We just completed sending my freshman D off to college, and I've come to appreciate the importance of my D being emotionally invested in her college choice. This may be of more importance in our case because D's college is 1500 miles from home. D was nervous at the beginning of move-in day, but this quickly changed to excitement after meeting her roommate and going to orientation sessions. By day two, it was getting close for us to leave, and D became emotional over the impending physical separation. This was not unexpected, and I am sure she will overcome this shock and thrive. My expectation would be vastly different if her final choice of college wasn't made by her and she had reservations about her college choice.
I guess my point is that the academic part of college selection is very important but one shouldn't dismiss an emotional attachment as well. Sure, one can learn to like most places over time, but the first semester/year can have a large impact on the total experience. Emotional investment in a college is important to make the most of that first semester/year.
↧