Frowned upon to switch state residency?

[DumSpiro_Spero]

Hi all,

I'm a born and bred Virginian (and for you DMV people...Northern lol), and I loved living in VA. But with in-state acceptance sitting at a paltry 20%, my husband and I made the decision to move to a friendlier MD admissions state. We took our first jobs after graduating in Charleston, SC, and I've very much enjoyed living here. Coming from a somewhat liberal area to a red state has been interesting, and the amount of prejudice apparent in my students' home lives is a bit concerning, but overall, we have had a wonderful time living in South Carolina.

Now, my decision to move here and obtain residency was a very strategic one -- I want to get accepted to Medical School, and SC has about a 42% IS acceptance rate, one of the highest.

But as of late, as my application cycle approaches, I'm concerned that adcoms might be aware of my intentions in becoming a resident. Will they resent that? Will they think I'm disingenuous? What's the consensus?

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[DumSpiro_Spero]

Provided that your application is otherwise strong, I think you will at least get interviews. However, SC is very picky when it comes to OOS students. They like students who have REALLY strong ties to the state. So the fact that you spent about 22 years in one state and suddenly left right before applying to med school is very suspicious. If I were interviewing you, I'd ask you why you moved to SC and if you have strong ties to the state so come up with some good answers to questions like that.

But...I'm an In-state student in South Carolina! My husband and I became residents just last month and my husband, who's studying for his master's in Computer Engineering, is now getting in-state tuition. Would adcoms still view me as OOS?

For those of you wondering about how tight our residency is, we followed the SC Residency booklet to a tee. Both of us have been employed full-time for 14 months, have paid our income taxes in SC, and own property in the state.

 

[DumSpiro_Spero]

I understand that, but my point is that you are very superficially a resident. The admissions committee favors SC students because they want good doctors to serve SC. Obviously, I am not on an admissions committee, so I can't say for certain what MUSC and USC will think of you, but based on what you said, you probably look like someone who will go to their med school, then leave SC forever. What have you done so far to support the local community? Why should they invest in you instead of a student who has lived in SC all his/her life?

I'm hope I'm not being too harsh here. I just think you need to come up with some good answers to questions like these so you really shine when you do apply.

Ok, so for SC Schools, once you're interviewed, the IS/OOS thing goes away, and they speak about this at information sessions.

As far as getting an II, all they require for proof of IS is your annual tax documentation, as well as two other supporting residency statements (letter of full-time employment or mortgage bill). And I'll have all of that.

I had always thought this was an honest, straight approach to getting in. I lived there for a year, I mean I teach in SC Public schools, I'm sure I'm more of a public servant than most. But reading some SDN posts it says that some adcoms (specifically in TX) view residency switches as disingenuous. Is this true?

 

[MaybeDr]

So essentially marry someone instate to convince adcoms of commitment. I'll add that to my check list with all of my other ECs.

 

[Flashfan]

I think it reads that you are committing to SC. You moved here after college and you are putting down roots. Highlight that. Smile and give love to the state.

 

[Fedekz]

Just have the required documents, and some story to justify why you mysteriously left your home state of your entire life to a different state the year of or before your application cycle. That, and hope the interviewer doesn't call you on your bull****. Just remember that people who are truly committed to serving SC, who grew up there and plan to stay there for their career - your essentially robbing them on their spot in their home state.

 

[DumSpiro_Spero]

Just have the required documents, and some story to justify why you mysteriously left your home state of your entire life to a different state the year of or before your application cycle. That, and hope the interviewer doesn't call you on your bull****. Just remember that people who are truly committed to serving SC, who grew up there and plan to stay there for their career - your essentially robbing them on their spot in their home state.

"Robbing them." I mean, if someone more qualified than I moved to Virginia, gave public service, set down roots, and then took a spot at a medical college, I wouldn't be so entitled to say that they took "my" spot, they were obviously a superior candidate. In my book, Americans can move wherever they want.

But that's unrelated to my question.

 

[Fedekz]

"Robbing them." I mean, if someone more qualified than I moved to Virginia, gave public service, set down roots, and then took a spot at a medical college, I wouldn't be so entitled to say that they took "my" spot, they were obviously a superior candidate. In my book, Americans can move wherever they want.

But that's unrelated to my question.

Are you implying you did that? You blatantly stated that you moved to SC for the in state medical school admissions statistics. Do whatever you want, as you stated you are certainly free to move anywhere you like.

 

[AspiringERMD]

If your concern is simply getting into a med school at all (you didn't mention anything else), just make sure you apply broadly and quit focusing so much on one school. Nothing is a guarantee, and plenty of people get in OOS to various schools!

 

[DumSpiro_Spero]

Are you implying you did that? You blatantly stated that you moved to SC for the in state medical school admissions statistics. Do whatever you want, as you stated you are certainly free to move anywhere you like.

I did do that, and I'm certainly not ashamed of it. I put down roots in this state. I've spent a year teaching Carolinian children, which I believe to be much more "public service" than 20 hours volunteering at the local hospital.

I just think it's a bit entitled for people to think that immigration into the state for medical school admissions purposes somewhat equates to the "robbery" of seats. None of those seats, when I lived in Virginia, "belonged" to me. And none of these seats here in SC "belong" to people who've lived here forever. That's just weird.

 

[HCMVresearcher]

I think you'd be fine to be considered IS for South Carolina. I ran into a similar problem being from Wisconsin originally (which only has 1 public school and 1 private) and switching my residency to Michigan while completing my master's. I would assume that schools in SC would have these rules too, but the Michigan schools told me I had to work in the state as a non-student for at least 12 consecutive months prior to matriculation. Well, I graduated August 11, 2014 and I'll be matriculating this August at either Wayne State or Michigan State.

I think you'll be good.. and like other have said, as long as you can clearly articulate why SC is right for you and why you want to serve the people who are your neighbors then you're good to go.

 

[DokterMom]

Puh-leez! Lots of people move for their first jobs after college. That's what OP and her husband did. Nothing at all suspicious, underhanded or unethical in that. And the fact that they researched potential locations and made a decision with some strategy is not a deceptive or deceitful thing. No harm, no foul.

There are many things to love about SC -- natural beauty, history, warm, gracious and hospitable people, low country culture, shrimp grits! Take what you love about SC and weave it into a 'why you came and why you want to stay' story.

 

[ridethecliche]

I didn't grow up in Massachusetts but have worked here long enough to be considered a resident. I got an interview. (Umass only considers in state students)

If you're considered a resident, you're considered a resident.

You might want to call the school and confirm, but...

You're fine.

 

[neuropanic]

Jumping into the discussion here - I was born in Texas, lived there until I was about 6 and then we were relocated because of my mother's job to Atlanta. I went to college in a New Orleans and am about to graduate. However, my mom had to move to Germany (once again the job) and so she had to sell our house etc., and so I took the opportunity and I changed my residency back to Texas back in September under my dad's address (divorced parents). I am registered to vote in TX, got a TX driver's license, filed my income taxes there, have a bank there blah blah. However, it looks like my post-college job opportunities are keeping me here in New Orleans. But I have no desire to be a LA resident and am still keeping my dad's address as my permanent. I'm applying this upcoming cycle. My mom seems to think that the whole working in New Orleans for my gap year will make adcoms question my TX residency. But, my whole dad's family is in TX (my mom's side is scattered - none in GA) and I have all the other things I listed that show I am a resident.

What do you guys think??

 

[Snakes]

Jumping into the discussion here - I was born in Texas, lived there until I was about 6 and then we were relocated because of my mother's job to Atlanta. I went to college in a New Orleans and am about to graduate. However, my mom had to move to Germany (once again the job) and so she had to sell our house etc., and so I took the opportunity and I changed my residency back to Texas back in September under my dad's address (divorced parents). I am registered to vote in TX, got a TX driver's license, filed my income taxes there, have a bank there blah blah. However, it looks like my post-college job opportunities are keeping me here in New Orleans. But I have no desire to be a LA resident and am still keeping my dad's address as my permanent. I'm applying this upcoming cycle. My mom seems to think that the whole working in New Orleans for my gap year will make adcoms question my TX residency. But, my whole dad's family is in TX (my mom's side is scattered - none in GA) and I have all the other things I listed that show I am a resident.

What do you guys think??

Once you are out of school, the picture changes. I'd say where you work and live are where you are domiciled, but that is subjective. If I were making a decision about whether you were IS or OOS, I'd want to know where you physically reside and work. If those 2 places are in LA...

 

[Snakes]

Depending on the state, you usually need a minimum period of time to establish residency for IS purposes. I'd go ahead and assume you are a TX resident but be prepared later for residency questions.

 

[neuropanic]

Once you are out of school, the picture changes. I'd say where you work and live are where you are domiciled, but that is subjective. If I were making a decision about whether you were IS or OOS, I'd want to know where you physically reside and work. If those 2 places are in LA...

Yeah, that was my mom's point. The problem is if that is the case, then I don't think I would be considered a resident anywhere because in LA you have to have worked there for a year along with some other stipulations (to my understanding, college does not count in the year count) and by the time I apply AKA this June, graduating in May would put me at a whopping living and working 1 month in LA. I can definitely be prepared to talk about the lone star state in an interview or on secondaries.

 

[Snakes]

In my state you fill out a form, which, depending on whether you are dependent or independent requires a number of "proofs" of residency.
Just watch out for your state's requirement to change your driver's license usually within 30 days of a "move". Got busted on that one myself once after we moved from one state to another and I never bothered to change my license.

ETA: By "busted", I mean pulled-over by an unsmiling, unamused traffic cop.

 

[neuropanic]

In my state you fill out a form, which, depending on whether you are dependent or independent requires a number of "proofs" of residency.
Just watch out for your state's requirement to change your driver's license usually within 30 days of a "move". Got busted on that one myself once after we moved from one state to another and I never bothered to change my license.

ETA: By "busted", I mean pulled-over by an unsmiling, unamused traffic cop.

Yeah, no worries I had no problems getting my TX license. I made sure to get it early enough as well so that by the time I would be applying it would be a year old as well.
Do you mean you filled out a form with "proofs" during applications or when you were getting your license?

 

[Snakes]

During apps for grad school. I have not applied to med school yet but my institution uses the same POR form for undergrad and grad school

 

[neuropanic]

During apps for grad school. I have not applied to med school yet but my institution uses the same POR form for undergrad and grad school

Hmm okay, I'm sure Texas will have some not so lenient stipulations. When I was getting my license I tried to make sure I had plenty POR but I'll look into what the TMSDAS uses.

 

[Alejandro]

Honestly, I'd declare state status in SC. If anyone asks, you can say you moved there because your husband is studying there and you guys are staying there. Shouldn't be a biggie. I do think its a little different when you're married and finding a place to settle. WHen you're single, you just choose what's best for yourself, but when you're married, you need to make sure your better half has something going for him/herself. so I don't see it being as much of an issue for you.