State residency

[mizziya]

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I am currently a Massachusetts resident because I grew up there before going to college in California. However, I graduated last spring and I continued living/working in California, and my parents moved to California recently so I no longer have a permanent address there. What I am wondering is, if I apply in this next cycle for medical school, will I have file as a California resident or can I file as a Massachusetts resident?

 

[chaim123]

You are no longer a Mass resident per the UMass residency requirements or Massachusetts state. So California it is!

 

[mizziya]

Even if there are 7 years of taxes filed in MA prior to applying?

 

[chaim123]

In order to hold Mass residency you need to have a permanent address here. Once your parents moved you lost that.

 

[rdyotz]

Even if there are 7 years of taxes filed in MA prior to applying?

I am not certain of California residency requirements, but it is quite possible that you are not a California resident either. Typically you need to have paid state income taxes among other things.

 

[chaim123]

I am not certain of California residency requirements, but it is quite possible that you are not a California resident either. Typically you need to have paid state income taxes among other things.

That is correct. In terms of admissions requirements, you will be considered a resident of NO state (you lost Mass, but haven't gained California yet).

In terms of state residency for tax purposes / the little box on AMCAS that asks what state you are a resident of, it's where your permanent address is. So Cali.

 

[mellie0]

If I recall correctly, having graduated from a high school in Mass was one of the ways they determined residency or at least could help you put up a case.

OP, look into this:

Massachusetts Residency Classification

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

OP, the best way to determine if you can claim legal residency in Massachusetts is to talk to a Massachusetts lawyer or the admissions office at the UMASS medical school. Massachusetts does have rigorous residency standards. However, I'm not sure that your parents' move to California means you are a California resident or have no residency status. You are over 21 and emancipated. If you have filed Massachusetts tax returns all these years and move back now to Massachusetts, you might still be a Massachusetts resident.

If you look at the GPA and MCAT tables on the AAMC website you will see that California residency is pretty lousy for med school applicants and Massachusetts residency isn't much better. If you do end up without a state of residence, move to Ohio or Michigan. These two states are flooded with state supported medical schools and offer you the best chance at admission. You will need to lose that Boston accent, however.