Hmmm Well reality MOST state schools won't let what you suggested fly as far as tuition... 🙁 Read further if your interested in exceptions, and state school prices that are generally reasonable for OOS. I'm a traditional applicant, non-military to help understand. I carefully looked at many schools around nation last fall.
My cycle is winding down, but at first I told myself I wanted an OOS high-ranked school if I could find the right opportunity for the cost. Now I'm decided IS school, and I'm just going to be consoled that I can just do clinical rotations later OOS and save few tens of thousands. Live where I want after, plus the schools I admitted were excellent programs.
So...
I spent a decent amount of time looking into such things 4-5 months ago. You really need to do your homework and digging to try and find opportunities. All of this information can be found through school's websites (not just PT, but general). One thing for sure, they usually don't flat-out state such information. 😉
So how about examples I remember off top head that should allow what you are asking. Mind you these are all top programs and also state schools.
Main themes seem to be that you are filing as an independent taxes the whole time while matriculated in your PT program, residence permanently for ~1 year while in school, apply for IS tuition by 2nd year and hope you get it. If you don't you petition, apply again your 3rd. Switch driver's license, and everything else over to the new state. The process in general is never easy, read carefully, dot all your I's and cross T's.
Schools I remember:
University of Utah - Good luck and they should let you apply after 1st year or finish 40 grad hours. 1st full year very expensive, less so after.
Ohio State University - Good luck and should let you pay state tuition after the first year, based on what I've read in dental forums. 1st full year is rather expensive, IS ok.
University of Colorado - Good luck and should allow apply IS after 1st year in program.
UNLV - I doubt you'll get residence, but it's great program and priced near IS prices.
Univ Cent Arkansas is solid and select state schools in deep-South (not FL) some seem be similarly priced UNLV seemed to remember.
Another option if you can finagle a place with such opportunities, would be to get a rare PT graduate assistantship or graduate scholarship to make prices similar to or less than IS prices for OOS... There's not many out there I can tell, and you'll really have to dig/ be qualified.
Yup good luck, and those out there may add corrections I'm sure.
