Wes: College selection often creates conflict among families of teenagers. Depending on the situation, this can range from which college to attend, whether to attend college right after high school, or even to attend at all. Jenny is on her way to an out-of-state school this fall, and we decided to tackle this problem over a series of columns this spring and summer, beginning this week. Since it is getting late in this process for many seniors, we decided to jump right to a question that is unique to a college town: Should local seniors attend Kansas University or Haskell Indian Nations University versus another college out of town or state?

I have lived in Lawrence for 17 years because, after attending graduate school here, we didn’t want to leave. It is a wonderful community, a great place to raise kids, and, best of all, it has a strong academic community, including two fine colleges and a junior college just down the road. In fact, I would recommend any of these schools to seniors interested in higher education — unless you already live here.

There are many good reasons for kids to attend a school they didn’t grow up living next door to. Among them are regional and cultural diversity, specialties not found in the local schools, and a chance to get a different perspective on the world. However, the best reason not to go local is the fact that college is really about leaving home, and it is very easy to avoid that process if one’s child remains up the street at good old KU or Haskell.

Of course, there are exceptions to this rule. Believe it or not, some kids are not ready to be on their own at 18 — and they know it. They do better for the first year or two if parents are still more closely involved. However, by age 20 or 21, if a young person is still not showing signs of independence, parents may need to be a bit more assertive in requiring it. Another exception involves cost. Out-of-state schools are more expensive. For such situations, I think junior college is an excellent option before transferring to an out-of-town school in the third year.

If a local university or junior college really is the best option given these factors, I still would encourage the student to live in a dorm or apartment the first year, and most certainly the second. For kids with significant learning disabilities, attention deficit or psychological difficulties, home still may be the best place during the college period. But in all other cases, a young adult at home is not as much fun as some folks think — for the kid or the family. More importantly, living at home tends to prolong adolescence and diminish both the joy and pain of early adulthood.

Jenny: I have dealt with badgering of friends and parents to go to KU. I have felt the desire to continue to go to school with my friends in college, yet KU isn’t for me. It has been a long decision process, and even though I haven’t spent my whole life in Lawrence, like some of my friends, I still want to be able to get out of the place where I have grown comfortable.

I love this city, the atmosphere, the people and the whole open-mindedness of everyone here. So I feel that it is important to figure out what you want to do with your education before you decide anything. Answer questions such as does KU offer the major that I am thinking about? What do I want to get out of college? Do I want individual attention, or am I able to go to a big school where teachers aren’t looking out for me every step of the way? Do I have the financial resources to go out of state for college? And, lastly, why do I really want to go to the college I have chosen?

If the reason you are staying in town is because of friends, then think about this: You are going to make so many more friends in college. If you were just staying because of friends that more than likely would turn into mere acquaintances by the end of college, I would reconsider. Don’t get me wrong. KU has a top education program and is one of the prettiest colleges in the United States. While it was very easy for me to realize that I wanted to go out of state for college, it may be more difficult for others. I think one of the reasons is because, for most, it seems like their only option is the KU.

I encourage everyone to look at other colleges, just to get a feel of what is out there. Who knows, you may or may not like with other states have to offer, but at least you can say you looked around and didn’t just decided to go to KU. You may have a favorite pair of tennis shoes that you are comfortable with and always wear, but don’t forget there are a lot of other shoes out there that might you like better. All you have to do is look and sometimes get out of your comfort zone.

I know that sounds corny, but you get the general concept. Don’t be afraid to broaden your horizons and at least consider all the options that are out there.