Abbott
Master Don Juan
Background:
I currently attend a community college, and I'm getting my Associate's Degree very soon (probably within the next year or so). For this reason I won't be moving right away if I do, but instead shortly after having completed my Associate's.
Like many community college students, I wish to start up at a four-year college to complete the third and fourth "years" (I'm a part-time student, so it'll take longer).
Why I thought of moving to Indiana:
I thought of Indiana because of some of the choices I'm aware of, and because it's near my current state (Illinois). I did a search recently on Collegeboard and learned that I had a few possibilities that were located in Indiana.
I've also lived in my hometown my whole life and I think that I'm finally sick of this town. It's OK and all, but certainly not a place where I'd want to live for my whole life.
What I've learned so far:
I've researched almost everything that I can think of, such as typical rents that I would have to pay, Cost-of-Living differences (though these probably average everything out, so it wouldn't be a particularly accurate figure), down to information on different four-year schools (tuition, % part-time, % white, etc.) and even whether or not they have evening classes for the major I want. I've tried to research the job thing but I can never be quite sure about it, because A) there's always going to be postings, more in larger cities, and B) there's always going to be people looking for work, so it's hard to tell what my chances are, especially since I'd be an out-of-state job seeker who wishes to move only after having found a job.
What I still need to figure out:
If I did decide to move, I'd then have the question of what town to move to. There's Indianapolis, which is a big city and probably has lots to do, but it may also be crowded. There are smaller towns like Bloomington and Fort Wayne, which will be less crowded but there'll probably be less to do (like my town).
Other factors:
Another factor to consider is the residency status for tuition purposes. I've learned that to be considered a resident, I'd have to live there for one year without going to school at all, before I can qualify for the in-state rates. There is no way that I'm going to expect my parents to pay those very high out-of-state rates.
Also, right now Indianapolis seems like a good choice, but there's no way to tell, from the map, where the bad parts of town are. I would need to know so I don't unknowingly move into such an area.
I don't really have anything to tie me down here to this town, apart from being born here, growing up here, and living nowhere else. I don't have many friends to speak of, no girlfriend that I'd have to see less often, and so on. After finishing up my Associate's Degree there'll be nothing to keep me here.
Plus sometimes in public see people who went to my high school. I don't really wish to see them anymore since A) I hated high school with a passion, and B) through no choice of my own, I was considered a "nerd" (it's a long story). They can't see the changes I've made so they'll still think that when they see me (About 33% of my graduating class went to schools in town, or didn't go to college. Most of them went to schools out-of-town but still in Illinois.).
Pro and Con:
Pros:
My questions:
Basically, this is what I'd like to know:
1. Would this be a good idea? Why or why not?
2. What city would be best? Indianapolis, because there'll be a lot to do? Or a smaller town (like Evansville or Fort Wayne), because it'll be less crowded? Every city I listed there is a school I've researched. However, I don't have to live in that city and I could just commute to school every day.
3. What's the job market like? Will I have a hard time finding a job, especially because I'm an out-of-state job seeker who'll only move until after I get a job there?
4. How's the auto insurance in Indianapolis? Expensive? Not too bad?
5. The smaller cities probably won't be too bad, but how is the traffic in Indianapolis? Heavy? Not too bad?
6. Are there any other factors that I should consider?
NOTES:
On-campus living is a non-issue, because I'll be living in a two-bedroom apartment or townhouse, most likely. Maybe a three bedroom if I can find a good rent rate. I'm basically a regular joe who happens to take some classes.
And, I'm not ready to consider moving to someplace farther away, because it'll take too much time, money, and effort.
I'd appreciate anything that anyone here can tell me.
Ben
I currently attend a community college, and I'm getting my Associate's Degree very soon (probably within the next year or so). For this reason I won't be moving right away if I do, but instead shortly after having completed my Associate's.
Like many community college students, I wish to start up at a four-year college to complete the third and fourth "years" (I'm a part-time student, so it'll take longer).
Why I thought of moving to Indiana:
I thought of Indiana because of some of the choices I'm aware of, and because it's near my current state (Illinois). I did a search recently on Collegeboard and learned that I had a few possibilities that were located in Indiana.
I've also lived in my hometown my whole life and I think that I'm finally sick of this town. It's OK and all, but certainly not a place where I'd want to live for my whole life.
What I've learned so far:
I've researched almost everything that I can think of, such as typical rents that I would have to pay, Cost-of-Living differences (though these probably average everything out, so it wouldn't be a particularly accurate figure), down to information on different four-year schools (tuition, % part-time, % white, etc.) and even whether or not they have evening classes for the major I want. I've tried to research the job thing but I can never be quite sure about it, because A) there's always going to be postings, more in larger cities, and B) there's always going to be people looking for work, so it's hard to tell what my chances are, especially since I'd be an out-of-state job seeker who wishes to move only after having found a job.
What I still need to figure out:
If I did decide to move, I'd then have the question of what town to move to. There's Indianapolis, which is a big city and probably has lots to do, but it may also be crowded. There are smaller towns like Bloomington and Fort Wayne, which will be less crowded but there'll probably be less to do (like my town).
Other factors:
Another factor to consider is the residency status for tuition purposes. I've learned that to be considered a resident, I'd have to live there for one year without going to school at all, before I can qualify for the in-state rates. There is no way that I'm going to expect my parents to pay those very high out-of-state rates.
Also, right now Indianapolis seems like a good choice, but there's no way to tell, from the map, where the bad parts of town are. I would need to know so I don't unknowingly move into such an area.
I don't really have anything to tie me down here to this town, apart from being born here, growing up here, and living nowhere else. I don't have many friends to speak of, no girlfriend that I'd have to see less often, and so on. After finishing up my Associate's Degree there'll be nothing to keep me here.
Plus sometimes in public see people who went to my high school. I don't really wish to see them anymore since A) I hated high school with a passion, and B) through no choice of my own, I was considered a "nerd" (it's a long story). They can't see the changes I've made so they'll still think that when they see me (About 33% of my graduating class went to schools in town, or didn't go to college. Most of them went to schools out-of-town but still in Illinois.).
Pro and Con:
Pros:
- New town, new experiences.
- New people.
- My bad rep. in high school can no longer haunt me, since it's very unlikely that a significant number of people in my high school graduating class (or those within a year) will be in the new town.
- If I move to Indianapolis (as opposed to a smaller town), there will be a hell of a lot to do since it's a big city.
- Looking at the Cost-of-Living, every result I've seen results in favor of living in Indiana, with the Cost-of-Living vs. Income ratio always being better.
- My parents drive me nuts. I live with them right now so that alone would be a welcome relief.
- I'd get to live on my own again, which certainly helps the ole self-esteem.
- I won't know where everything is (yet), so I won't yet know where all the hotspots are.
- It'll cost a little bit of $$$ and a lot of time to move there, since I have quite a bit of stuff.
- I once went to a four-year school, living on my own in my own one bedroom apartment (I lived by myself). I didn't really make any friends that year, and this may be no different friend-wise. I didn't return to the school for the next year, and went to a local community college.
- I'd have to move there and go a year without going to school (just work and whatever else seems good), so I can establish residency and get in-state rates.
- I'd need a job or another steady, legal source of income established before I can move there. Borrowing money to pay for living expenses is but financially stupid and incredibly foolish.
- If I move to Indianapolis, it might be very crowded and traffic might be heavy (I'm honestly guessing because lots of people live there and I've never been there myself except twice when I was quite little).
- I'd be significantly older than my fellow classmates, which might weird them out.
My questions:
Basically, this is what I'd like to know:
1. Would this be a good idea? Why or why not?
2. What city would be best? Indianapolis, because there'll be a lot to do? Or a smaller town (like Evansville or Fort Wayne), because it'll be less crowded? Every city I listed there is a school I've researched. However, I don't have to live in that city and I could just commute to school every day.
3. What's the job market like? Will I have a hard time finding a job, especially because I'm an out-of-state job seeker who'll only move until after I get a job there?
4. How's the auto insurance in Indianapolis? Expensive? Not too bad?
5. The smaller cities probably won't be too bad, but how is the traffic in Indianapolis? Heavy? Not too bad?
6. Are there any other factors that I should consider?
NOTES:
On-campus living is a non-issue, because I'll be living in a two-bedroom apartment or townhouse, most likely. Maybe a three bedroom if I can find a good rent rate. I'm basically a regular joe who happens to take some classes.
And, I'm not ready to consider moving to someplace farther away, because it'll take too much time, money, and effort.
I'd appreciate anything that anyone here can tell me.
Ben
