Record Numbers of California Students Seek College Opportunities Beyond State Lines
A surge in applications to out-of-state universities signals a growing trend: more California students then ever are looking beyond their home state for higher education. driven by factors including rising in-state tuition, competitive admissions at University of California and California State University campuses, and a desire for different college experiences, the exodus is reshaping the landscape of college recruitment.
The shift impacts California’s public university system, potentially leading to a loss of talent and future economic contributions, while simultaneously benefiting colleges across the nation.Experts predict this trend will continue as the cost of living and tuition within California remain high, and students increasingly prioritize factors beyond academic prestige when choosing a university.
Javier Perez, an 18-year-old from Koreatown, embodies this movement. He envisions a college experience drastically different from his current reality, which includes a grueling three-hour daily commute to school involving a bike ride, two train transfers, and a bus ride.”I just want to explore as much as I can in my college life,” Perez saeid.
Perez, a leader of his school’s competitive robotics team and an aspiring programmer, is applying to 22 colleges, with a strong focus on institutions on the East Coast. His list includes prestigious universities like Stanford, Caltech, and several UCs and CSUs, but his aspirations centre on schools such as Middlebury College, Boston College, Bowdoin College, Columbia University, Brown University, and Dartmouth College.
He hopes to trade his lengthy commute for a campus nestled in a small college town surrounded by nature,allowing him to concentrate fully on his studies. The photograph accompanying this story shows Perez utilizing public transportation during his commute to a local library. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
