With college acceptances coming in left and right, many students may be wondering what has become of last year’s seniors, what life choices they’ve made and where they are today.

Drew Eco, a freshman at Montgomery College in Rockville, graduated from Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School in 2013.

“I decided to stay in Bethesda [this year] because I wasn’t sure where I wanted my career path to go. I’ve used this time to figure out my future and career-oriented goals, and now I feel more secure in making decisions,” said Eco.

Stephanie Chou, a freshman at Rice University in Texas, graduated from Palos Verdes High School in California in 2013. She decided to move farther away from her hometown in order to expose herself to new experiences.

“Although I thought about missing my family and going far away, I thought that it would be good for me to go somewhere new and different. I’ve lived in Palos Verdes my whole life, and I [was] interested in living somewhere else,” said Chou.

Lori Potts-Dupres, a college counselor from Silver Spring, Maryland, has ample experience advising her clients about college choices that will ultimately affect their futures.

“I’ve had students who choose to stay in the area, going to University of Maryland [as well as] students who are able to travel as far as Sweden. I think it depends on the type of person and their drive. Some students want to go as far away [for] school as possible in order to explore their freedoms, whereas others want to stay close to home for the time being,” said Potts-Dupres.

Although the right decision may not always be clear, upon further reflection Eco said he was satisfied with the choices he has made.

“I don’t…regret my decision to stay at home. I have been able to foster a lot of business connections in my time in Bethesda and…strengthen my family relationships. I have used this time to mature and learn more about myself, and now I feel prepared to go to a college out-of-state,” said Eco.

Chou had a perspective that was similar to Eco’s, and said she was glad she did not choose to go to college in California.

“I will admit that I was scared to move so far away from home… But now, as a second semester freshman at Rice, I feel more confident because I’ve learned to be more independent…I needed to live in a new environment and meet new people,” said Chou.

While many students may make decisions about their future according to precedents set by the majority, others may choose to base their decisions regarding college and futures on their individual circumstances. Many give the decision a lot of thought since the choices made in high school will have a lasting effect on their life.