Worst Case Scenario - State Residency

[EconFootball]

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A question for you guys...I'm in the middle of changing my residency from one state to another for the '10-'11 application year. I am wondering about a worse case scenario where I end up not being eligible for residency in either state, and I'm kind of a floater. I would think that I end up putting down my current state anyways, but without the in-state advantage/tuition. Aside from the negatives of not having advantage in a home state, do other schools require you to prove residency? For example, if I put down that I am a Florida resident and apply to a school in Michigan, will the Michigan school want proof of my Florida residency? Thanks.

 

[Andy71600]

A question for you guys...I'm in the middle of changing my residency from one state to another for the '10-'11 application year. I am wondering about a worse case scenario where I end up not being eligible for residency in either state, and I'm kind of a floater. I would think that I end up putting down my current state anyways, but without the in-state advantage/tuition. Aside from the negatives of not having advantage in a home state, do other schools require you to prove residency? For example, if I put down that I am a Florida resident and apply to a school in Michigan, will the Michigan school want proof of my Florida residency? Thanks.

That is happening to me right now. My parents just moved to NC a few months ago and now Georgia is telling me that I am not a resident and so is NC.

 

[Andy71600]

I honestly don't know what to do. I have lived in GA for 21 years and planned on it being my state of residence, and all of a sudden poof... I am stuck with no home state.

 

[dw2158]

A question for you guys...I'm in the middle of changing my residency from one state to another for the '10-'11 application year. I am wondering about a worse case scenario where I end up not being eligible for residency in either state, and I'm kind of a floater. I would think that I end up putting down my current state anyways, but without the in-state advantage/tuition. Aside from the negatives of not having advantage in a home state, do other schools require you to prove residency? For example, if I put down that I am a Florida resident and apply to a school in Michigan, will the Michigan school want proof of my Florida residency? Thanks.

no school is going to want proof of your residency in another state, so don't worry about that. and private schools don't care at all.

 

[amakhosidlo]

A question for you guys...I'm in the middle of changing my residency from one state to another for the '10-'11 application year. I am wondering about a worse case scenario where I end up not being eligible for residency in either state, and I'm kind of a floater. I would think that I end up putting down my current state anyways, but without the in-state advantage/tuition. Aside from the negatives of not having advantage in a home state, do other schools require you to prove residency? For example, if I put down that I am a Florida resident and apply to a school in Michigan, will the Michigan school want proof of my Florida residency? Thanks.

I've never heard of that happening. By default, you're a resident of where your parents file their tax return (assuming they still claim you as a dependent).

And actually, Michigan does care about info regarding residency in your home state. Their site says something like "Applicant must also show severance of out-of-state ties".

Kinda rough.

Well, unless you're in Michigan for school (which pretty much automatically disqualifies you for residency), as long as you give them the info they want you should be good to go. Also, realize that residency determination isn't always a hard-and-fast deal. Decisions are usually made by a committee, based on the supporting docs you give them. Unless you meet a condition that automatically qualifies or disqualifies you (make sure you're familiar with those), it's pretty much a judgment call that usually comes down in your favor. I mean, if you give them an employer letter, a MI W2, and copies of your driver's license. What are they going to say? That you don't live and work there?

Another way of dealing with this that I've heard of, and these have only been rumors, is taking advantage of the lag period involved in submitting your applications & residency info to claim two states.

I definitely feel ya on the residency headache though. I spent 3 years in undergrad fighting to change mine. I got it, and wound up saving myself a boatload of $$, but I definitely know what a pain it can be..

 

[EconFootball]

Cool, thanks for the info. I'm not a dependent anymore, and I'm actually not from Florida or Michigan, those were just examples. Also, it's not that I'm so much concerned about actually establishing residency, I was just wondering if not being a certified resident of any state causes a problem, i.e. if a school in Michigan wouldn't accept you because you weren't a certified resident of Florida, to use the original example.

 

[highanddry54]

saw this one too, thought i would reply
All residency does for you in regards to schools is two things really.

1. Allows you to apply to some schools that care to have in-state residents. Usually state funded schools are the ones that really care. Usually find this in schools that are in states with low populations. (in essence trying to keep there students in the state after graduation)

2. Allows you to recieve lower tuition rates if you are a resident of a school that actually has different rates based on residency.

Besides that residency really does not matter. In regards to private schools they usually dont care where you are from because regardless you will be paying full tuition.
And in regards to where you say you are a resident I would go with where ever your drivers license is from because thats one of the big things they look at to declare residency. ( the second is time in state with out being in school)