Nice college, but is it close to home?

Like most high school seniors, Emily Novik has been busy this fall applying to colleges. But some of her top picks - as well as those of her parents - have changed. The reason is simple: distance.

Since Sept. 11, her parents now want her closer to home. And they don't want her to have to fly to get to school.

"I applied to 10 schools," says Ms. Novik, who hails from Fairfield, Conn. "I just canceled one visit to a university where we had to take a flight. It's definitely still on the list, though."

Her mother, Linda, is less sure. "I would really like Emily to be going to a school where she didn't have to fly," Mrs. Novik says. "It just doesn't seem as important to me anymore whether she attends a highly ranked school. I'd rather see her at a slightly lesser-ranked school closer to home."

Along with many families engaged in this annual fall rite of college selection, Emily and her mother are recalibrating their college-selection criteria - thinking twice about how far away from home they want their college picks to be.

Colleges in big cities - potential terrorist targets - are now a question mark for some. The weak economy, too, is weighing on many.

Decisions have yet to be made. But one thing is clear: Students and parents are beefing up their lists with more regional and in-state schools than in years past. Flexibility is a key issue. And while such concerns may not translate into denying a student a top but faraway choice, some think schools in big cities could see softening demand. Meanwhile, rural institutions and those in the heartland could get a boost from the uncertainty and tight economy.

"What we've seen in the last few weeks is more desire to have local colleges and universities firmly in place on their application list, just to keep options open," says Steven Antonoff, a Denver-based educational consultant, who notes that, so far, parents seem more concerned than students. "I'm seeing more discussions in my office, saying, 'Do you really want to be that far away? Do you want to fly?' "

Michael London, a Newton, Mass.-based educational consultant with College Coach, which has 5,000 clients nationwide, also sees a shift. Family criteria are changing. More families are ducking schools in big cities like New York, Washington, Boston, and Philadelphia, he says.

"There has been a shift in families' thinking," Mr. London says. "In the past, the parent was usually more focused on keeping [the] child closer to home, and the child was willing to venture out farther. What we're seeing right now is both parent and student, also, wouldn't mind being closer to home."

Jackie Nelsen wants to let her son make his own choice. But she is now weighing anew both cost and proximity with her husband and son, Matt. Colorado College, for instance, is now under consideration, which it wasn't before Sept. 11.

"It's true we've been thinking more about our options in Colorado," says the Littleton, Colo., mother, who admits to concern when Matt mentions schools thousands of miles away. Still, she is reluctant to limit Matt's options at this point.

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