Moving to Save on Tuition? Sound Crazy?

[FutureDrB]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So, I live in Texas and I plan on applying to D.O. schools. I need to take advantage of grade replacement (NOT the reason I'm going D.O.), so UNT here in Texas is out because they don't use AACOMAS. So I'm thinking it's kind of dumb to stay here and apply to OOS schools, when I could move to a state with at least one of my preferred schools, live for a year and then apply. Granted it's a gamble and not a huge likelihood that I would end up getting into that school in the state I moved to. But the way I'm looking at it... totally pointless to stay here in Texas and for sure pay OOS tuition, when I could move to another state and gamble on getting in there and paying $20K instead of $40K. Basically I'm just taking a chance on saving $80K, with really no negatives other than the cost of moving.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

where are you choice schools? if you are competitive, it might be ok, but if you move to get residency preference at schools, you are likely going to benefit at a single school that offers better tuition to instate residents. generally, there is about 1 DO school in the states with DO schools.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Not an effective strategy tbh. There are plenty of DO schools, which can be cheap and don't require you to move across the country and then possibly not be accepted by that school.

 

[Iliketoytles]

So, I live in Texas and I plan on applying to D.O. schools. I need to take advantage of grade replacement (NOT the reason I'm going D.O.), so UNT here in Texas is out because they don't use AACOMAS. So I'm thinking it's kind of dumb to stay here and apply to OOS schools, when I could move to a state with at least one of my preferred schools, live for a year and then apply. Granted it's a gamble and not a huge likelihood that I would end up getting into that school in the state I moved to. But the way I'm looking at it... totally pointless to stay here in Texas and for sure pay OOS tuition, when I could move to another state and gamble on getting in there and paying $20K instead of $40K. Basically I'm just taking a chance on saving $80K, with really no negatives other than the cost of moving.

As a fellow Texan, I disapprove of your idea to leave the state... just kidding. 🙂

Aren't a lot of DO schools private, so OOS and IS tuitions are the same? I'm sure you looked at the CIB so you have an idea of what schools have different IS and OOS tuitions... so I suppose it's not a bad idea to move to one of those states if it's not as complicated as it sounds.

 

[poopyhead]

Are you looking to attend a public DO school?

I've mentioned it before, but UMDNJ makes it relatively easy to get in-state tuition after the first year for OOS applicants. I'm not so sure about the other public schools, though. OSU is close to TX, so the move wouldn't be too far 😉

 

[FutureDrB]

The 3 choices would be Oklahoma, Ohio, or West Virginia. WVSOM is on my "eh" list, so more like Oklahoma or Ohio.

Poopyhead (I feel like I'm calling you names), I wasn't aware that there were any schools who dropped your tuition to in-state after a certain period. Is UMDNJ the only one who does that?

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

The 3 choices would be Oklahoma, Ohio, or West Virginia. WVSOM is on my "eh" list, so more like Oklahoma or Ohio.

Poopyhead (I feel like I'm calling you names), I wasn't aware that there were any schools who dropped your tuition to in-state after a certain period. Is UMDNJ the only one who does that?

UMDNJ, OHIO, MSUCOM. However UMDNJ is becoming as competitive as an MD school and MSUCOM has begun to give the scholarship less often. Ohio gives you instate tuition because you sign a 5 year contract.

However if you're trying to save money, you could always just apply to LECOM.

 

[poopyhead]

The 3 choices would be Oklahoma, Ohio, or West Virginia. WVSOM is on my "eh" list, so more like Oklahoma or Ohio.

Poopyhead (I feel like I'm calling you names), I wasn't aware that there were any schools who dropped your tuition to in-state after a certain period. Is UMDNJ the only one who does that?

see here for the requirements: http://www.umdnj.edu/oppmweb/university_policies/student_affairs/PDF/00-01-25-15_05.pdf

OU has a 5-year contract, so keep that in mind. Logistically speaking, OSU would be the least disruptive move for you.

However if you're trying to save money, you could always just apply to LECOM.

I think the OP wants to pay LECOM-type tuition, but attend a public school though.

 

[TriagePreMed]

The 3 choices would be Oklahoma, Ohio, or West Virginia. WVSOM is on my "eh" list, so more like Oklahoma or Ohio.

Poopyhead (I feel like I'm calling you names), I wasn't aware that there were any schools who dropped your tuition to in-state after a certain period. Is UMDNJ the only one who does that?

You must be fun at parties.

 

[FutureDrB]

I think the OP wants to pay LECOM-type tuition, but attend a public school though.

Don't we all. LECOM-B is actually my top choice school.

You must be fun at parties.

You lost me on that one Triage? Are those states boring or something?

 

[2012Aggie]

I would highly advise against this. First of all, if you have a chance to attend TCOM, you want to attend TCOM. It is as good as any DO education you can possibly hope to find, and it will be the cheapest option by far. Seriously, it's different ball park kind of cheap. As stated previously, what if you move and do not get accepted to the state school? It will have been a huge waste.

Don't think that you need to have amazing stats for TCOM. I got in with a pretty poor MCAT. These Texas schools love us (they are forced to love us by law.) Have you even taken the MCAT? If not, then you do not have any idea how competitive you will be. If you would like to hear more about my personal experiences or stories of people I know, please PM me or post it here.

 

[dbizzy]

Doesn't sound crazy at all. But then again, I'm a pretty crazy guy.

 

[GetThePointe77]

FL has two DO schools 🙂 but nsu has insane tuition even for instate

 

[JESSFALLING]

I think applying to the Biomedical Masters program at TCOM would be a better idea than moving. From there, you can apply broadly - TCOM, LECOM-E,S,B, VCOM, DMU, PCOM, Pikeville, etc. with a stronger app.

Gaining resident status in a new state can be risky/tricky, too....make sure you know the details if you do attempt, or you may just be wasting your time. If I were moving I would consider WV because I'd love to go to WVSOM and pay in-state.....BUT, you have to live there for at least one year before applying, and I don't really want to waste two years making the attempt....esp. since it's still a crap-shot.

 

[gatorfann14]

dont wait. If you are going to wait a year to save 60-100k then that is not smart. The lost income you will have for that year is going to be far greater than the tuition difference. You should only make decisions based on cost when it is between 2 different schools during the same application cycle. good luck

 

[AFMD]

Haha, I've thought of moving to Texas to get the AMAZING tution that you Texans enjoy. And you want to move AWAY! I say work on your app for a year to get into TCOM!

 

[TriagePreMed]

You lost me on that one Triage? Are those states boring or something?

Haha, yeah. They are mostly ghost towns! But I'm only kidding, my friend. I know Ohio has some of the nation's biggest party schools, and Oklahoma apparently has an airport... Ok! kidding again.

 

[dapdrow]

So there are a number of schools that have lower in-state tuition that won't give you that in-state tuition after the first year even if you move your entire family there? That stinks.

 

[FutureDrB]

Haha, yeah. They are mostly ghost towns! But I'm only kidding, my friend. I know Ohio has some of the nation's biggest party schools, and Oklahoma apparently has an airport... Ok! kidding again.

Already everyone I appreciate your feedback and responses.

 

[TexasDocGibby]

Already everyone I appreciate your feedback and responses.

TCOM is a great institution, I think it would be foolish not to apply there as a Texas resident since the school takes 90% of instate applicants each year. Even though they wont take grade replacement they will consider improvement in grades and if you make a decent score on the MCAT (<27) then you have a good chance at being accepted. With the prestige of TCOM and the cost of in-state tuition I dont think it would be wise to move and then decide to apply only to be considered in the 10% of out of state applicants which is way more competitive then in-state.

 

[FutureDrB]

TCOM is a great institution, I think it would be foolish not to apply there as a Texas resident since the school takes 90% of instate applicants each year. Even though they wont take grade replacement they will consider improvement in grades and if you make a decent score on the MCAT (<27) then you have a good chance at being accepted. With the prestige of TCOM and the cost of in-state tuition I dont think it would be wise to move and then decide to apply only to be considered in the 10% of out of state applicants which is way more competitive then in-state.

Okay, almost everyone said, just apply at TCOM. Yes, I would love to stay in Texas and go to TCOM. But, I said in my original post that I NEED grade replacement, something TCOM apparently does not offer. My GPA without grade replacement = 2.1. My GPA with grade replacement = 3.4.

Now, TexasDocGibby you said something above about grade "improvement". You're telling me TCOM is going to look past my horrible original 2.1 GPA?

 

[poopyhead]

My GPA without grade replacement = 2.1. My GPA with grade replacement = 3.4.

😱

wait wait...you're saying if you averaged in your current awesome grades, without replacement, they come out to a 2.1 (i.e. the way AMCAS does it)? Or was 2.1 your GPA before you started retaking courses?

Either way, I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way you're gonna have to explain what happened 😳

 

[FutureDrB]

😱

wait wait...you're saying if you averaged in your current awesome grades, without replacement, they come out to a 2.1 (i.e. the way AMCAS does it)? Or was 2.1 your GPA before you started retaking courses?

Either way, I'm pretty sure somewhere along the way you're gonna have to explain what happened 😳

I've never calculated it on AMCAS, so I'm not sure what it would be...not good. Never cared to go M.D. anyway. I finished my undergraduate degree about 8 years ago with a 2.1 and yeah I have a good reason. 🙂 I went on to get two graduate degrees, both with 4.0s and retook 24 undergraduate classes in addition to the pre-reqs to get my GPA to a 3.4.

 

[poopyhead]

I've never calculated it on AMCAS, so I'm not sure what it would be...not good. Never cared to go M.D. anyway. I finished my undergraduate degree about 8 years ago with a 2.1 and yeah I have a good reason. 🙂 I went on to get two graduate degrees, both with 4.0s and retook 24 undergraduate classes in addition to the pre-reqs to get my GPA to a 3.4.

OK that makes more sense now. I hope you didn't include your graduate GPA into your 3.4, since they're widely considered as inflated. Like I said, you're still gonna have to explain all that.

BTW, do you know about this program in TX? http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/medical/texasAcFrshStrt.html

 

[FutureDrB]

OK that makes more sense now. I hope you didn't include your graduate GPA into your 3.4, since they're widely considered as inflated. Like I said, you're still gonna have to explain all that.

BTW, do you know about this program in TX? http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/medical/texasAcFrshStrt.html

Nope not included in the uGPA, just in the cumulative. Yeah the Texas Fresh Start really wasn't a good option for me, even if it had been 10 years. But, I know of several people on here who took advantage of it.

 

[TwinsFan]

The lowest cgpa at TCOM for last years entering class was a 2.6-2.7, but they had an MCAT in the mid 30s (saw a matriculant scatter plot). There were only ~5 with a cgpa of 3.0 or less. I would say without a 3.0 it would be hard to gain much traction there, but the two 4.0 masters wouldn't hurt. If you got a 30+ MCAT and the 2.1 was more like a 2.8 (see below) you may have a respectable shot.

(2.1 * 120 + 4.0 * 24 * 3) / (120 + 24*3) = 2.81

 

[gdfernan]

Why not try contacting the admissions people at TCOM, and see if they can give you an idea of what your chances would be counting the upward trend/grad GAPs?

 

[DrWily]

APPLY to TCOM and see what happens.

 

[TexasDocGibby]

Okay, almost everyone said, just apply at TCOM. Yes, I would love to stay in Texas and go to TCOM. But, I said in my original post that I NEED grade replacement, something TCOM apparently does not offer. My GPA without grade replacement = 2.1. My GPA with grade replacement = 3.4.

Now, TexasDocGibby you said something above about grade "improvement". You're telling me TCOM is going to look past my horrible original 2.1 GPA?

No I dont think they are going to look past your GPA, but you dont know until you try. Like gdfernan stated previously you should contact Mike Kennedy in admissions and discuss your situation before dismissing TCOM and in-state tuition. But its starting to sound like you would have to demonstrate intent to establish domicile in a new state that includes living in that state for one year, payment of the state taxes, registering to vote, holding that state's drivers license, registering your automobile in the state, and ownership of property in the state. It seems like a big risk to take espicially when there is a chance the school you apply to in the state you move to doesn't give you an acceptance. You might want to prepare to pay OOS tuition. Best of Luck

 

[donkeykong1]

UMDNJ, OHIO, MSUCOM. However UMDNJ is becoming as competitive as an MD school and MSUCOM has begun to give the scholarship less often. Ohio gives you instate tuition because you sign a 5 year contract.

However if you're trying to save money, you could always just apply to LECOM.

Thats kind of untrue for OHIO U. You get instate tuition (30k) for years 2,3,4 after living in ohio for 12 months, trade in for an ohio drivers license/plates, and not be a dependent on your parent's taxes.

 

[poopyhead]

Thats kind of untrue for OHIO U. You get instate tuition (30k) for years 2,3,4 after living in ohio for 12 months, trade in for an ohio drivers license/plates, and not be a dependent on your parent's taxes.

That's still a pretty good deal, paying LECOM tuition to attend OU...at least for 3 years.

 

[donkeykong1]

That's still a pretty good deal, paying LECOM tuition to attend OU...at least for 3 years.

funny u should say that 😉