6 Reasons You Should Go To State School

If you're still having trouble deciding where you should go to college this fall, or if you've already made your decision and just need a little reaffirmation of your choice to go with a state school, you've come to the right place. Provided below are six reasons you should go to a state school, and I'm not holding back. Public universities are one of the best things to ever happen to the educational system of America, and guess what? You have the opportunity to take part in their greatness. Hear me out on this, friends.

State schools generally get slammed for their size, with some students being afraid that they'll get lost in a sea of anonymity, or have their names replaced with numbers. I'm here to say that's not true at all. There is just as much opportunity for students to stand out at large, public universities as there is at smaller private colleges — and dare I say, potentially even more.

The following reasons to choose a state school have everything to do with their large student population and affiliation with state funding. Take a look through this list, and you'll quickly learn exactly why bigger can be better, especially in the case of college.

1. Tuition

There's no way to beat around the bush on this one. State schools are usually cheaper than private schools. Period. They also provide more opportunity for merit-based scholarships if you're a good student. College is one of the biggest investments you'll make in your life, but that doesn't mean you have to choose the most expensive school to make it count.

2. Size

State schools are made to serve a large population of the state, meaning that they have campuses large enough to cater to thousands upon thousands of students. While this may seem a little intimidating at first, take into account how much bigger the campus will be, and more importantly, how many more facilities will be available for you to use. You want to have a rock climbing wall, multiple libraries, and more than 20 dining options on campus? Go state.

3. Opportunity

Because state universities are larger and receive government funding, they also tend to have many ties to other institutions, local businesses, and federal programs that are bursting with opportunity. This means more grants, more internships, more on-campus jobs, and more networking. These things will take you far, both while you're attending college and after you've graduated.

4. Diversity

Because of its sheer size alone, attending a state school will almost certainly offer a more diverse student body than going to a private college. Specifically, you will be able to interact and have classes with people from all different walks of life.

5. Independence

It's true that college provides a healthy safety net for young adults just making their way into the real world, but state schools tend to do a little less hand-holding than private colleges. The resources and help you need are still there for you as a student, but you will probably gain a little bit more independence and be more ready for life post-graduation if you go to a state school.

6. Ranking

Obviously the Ivy Leagues and some private California colleges... *cough* Stanford *cough* Caltech... can hold their own when it comes to reputation, but believe it or not, many state schools are ranked higher than the private schools they compete against in certain departments. Hey, it's not bad to be the best.

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