well it's different in each city, and then each state, and then by region. like before, the north starts earlier because of weather, it would drive us southerns crazy sitting in school in that goddamn heat, it's bad enough at home. the attention levels aren't high, to say the least ^-^ finishing early is an option here, but you'd graduate in january and you'd be barred from prom as a student of the school. really only people going to junior college and then regular college do that.

Really, choosing the same colleges as your friends isn't an issue. Because we're/you're at that age where you're concerned for your life so you're going to do what's best for yourself no matter what -- some people get pushed into colleges by their families though. Some choose colleges according to what they can afford. Usually you only see couples, bigtime in-the-long-run couples choosing the same college, but they pick colleges that aren't specifically known for one major area of study so they can both get their seperate degrees.