<p>I am only a Junior in High school, but getting into college has become a big part of decisions and how i do things lately. I recently had family move to Colorado and I visted them over the summer. When i was out there i fell in LOVE with it!!!! I loved it out there so much! And i am thinking it would be the PERFECT place to go to college. I looked up addmision prices and saw that out state costs SO much more! I was wondering if there was a way i could become a resident of the state and get that discount without graduating from a colorado high school. I was wondering if it was possible if i used my family's address or if i said that i was coming to live in colorado not just for college. I am afraid that if i can't get a state resident discount, then i will have to stay here in Maryland, and i REALLY want to go out of state. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!</p>
<p>One big question is where do your parents live and where do they pay taxes? For most college purposes, it doesn't matter where you claim to live - so long as your parents claim you on their tax returns, you will be regarded for tuition purposes as a resident of their state. </p>
<p>Most schools are on to the various schemes for avoiding out of state fees and have rules to prevent them.</p>
<p>My parents pay taxes in Maryland. I am not trying to "scheme" a college, i want to go to Colorado to go to school and I plan on living there after college, i am not just going there to go to college. I am not sure if there would be a way to prove that to the college though.</p>
<p>You cannot get instate tuition in Colorado. Your family are residents of Maryland and that is the state in which you would qualify for instate tuition. The only way to get instate tuition in Colorado is to move there and wait until you are 24 years old...which is when you would be an independent student. Even if YOU moved to and worked in Colorado, as long as your are under 24 and your parents live in elsewhere, you will be considered a resident of the state in which THEY reside. Oh...you could become an orphan, have children of your own, or get married...oh...and live in Colorado. The rules for establishing instate residency are very very stringent. The college doesn't care at ALL where you plan to live and work when you graduate. That does NOT factor into the instate vs. out of state tuition decision. Sorry...instate at Maryland, and you're OOS everywhere else.</p>
<p>Sometimes public school "merit aid" is giving qualified students in-state tuition for OOSers...I know University of Arkansas does this.</p>
<p>OOS tuition is ridiculously high everywhere anyways. I know people want to get away, but for the love of Jeff do it instate where it is affordable!</p>
<p>Kcirsh does point to a possibility...You would have to check with the Colorado universities to see if it applies. Some (but not all) state universities offer instate tuition to students who receive merit aid in a certain amount. For example, when DS applied to U of North Texas, if a student got a $1000 merit scholarship, they also got instate tuition. U of South Carolina offers instate tuition to students who receive Merit aid awards.</p>