4,700 Miles | Why I Chose to Move Across the Ocean to Study at RIT

The following is an computer-generated summary of the video transcript.

Hey, I'm Adrian. I'm from Wailuku, Hawai'i, and I'm studying Game Design and development exactly 4,700 miles away from home at Rochester Institute of Technology. I'm here to share what brought me so far from home and what challenges come with studying across the country. The main reason I chose to come to the mainland for school was to have access to more opportunities. Our isolated economy isn't as focused towards technology and media, so in comparison, New York State offered a wealth of unique opportunities. Another reason I chose to study out of state is to experience a new region for myself. Before this, I'd never been east of the Rockies, so exploring the Great Lakes was an incredible experience. Over my first year at RI , I got to see red trees, snowstorms, walk on ice, and meet the local wildlife. Studying out of state also exposed me to new cultures and ideas. Not only is there the lively culture of the Great Lakes region, but there are hundreds of international students bringing perspectives from all around the globe. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf also brings many deaf and hard of hearing students to RIT, which has created a rich Deaf culture and community on campus. One of the biggest challenges of choosing an out of state college is that I never had the chance to visit RIT in person. Student-led virtual campus tours and housing tours are offered online which really help me to learn about student life and academics. One of the best ways to learn about RIT as a prospective or incoming student is to communicate with current students. RIT admissions organizes a Facebook group for each Fall's incoming students so that they can connect and find potential roommates and to ask current RIT students questions about life on campus. I was also able to ask questions and chat with current students through the unofficial RIT subreddit and Discord server. My incoming class even created our own server where we got to know each other before coming to campus. I used this server to find my roommates and already knew some people when I got here. Another challenge that comes with studying out of state is affordability. Not only is tuition usually higher, but there may be fewer scholarships and grants available, and most out of state students need to worry about the cost of travel and living on their own. However, with RIT support, I was able to take advantage of multiple factors which brought my cost of attendance down significantly. Firstly, RIT charges the same tuition to in-state and out-of-state students. I also received institutional grants and scholarships from RIT that brought my net cost of attendance way down. You may also qualify for grants from your home state even if you're studying out of state. One of the biggest challenges that comes with studying out of state is distance. For me, the only option to get home is flying. That means I have to pack lightly and can only make a couple of visits home per year. It's important to consider how this will affect you and your relationships. I think that packing my life into a suitcase really gave me some perspective on what's important to me, and studying out of state has made me a more independent person. In the end, I'm satisfied with my decision to study across the country. It's given me access to new opportunities and I have undergone personal growth as a result of the new experiences I've had. That's how I know that studying at RIT was the right choice for me. If you want to know more about what it's like to study at RIT, you can check out my other videos about campus life at RIT or subscribe to the RIT undergraduate admission YouTube channel to see more videos