'Yo, you got to go': Why more students from the Northeast are heading south for college

"Y'all!The University of ... Tennessee? Adam Whitney, a student at Boston Latin School, had never really thought about it. But his college admissions coach suggested it, and the application was free, and even though when he got in, he didn't really care, a friend home on break from the University of Alabama gave him some scholarly advice that was hard to ignore."

""Yo, you got to go," his former varsity hockey teammate said, painting a picture of the rollicking social scene at big football schools like Bama or UT. "You will have the best time of your life," he said. For much of American history, ambitious Southerners came north for their education. Now, a growing number of students are enthusiastically heading in the other direction."

Students from the Northeast are increasingly enrolling at Southern universities for warmer weather, welcoming people, football-driven social life, and lower tuition in some cases. Social media, tailgates, and peer recommendations amplify the appeal of big football programs and campus life. Geographic diversity and large enrollments at many Southern schools can make admissions easier for out-of-region applicants. Some students seek relief from intense politicization experienced at Northeastern campuses. A growing number of Black students are attending historically Black colleges and universities in the South because of family ties, cultural roots, and the institutions' nurturing missions and support.

Read at Boston.com