Financial concerns of an out-of-stater

[ck41885]

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I am a 25 y/o currently located in MD but am pretty set on going to get my MSW in California. I have read that you really want to go to a school in a state where you plan on working in the future. I have been accepted to UCLA, USC; Waitlisted at SDSU.

At this moment, I think USC is going to be too expensive. I just found out that UCLA is adding a 6k "professional degree fee", so it'll be about 30k. I am hoping to get a CalSWEC stipend which would provide 18k each year, which would make the tuition more manageable.

SDSU is my number one choice however as it is less expensive, and the faculty is a better fit than at UCLA. I have read in this forum in a thread from last year that SDSU tends to wait list their non-resident students.

Do you think it is a terrible idea to consider moving to California to establish residency and earn some extra money? It may also give me a better chance to get into SDSU. Or would you just take out a $40k loan and head off to UCLA this upcoming semester (I think I will accept UCLA's acceptance regardless so I at least have that option)?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this. Everyone here has been wonderful.

 

[progter]

why do you want to move here to California to work in that field when so many are moving out or struggling to find good jobs?

Have you visited these campuses and considered cost of living? USC is (in my opinion) a terrible area due to being close to downtown. UCLA is an amazing area, but really expensive. I have never heard of SDSU waitlisting out of staters based solely on the fact.

I'm not sure what kind of jobs you are looking to get out here if you want to establish residency. Our unemployment is sky high and only getting worse by the day and the state/UC schools here are taking massive axes to their MSW/MFT/other masters level mental health programs. I personally know of 4 schools here in California where the incoming classes and funding for masters level mental health workers has been slashed by 50% or more. My fiance has experienced massive headaches because of it and if we could go back 2 years we'd have just gone to school elsewhere, which is saying something given the fact we've been here our whole lives.

 

[lookitssara]

If you want to gain residency to get in-state tuition, you need to look really closely at the policies surrounding. Also note that being an in-state resident is often defined differently by universities than by the state.

You will likely have to be there at least a year, and you probably won't be able to take classes during this time. Just check it out to make sure that, if you go there to live for a bit, that you will be successfully establishing residency.

 

[ck41885]

Progter: Thanks for the insight. It is always helpful to get some advice from those within the community. I have definitely had concerns about how the California economy would affect job availability. After all, everyone knows that Social Workers are who the government looks after in times of need 😉. Nonetheless, after visiting Southern Cal, I had an unexplainable sense of belonging. I think I'd still be a bit happier in that situation than if I was serving a community which I did not care about one bit.

I have decided to accept my admission to UCLA, tho I may still go to SDSU if they accept me soon. I still have some financial concerns about paying for school, but I don't think I would want to work another full year before school. I will just try and keep my living expenses to a bare minimum. I have no gripes about living in a room within a house, so that should help me keep rent down a bit.


Lookitsara: Thanks for that tip. I did some research on the residency requirements of UCLA today. I basically have to show intent to stay in Cali (which shouldn't be a problem) as well as financial independence (a bit more difficult). And the residency determination date is listed as the first class date (or maybe registration date) of the last school in the state of Cali, so if I get out there in late July, I should have accumulated the 366 days needed for residency.

 

[progter]

as of this last year they are being extremely strict on residency and proving it

friend of mine in law school gave them so much information proving he was going to stay in Cali after school (including a letter from a judge offering employment) and they still turned him down

If you come out here banking on getting cheaper tuition after a year, then you'll need a backup plan in case you don't

we are in a dire fiscal crisis. I get that you seem to have found a "dire sense of belonging" but those jobs are being axed left and right. I think they just laid off 20% of social workers here in Fresno and its only going to get worse.

not trying to rain on your parade, just telling you the cold hard facts from someone in the trenches. If you really want to work in Cali I'd suggest going to school elsewhere (where its cheaper) and moving here when things improve (if they ever do)

 

[ck41885]

Well progter, you definitely got me thinking twice. I do really appreciate your advice, as I recognize that you are trying to save me from a possible no win situation.

I think at this point, I still really want to start a life out there and going to school out there would be the best reference for any state jobs out there. I will be having an interview for a big stipend out there in the next few months, so I will make sure to ask them how the job prospects would look with the field training I would be receiving. If they say it looks bleak, and I get denied the stipend, then I may just have to stay put in MD until conditions improve in Cali. Thanks again for your honest advice, progter.

 

[progter]

sure

but on the other end of the spectrum, going to school at UCLA would be an amazing experience. That campus is one of the best in the world.

If you really love the area, come out here and go to school. If the job market is bleak, you will still have a UCLA diploma and that is a feat unto itself and I am sure will land you a job somewhere.

Just be prepared to pay the California price tag!