curs,122).Thismeansthatmore
studentschoosetoattendcollegeinstatethatoutofstate.Lwilliams,in,TheresNoPlaceLike
Home:InStatevsOutofStateCollegeswouldagreewithCurs.Inthisarticle,hemakesalist
oftheprosandconsofattendinganoutofstateuniversity.Healsosays,
Studentsoftenhavean
easiertimegettingacceptedtoaninstateschoolandmayhaveaccesstoadditionalfinancialaid
thatwouldnotbeprovidedatanoutofstateinstitution,meaningthatmorestudentsaregoing

toattendauniversitythatisinstateratherthanauniversitythatisoutofstatesimplybasedon
financialreasons.
JeffreyGroenandSamanthaLindsaybothtakeadifferentstandpointonthismatter.
However,theystillagreewithCursandLwilliamsinthatmorestudentschoosetogoto
universitiesinstateratherthanoutofstate.In
InstateversusOutofstateStudents:The
DivergenceofInterestbetweenPublicUniversitiesandStateGovernments.JeffreyGroenand
MichaelJ.Whiteexplainusingformulasandtheirownexperimentstoconcludethatitislessthe
studentschoiceinpickingauniversitythatisinstateandrathertheuniversity'sacceptancerate
foroutofstatestudentsthatistoblameforthelowoutofstateattendance.Groenstates,
instatestudentsaremorelikelytolocateclosetotheuniversityasadults,andthismaycause
themtodonatemoreonaveragethanoutofstatestudentshavingthesameabilitylevels
explainingthatcollegesmaynotwantoutofstatestudentsduetotheirlowerpayoff
possibilities.
SamanthaLindsayspeakstoadifferentaudiencethanGroendoes.Lindsaystarget
audienceisstudentssimilarlytoCursandLwilliams.Inherarticle,ShouldYouReallyGoto
CollegeOutofState?ProsandCons.Sheencouragesaspiringstudentstoconsidertheiroptions
andweighthedifferentcostsofattendinganoutofstatecollege.Inthisarticleshesays,Itcan
betoughtobeinanunfamiliarplacewithoutaccesstoyourusualsupportsystem,meaningthat
tuitionisnttheonlyhighpriceyoumustpaywhenattendingacollegeoutofstate.Youhaveto
considerthatyouwillnotbeabletoseeyourfamilyandfriendsasoften.

Inreviewingtheliteratureonhighereducation,Iwillshowthattheinstateviewpoint
differsfromtheoutofstateviewpoint,andthatultimatelywhatisatstakeinthisconversationis
thefactorsaffectingprospectivestudentsdecisions.

IsHigherEducationWorthTheCost?
Themainissuethatcomestomindwhendeterminingwhetherornotacollegeisworth
goingtoisthecostoftuition.Thisbringsustosomeofthemostselectivecolleges.Withtheir
hightuitioncostandtheirlowacceptancerate,woulditbeworthgoingtoone?StacyDaleand
AlanKruegersay,no.Intheirarticle,EstimatingthePayofftoAttendingaMoreSelective
College:AnApplicationofSelectionofObservablesandUnobservables.Theywouldagree
withLindsayinthatyouwouldnotwanttoattendaselectivecollegeoutofstateoratallforthat
matter.Daleobserves,Studentswhoattendedmoreselectivecollegesdonotearnmorethan
otherstudentswhowereacceptedandrejectedbycomparableschoolsbutattendedlessselective
college(Dale,30).Thismeansthatifyouhavethechoicetonotattendaselectivecollege,then
youshouldnot.Despiteagreeingwithheronwhetherornotyoushouldattendacollegeoutof
state,theywoulddisagreewithLindsayinthatitisthestudentswhochoosenottoattendmore
selectivecolleges.LikeCursandLwilliams,theybelievethatitisthecollegeswhoacceptless
studentswhoapplyfromoutofstate.
DonaldE.Hellerinhisarticle,TheEffectsofTuitionandStateFinancialAidonPublic
CollegeEnrollment,examineshowtuitioncostscanaffecttheattendancerateofall
universities.Henoticesthat,Increasesintuitionleadtodeclinesinpublicenrollment,other
factorsbeingequal,withcommunitycollegestudentsbeingmuchmoreresponsivethanthosein

fouryearinstitutions(Heller,82).Thiscanbeappliedtooutofstateattendance.Duetothe
highertuitioncostforoutofstatestudentsthereisgoingtobelessoutofstateattendance.
HellerrelatesmoretoLindsay,believingthatitisthestudentswhochoosenottoattendcolleges
thathavehighertuitioncosts.However,HellerwouldalsoagreewithDalebecausehesaysthat
policymakersneedtobemoreawareofthetuitioneffectsandthatuniversitiesneedtoreduce
costsandincreaseacceptancerates.Inthishebelievesitispartlytheuniversity'sresponsibility.
Hellerbridgesthegapbetweenthesetwoopinionsimplyingthatitisajointeffortbetween
universitypolicymakersandaspiringstudentstoincreaseattendanceforoutofstatestudents
andinstatestudentsalike(Heller).
QualityofEducation
Theotherfactorthataffectsstudentschoicetoattendcollegeoutofstateisthequalityof
educationtheyaregoingtoget.DominicJ.Brewer,EricR.Eide,andRonaldG.Ehrenbergtalk
aboutthequalityofeducationthatyouwillreceivebyattendinganeliteprivatecollegeintheir
article,DoesItPaytoAttendanElitePrivateCollege?Intheirarticletheyconduct
longitudinalexperimentstoseeifattendinganelitecollegeprovidesyouwithqualityeducation
andthereforebenefitsyouinthefuturebyprovidingyouwithmoreandbettercareer
opportunities.Theirexperimentstestiftuitionincreasesovertheyearsintheseelitecolleges.
Theyjudgetheincreasebyconcludingthatdividendsmustbebeingdonatedmoreoftengiving
theuniversitiesmorecreditandtherebywarrantinghighertuitioncost(Brewer).Brewer
concludesfromthisthatattendingacollegeoutofstateisbeneficialandprovidesyouwith
qualityeducation.ThisdirectlygoesagainstmostarticlesthatIhavealreadycovered.Brewer
wouldthereforedisagreewithalltheauthorsconcludingthatoneshouldattendaneliteprivate

collegeoutofstate.Hewouldarguethat,inthelongrun,attendinganeliteprivatecollege
wouldbebeneficialbecauseofthequalityofeducationyoureceive.Financiallyandasfaras
costgoes,ingeneral,itwouldnotbebeneficialtoattendanelitecollegeoutofstate.
Anothersetofauthorsthattalksaboutthequalityofeducationyoureceivewhen
attendingcollegeoutofstateisPatriciaGurin,BirenNagda,andGretchenLopez.Intheir
article,TheBenefitsofDiversityinEducationforDemocraticCitizenship.Theyconcludethat
youshouldattendacollegeoutofstate.TheyagreewithBreweretalthatthequalityof
educationthatyoureceivefromthatcollegefaroutweighsthecosts.Gurintakesadifferent
standingpoint,however,whenarguingwhyyoushouldattendacollegeoutofstate.Brewer
takesamoreacademicstandingpointwhenarguingthequalityofeducationandGurintakesa
moresocietalstandingpoint.Gurinsays,Thesestudiessupporttheobservationdrawnby
WilliamBowen(1977),thenPresidentofPrincetonUniversity,thatagreatdealoflearning
occurs:throughinteractionsamongstudentsofbothsexesofdifferentraces,religions,and
backgroundswhocomefromcitiesandruralareas,fromvariousstatesandcountrieswhohave
awidevarietyofinterests,talents,andperspectivesandwhoareable,directlyorindirectlyto
learnfromtheirdifferencesandtostimulateoneanothertoreexamineeventheirmostdeeply
heldassumptionsaboutthemselvesandtheirworld(Gurin,24).Thisissayingthatbyattending
auniversityoutofstateyouwillgainmorethanacademicknowledge.Youwillgainsocietal,
cultural,andevenspiritualeducationfromthepeoplethatliveinthestateyoutravelto.Thisis
whereGurinwouldagreewithBreweranddisagreewiththerestoftheauthors.
Conclusion

Thediscussionofwhatfactorsaffectstudentsdecisiontogotoainstateuniversityoran
outofstateuniversityseemstobeslightlytornbetweentwofactors.Manyacademicsarguethat
itisnotworththecostofgoingoutofstateandothersarguethatthequalityofeducationthat
youreceivefaroutweighstheamountthatyoupay.Differentstandpointsproducedifferent
viewpoints.Thisindicatesthatthedecisiontogooutofstateisleftmainlyuptothestudents.If
theydecidethatthequalityofeducationismoreimportantthanthecost,thengoingoutofstate
maybeagoodidea.Conversely,ifyoubelievethatcostisthemostimportantfactor,staying
instateisabetterdecision.
Thisisimportanttoallstudentstryingtodecidewheretheyshouldgotocollege.These
studentsneedtoknowwhatfactorstheyaredealingwithwhenconsideringgoingoutofstate.
Aspiringstudentsneedtomakeaninformeddecisionandnotonlyconsideronefactororthe
other.
Moreresearchshouldbedoneinwhichofthesefactorsismoreinfluentialindecidinga
college.Theincreaseinlearningindiversesituationsneedstobeelaboratedonand
experimented.Mostimportantlyexperimentsandsurveysneedtobedoneonwhetherornot
tuitioncostsshouldbereducedforoutofstatestudents.

WorksCited
Brewer,DominicJ.,EricR.Eide,andRonaldG.Ehrenberg.DoesItPaytoAttendanElite
PrivateCollege?
UniversityofWisconsinPress
34.1(1999):10423.Print.Thisarticle
compilespreviousresearchdoneandgivesstatisticsonwhetherornotelitecollegesare
worthit.Thisrelatestomytopicbecauseitistalkingaboutwhetherornotacollegeis
worthpayingfor.Iwillusethistonotonlycomparetuitionforinstateandoutofstate
studentsinpublicuniversitiesbutelitecollegesaswell.
Curs,Bradley,andLarrySingell.AnalysisoftheApplicationandEnrollmentProcessesfor
InstateandOutofstateStudentsataLargePublicUniversity.
EconomicsofEducation
Review
21(2002):11124.Print.Thisarticlemodelstheapplicationandenrollment
decisionsforinstateandoutofstatestudents.Thisconnectstomytopicbecauseittalks
aboutthestatisticsofwherestudentschoosetogooutofcollege.Iwillusethispaperto
giveexamplesandhardevidencethatstudentsoftenchoosetogotoinstatecolleges.
Dale,StacyBerg,andAlanB.Krueger.EstimatingthePayofftoAttendingaMoreSelective
College:AnApplicationofSelectionofObservablesandUnobservables.
National
BureauofEconomicResearch
(1999):133.Web.<http://www.nber.org/papers/w7322>.
Thisarticleisoncollegeworth.Itconnectstothepriceofcollegeandifitisworthgoing.
Iwillusethistotalkaboutthequalityofeducationandwhetherornotthepriceisgoing
topayoff.
Groen,JeffreyA.,andMichelleJ.White.InstateversusOutofstateStudents:TheDivergence
ofInterestbetweenPublicUniversitiesandStateGovernments.
JournalofPublic
Economics
88(2004):1793814.Print.Thisarticleisaboutthedivergenceofinterest

betweenuniversitiesandstategovernmentsconcerningstandardsforadmittinginstate
versusoutofstatestudents.Thisrelatestothetopicbecauseitisdiscussingtuitioncosts.
Iwillusethistocompareinstatetooutofstatetuitioncosts.
Gurin,Patricia,BirenNagda,andGretchenLopez."TheBenefitsofDiversityinEducationfor
DemocraticCitizenship."
JournalofSocialIssues
60.1(2004):1734.Print.Patricia
Gurin,BirenNagda,andGretchenLopezdiscusstheeducationalvaluethatisprovided
bydiversity,andthedefenseofaffirmativeactioninhighereducation.Iwillusethisto
elaborateonthebenefitsofdiversityincolleges.ItconnectswelltoGeorgeKuhsarticle.
Heller,DonaldE."TheEffectsofTuitionandStateFinancialAidonPublicCollege
Enrollment."
TheReviewofHigherEducation
23.1(1995):6589.Print.DonaldE.
Helleranalyzesthecostofhighereducationandcorrelationtostudentsnotwantingto
partakeinahighereducationduetothecosts.Healsopointsoutthattheamountof
financialsupportgivenfromtheinstitutiondeterminesthetuitionpaidbystudents.
Lindsay,Samantha."ShouldYouReallyGotoCollegeOutofState?ProsandCons."
PrepScholar
.N.p.,22Aug.2015.Web.23Feb.2016.
<http://blog.prepscholar.com/shouldyougotocollegeoutofstate>.ShouldYou
ReallyGotoCollegeOutofState?ProsandConsbySamanthaLindseydescribesthe
differencesbetweenOutOfStatetuitionandInStateTuition.Thisarticlealsodiscusses
theProsandConsofOutofStateColleges.
Lwilliams."Theresnoplacelikehome:Instatevsoutofstatecolleges."
UNIGO
.N.p.,29May
2015.Web.22Feb.2016.
<https://www.unigo.com/incollege/collegeexperience/theresnoplacelikehomeinstat

evsoutofstatecolleges>.Theresnoplacelikehome:Instatevsoutofstate
collegesbyLwilliamsdiscussesbothinstateandoutofstatealongwithwhyboth
choicesaregood.Atthesametime,Lwilliamsalsodiscussesthatthedecisionbetween
pickingwhatisrightandthetuitiondifferences.

10