I think that like Crabtree said, in the end most kids, when they are up in the air about a school, tend to stay closer to home. I think that is a fair statement and I think that it would apply in this situation as well. If he is having this hard of a time just giving a verbal to a school that is far away, which we all know means very little since you can still change your mind, then I think in the end a school close to home will win out. Not trying to be a debbie downer but I am just trying to put myself in his shoes and take the "fandome" out of the equation.
If you had all things equal and were not a fan of any school for the most part, wouldnt you pick the school that was nearest to you, assuming that it had the things you wanted?