Should I Stay or Should I Go?

“I always dreamed too that I would go off to an ivy league, or a UC, but I think I realized that I could make an impact in any school I go to,” says senior RJ Arconado who explained his reasons for staying in-state for college.

“So far a lot of people I know are going in-state,” he said, since it allows them to be “closer to home, while gaining our independence.”

Arconado, like other students’, are hyper aware of the decisions they have to make in the last two years of high school. After all, these decisions may determine what happens for the rest of their lives.

One of the most important of these decisions is where, why, and if they are going to college. As many describe, these questions are connected.

The Cost of Isolation

Hawaii's pool of 16 colleges is small. Within this pool, only 2 rank in the top 1,000 universities nationally. Compare this to Connecticut that has a smaller land area but over 100 colleges and universities, 7 of which rank in the top 1,000.

This is discouraging to some students who were hoping to find opportunities suitable for their interests close to home. According to Jessica Terrel for Honolulu Civil Beat, “Half of students leaving Hawaii’s public schools are moving to the mainland,” as of 2022.

“College-industry data available to admissions offices across the U.S. shows that Hawaii students are one of the most likely to leave the state for college,” says Roxie Shabazz, Director of Admissions at University of Hawai’i. “Hawaii’s isolated island geography” she observes, “leaves many students wanting more than the state can offer.”

Ethan Luck agrees. Because Hawai’i is so small, there are “less places to go to" in-state and students are presented with "less opportunities” in the future.

There are big costs for Hawaii's students attending mainland schools. Those who leave the state are hit with high costs for relocation and out-of-state tuition. Many will need to take out student loans that will follow them throughout their lives.

Kameron McNair for CNBC reports that Americans currently hold a total of $1.6 trillion in student loans and, as Sandy Hario Livingston for KHON2 reports, Hawaii residents make up approximately $4.5 billion of that total.

“The biggest obstacle to attending college on the mainland is affordability,” states College and Career Counselor Ginny Yasutake. “[For] those who aspire to attend a mainland institution,” she advises, “there are ways to reduce your cost of attendance through scholarships and financial aid.”

Yasutake wants students to consider the opportunities in-state schools can provide even though she acknowledges that “It is difficult for students from Hawaii just because of our location.”

The WUE, or the Western Undergraduate Exchange program, is another option she mentioned. In WUE schools on the mainland, students pay a reduced tuition rate that is lower than out-of-state tuition.

Sophomore Giana Bayudan feels “a little intimidated” by the costs of college. “If I were to want to go out of state, I'm gonna have to work really hard in school to get the scholarships to help me pay for it, or else it's not gonna be paid for."

Cost is everything for some. An anonymous senior plans on “going to trade school at UH Maui college.” When asked why, he simply stated “because it’s free.” This is a reference to the recent extension of free tuition at UH to LHS’s class of 2025.

“They don’t have that here”

Some students are looking for colleges that meet their very particular needs and future plans. Bayudan recognizes this problem, stating "whatever you want to specialize in, in college, whatnot, you can find a school for that [here]. But even then, it might not be the best option.”

“I want to wrestle in college, and they don't have that here,” says Sophomore Safirah Ladore who also wants to be a lawyer. She was disappointed to see that “They only have like, one law school here.”

Ladore is referring to The William S. Richardson School of Law at UH, which currently ranks #99 in the US, according to US News and World Report.

The University of Hawai’i schools that include: UH Mānoa, UH Hilo and UH West Oʻahu, rank in the top 1,500 4-year schools,

Acknowledging these concerns, Yasutake want’s students to know that Hawai’i has much to offer. However she also hopes students take that risk of going to a mainland school if they decide to.

“UH Manoa is considered one of the few land-, sea-, and space-grant institutions in the country,” she pointed out and noted that UH Hilo also has a new Pharmacy program.

BYU-Hawaii provides a “unique work-study opportunity to help pay for tuition and room and board.” This was a reference to the Polynesian Cultural Center where students may give culturally Hawaiian performances for visitors for money.

She also noted that the Chaminade Forensics program has internships with the Honolulu and Guam Police Departments and UH Maui College has “an amazing” culinary program and a new creative media degree.

According to Yasutake, Kapiolani also has the only Rad Tech program in the state.

Arconado said that he personally has found great opportunities here with “The Direct Entry to Nursing Program” which he describes as “huge” since “last year the acceptance rate was 3.7%.”

"We're at a disadvantage”

"We're at a disadvantage,” says sophomore Emma Batson who feels that she may be a less competitive candidate on the mainland because of the quality of education in Hawai’i. She feels “It's harder to get into schools in the states because of our education system here."

The worry among some students is that being educated in Hawai’i may lead to other problems that aren’t directly connected to geography or what programs are offered. According to US News and World Report Hawaii’s public schools rank #33 overall in the country.

As UH Manoa takes 58% of its students from Hawai’i schools, some may even fear that this drop in rigor could impact higher education institutions.

Yasutake doesn’t think so. She believes that “UH Manoa and the other colleges in Hawaii have improved their programs to be more competitive and locally committed.”

Nevertheless, she added, “If you are passionate about a program of study, and your dream school is on the mainland, I do hope students take a chance and see what the future holds.”