I was accepted into UC Berkeley with a full scholarship, but the cost of moving to California was still too high. I turned down the offer.

""I opened the email from UC Berkeley and my heart raced; it was the chance to study at one of the best universities in the world with a full-ride scholarship.""

""Moving to California would come at a steep price; even with the scholarship, I would need at least $2,500 a month to survive, and housing costs are sky-high.""

""My family is very close, sharing dinners almost every night and celebrating holidays together, making the idea of being away from them difficult to accept.""

Accepted into UC Berkeley with a full-ride scholarship, a student faced the reality of high moving costs and the emotional toll of leaving family behind. Despite the joy of being admitted to a prestigious university, research revealed a cost of living in Berkeley that exceeded expectations. Living expenses in California, even with tuition covered, would require at least $2,500 a month. Ultimately, in valuing family connections and financial feasibility, the student chose to enroll at the University of Texas without regrets.

Read at Business Insider