I have always wondered on how each individual makes the choice of which school to pick for their graduate studies: Why some people prefer to change universities for their master’s degree, while others stick around at the same place where they did their undergrad, which is more advantageous to do, and is there a wrong decision or does it depend on case per case?
Recently, I stumbled upon an article that addresses the issue of advantages and disadvantages of doing your graduate studies at the same university where you did you undergrad. The advantages the article list include the higher probability of being accepted at your own school, the discount at assistant ships you might likely be offered making it cheaper to attend there; your familiarity with the place and people and the academic environment, and other minor reasons. Honestly, I do agree with all of these reasons, as I personally did my masters degree at my undergrad university and I can particularly relate to the importance of familiarity of the place on one’s choice.
On the other hand, the article does mention one main disadvantage of staying at the same university: the risk of settling for a less reputable school instead of aiming for more research oriented schools, which might open new opportunities for you after graduation. Not all of us might get the chance to attend good well-known schools for their undergrad, probably due to low grades at school or money issues and not trying to apply for better universities to proceed with your higher education might not be the best option. There is no guarantee that you will get accepted, or be able to afford it,but I personally think, the least to do, would be to seek advice, study all possible options and go for what you think will serve you better in your future endeavors, even if it meant sacrificing your current comfort zone and trying new places and new people.