For many high-achieving students, college choice is no longer just about academic fit or scholarship dollars — it’s about accessibility to home. A new demographic of “next-door destination students,” sometimes called “discount-air students,” is reshaping the recruiting conversation. These students are willing to attend school out-of-state — even hundreds of miles away — if they can prove to their parents that they’ll still make it home two or three weekends each semester.

Who Are Next-Door Destination Students?

Many of these students are first-generation or Title I high-achievers who bring both talent and drive to the table. They are often All-State or top district performers in large states like Texas, Florida, or California, where competition is fierce and acceptance into local flagship programs is limited.

Their parents want two things:

• A safe, affordable pathway home several times a semester.
• Assurance that their child is part of a program offering flexibility, financial support, and opportunities to thrive.

For recruiters, this creates an opening: if you can demonstrate that your school offers both the musical opportunity and the logistical accessibility, you gain a competitive advantage.

Rethinking the Recruiting Radius

Traditionally, most collegiate recruiters have focused their efforts close to home — primarily within their own state or at most a 90-mile radius of campus. That model worked when students were less mobile, and parents assumed college would be “drive-to” accessible.

But today’s next-door destination students think differently. They — and their families — are building college lists around flight routes, not highway routes. What matters is not the number of miles on the map but whether a discount airline flies from a major or regional airport near campus to their home city in under two hours.

Recruiters who understand and communicate this can transform their pitch. Instead of saying, “We’re three hours from campus by car,” you can say, “Your student can be home in 90 minutes of flight time, for under $300 round-trip, three times per semester.”

Recruiting Strategy: How to Win Discount-Air Students

1. Waive or Reduce Out-of-State Tuition

These students already face higher costs for travel. Waiving or deeply discounting out-of-state tuition can be the deciding factor that makes your program viable.

2. Offer Local Audition Sites

Meet them where they are. Holding auditions within 45 minutes of their high school (or online) eliminates one of the first barriers.

3. Provide Campus Visit Travel Support

For Title I students in particular, underwriting part of the travel expense for a campus visit is a powerful signal of commitment.

4. Publish Flight Pattern Resources for Parents

Parents don’t want to do the homework themselves — they want proof you’ve already done it. Create a page on your website that:

• Lists the nearest airport(s) and the discount airlines that serve them.
• Shows flight patterns and average fares to major feeder cities.
• Demonstrates that round-trip travel costs are under $200.

5. Recommend Best Weekends to Travel Home

Families need assurance that going home won’t disrupt success. Provide a suggested list of weekends when students are free from major rehearsals, ensemble concerts, or marching band commitments. This shows families you’ve thought ahead about balancing performance obligations with family connections.

6. Offer Airport Shuttle Services

Parents worry about logistics and costs. A simple Friday afternoon campus-to-airport shuttle and Sunday evening return shuttle can be a major selling point. It eliminates Uber bills, parking fees, and late-night stress. For families, this detail alone can tip the scales toward choosing your program.

Case in Point: Nashville Schools

Consider Nashville-area universities like Belmont University, Vanderbilt University, Fisk University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Lipscomb University, Tennessee State University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Austin Peay University. Each of these schools sits within an hour of Nashville International Airport (BNA), a hub for discount airlines with routes across the Southeast, Southwest, East, South and Midwest.

For recruiters, highlighting these connections — “Your student can fly round-trip from Dallas, Orlando, or Chicago for under $200 and be back by Sunday night” — reframes location as a recruiting asset.

Takeaway for Recruiters

Next-door destination students are not looking for a second-choice school — they are looking for a reachable school. If you can prove that your program is academically strong, musically vibrant, and logistically affordable to get home from, you will capture families who once thought they had to stay in-state.

By embracing discount-air recruiting, you are not only expanding your pool — you are building ensembles that are larger, stronger, and more diverse.