<p>Okay... I'm caught in a really tough situation. Basically, my parents are actually pushing me to go over $90k in debt... just because that school is "safer" than my other, less expensive school (though still around $40k in debt, which is still a lot).</p>
<p>FACTS:</p>
<p>college A:
better reputation (often perceived to be the number one school in my field of study)
very safe campus
very close to home (two hours by car max away depending on traffic)
we know people who have gone there
my intended program is one of its top departments
very stressful program (I might think of suicide... maybe)
$90k IN DEBT (and maybe more)</p>
<p>college B:
modest reputation (my field of study is a decent department)
DANGEROUS area/city/campus (think 3 rapes and multiple mugging/assaults of college students in the last year)
very far from home (eight hours by car away)
we do not know people there
my intended program is not one of its top departments
a more laid back program (I think I can handle it)
$40k IN DEBT (and maybe less)</p>
<p>I DO NOT plan to go to graduate school.</p>
<p>My parents are very helicopter-like. In other words... they constantly worry about my well-being, etc. etc... they were actually on-board about college B until they found out the extremely high crime rate/assault rate of the area. </p>
<p>Now they feel that it is worth going more than $50k in debt to go to college A than it is for me to threaten my safety by going to college B. But I think it is stupid. I don't want my parents to take out God's-know-how-much parent PLUS loans just so I can attend ONE YEAR at College A... but there's no way to reassure them if I go to college B (I know very well how dangerous it is there... I can't deny that).</p>
<p>So. Is it financially wise to pay so much more money for safety? Or is paying that much more money a stupid decision no matter what the reason? (And if so, how can I convince my parents that they are insane?)</p>
<p>My parents really like college A because of its reputation, better fit in term of my intended major, close proximity to home and safety. I like college B... because it is cheaper. The way my parents put it is that they don't want me to get murdered at college B and regret not shelling out the extra $50k, because my life is worth more than any amount of money...</p>
<p>Neither choice sounds very good. You don’t have colleges C, D, E, and F?</p>
<p>College C and D are in-state schools… which I won’t be able to get in-state tuition from because my parents are moving back to Boston (where college A is very close to). The cost of going to C and D is pretty much the same as B ($40k in debt paying out of state).</p>
<p>My parents right now are living separately so I can finish high school in my current state. While my dad is offering letting us live separately for four more years so I can get in-state tuition, I don’t think it’ll be very good for his physical/mental health… just living one year apart has definitely had a really hard effect on him. I don’t really want to extend that because of some in-state/out-of-state problems.</p>
<p>That, and my intended major of study is not near the top departments in their school (College D does not even offer my intended major as a possible major). But both schools are comparably safe to college B and paying in-state would let me graduate debt-free.</p>
<p>I got caught in a pretty bad situation this year. I didn’t win any of the scholarships I applied to and didn’t get into my top choice school that offers a full-tuition scholarship, and didn’t get into another one that covered all expenses after taking into account the EFC.</p>
<p>I think you’re wrong about the in-state status of choices C & D. As long as you lived in your state for the past 12 months (and went to high school there), it doesn’t matter if your parent moves this fall. You should be instate for all 4 years at the schools of your current state’s schools. You don’t need a parent or parents to continue living apart for 4 years. Once you start “in-state” then you stay in-state.</p>
<p>So, you would very likely be instate for schools C & D. </p>
<p>Also, unless YOUR PARENTS are going to pay for the more expensive school and pay for those loans, then they really don’t have a say. </p>
<p>Go to school C…You will likely be instate for them…for all 4 years! (which school is it?)</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: But I’ve heard that your residency really really depends on your parents’ residency? Since if it was that simple, people can move to my state (North Carolina) for a year and than let their kids study at Chapel Hill in-state… which I feel would be too easy? But maybe it is that easy…</p>
<p>(Of course, people around here are pretty vague/unhelpful in this respect. No one really knows how in-state/out-of-state works for people moving OUT of the state…)</p>
<p>College C is NCSU (North Carolina State University) College of Design.</p>
<p>(My parents are being vague on how much they’re paying… $90k is taking into account that they’re willing to shell out $20k/year for my education. My dad’s grand plan is to borrow more than $30k/year through Parent Plus loans to send me to College A, leaving me with around $60k in debt… not a good plan.)</p>
<p>At most schools, you don’t have to reapply for in-state status every year. So as long as you’re in-state when you go in (which you should be), you probably will get to be in-state all four years.</p>
<p>I think it’s dangerous to generalize about maintaining in-state status if your parents move. Call the schools in question ASAP and ask very specific questions.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: But I’ve heard that your residency really really depends on your parents’ residency? Since if it was that simple, people can move to my state (North Carolina) for a year and than let their kids study at Chapel Hill in-state… which I feel would be too easy? But maybe it is that easy…</p>
<p>It kind of is that easy…but in reality entire families don’t typically move just to get instate rates (that is too expensive to do).</p>
<p>So, if you start as an instate student (which YOU would), then you should be able to remain instate, even if your mom moves to the state where your dad has already moved to. Check with your colleges.</p>
<p>As Amarkov states, you don’t usually have to prove residency every year. Schools know that parents sometimes move while their kids are in college. Schools don’t typically hold that against the student. </p>
<p>You should be able to start as an instate student at School C and stay as an instate student all 4 years regardless of where your parents move. Check with the schools.</p>
<p>Keil is right…Check with the school - but be sure not to ask confusing questions. State the facts.</p>
<p>You need to send an email to the Director of Admission and/or the Office of Registrar and say…</p>
<p>I live with my mom in X state and have lived in X state for Y years. We are residents. I went to high school in this state. I have been admitted to Z college. I plan on starting this Fall 2010.</p>
<p>However, my mom is going to move out of state sometime this fall/winter. Will I be able to keep my instate status for all 4 years as long as I’m going to school full time?</p>
<p>When you get a positive response, save the email. Print out copies and give one to your parents for safe-keeping. That will be your record that you’ll get instate rates for 4 years.</p>
<p>If you somehow get a negative response, don’t stop there. It may be a mistake. You may need to contact someone else.</p>
<p>Are we talking about UNC-CH?</p>
<p>What is your intended major? NC State’s College of Design is a very good school and not an easy admit. You should feel proud of that acceptance. Would you want to go to NC State? If so, that is a great option if you can get in state prices.</p>
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<p>I don’t know about North Carolina, but it certainly isn’t true in Virginia. If your parents move out of Virginia, you only retain in-state status for one year after the move, and then get a grace period to the end of that semester. The student is expected to notify the school of the change of address. The school can also initiate a reclassification inquiry at any time if there’s reasonable doubt about the domicile (such as if the student’s permanent address on the FAFSA changes to out-of-state).</p>
<p>Asking the school is fine, but also check North Carolina’s regulations online.</p>
<p>I’ll definitely go check and ask… thanks for the advice! I think I should have done it before but my dad was paranoid that if I asked they’d realized/remember that my parents are moving out of state and give me out of state tuition… of course I think it’s silly, so.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: I’m talking about NCSU Design School (UNC Chapel Hill is College D). My intended major is art + design at NC State (specifically: illustration). Chapel Hill only teaches fine arts and mass media, and doesn’t offer a design/illustration program or major.</p>
<p>[Personally I’m still torn between a university and art school (both college A and B are art schools… hence the hefty price). Which is why it’s so late and I haven’t officially decided. Financing my education is also a big problem…]</p>
<p>thanks for the advice! I think I should have done it before but my dad was paranoid that if I asked they’d realized/remember that my parents are moving out of state and give me out of state tuition… of course I think it’s silly, so.</p>
<p>Send an email. You’re just asking a question. You could state it as a hypothetical. </p>
<p>You could change one sentence in my above post in the email…for instance: **If my mom decides **to move out of state in the fall, will I still be considered instate?</p>
<p>then your dad will have nothing to worry about because you’re just asking a hypothetical question. </p>
<p>There’s no need to mention that your dad has already moved, because you are living in state with your mom…that’s what counts.</p>
<p>Good heavens…if your dad is that scared, I’ll send the email and ask the question. Then there can be no link to you at all. LOL</p>
<p>^But better send it quickly, either way, since email is on an indefinite response timeline. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by that, but if the school responds that a student that begins as an instate student, continues as an instate student as long as he’s continuously enrolled - even if parents move out of state…then the student will have his answer, and a record of it.</p>
<p>My worry is that the school will not respond to an email until after May 1st, when the OP must make a decision.</p>
<p>Pick up the telephone, and call them. OR have your guidance counselor call them while you are sitting in his/her office. That way he/she can keep the info on file for future reference, and he/she can also get Mr./Ms. Big Decision-Maker to write a formal letter about the policy to give to you and to keep on file.</p>
<p>And, there is NO Art/Design program in the world that is worth 90k in debt! Better you should move with your mom to where your dad is living, work for a year, and start at a community college there than to go more than 20k in debt for an Art/Design degree.</p>
<p>Good point Keil…</p>
<p>I went ahead and sent an email myself asking the hypothetical using a different but similar scenario (and my name, of course) - just to find out what the state’s policy is (it’s the same for every public u in that state).</p>
<p>so, if I don’t hear back by the day’s end, I’ll call and try to get something in writing from someone in authority. I will make your point that this info is needed before May 1st. :)</p>
<p>*
And, there is NO Art/Design program in the world that is worth 90k in debt! *</p>
<p>Very true!!! Good point!</p>
<p>Something I think is odd…this family is willing to put up with the extra expense of running two households, but won’t reduce to one household and use the “savings” towards reducing the student’s debt? Sounds odd to me.</p>
<p>Is school “A” RISD?</p>
<p>A person who has been a legal resident of North Carolina and has been classified as a resident for tuition purposes who subsequently loses North Carolina legal residency while enrolled at the University may continue to enjoy the in-state tuition rate for a grace period of twelve months beginning with the date of relocation from NC. If the twelve-month grace period ends during the academic term for which the person is enrolled, the grace period extends to the end of that term. A person who effects a change in legal residence during a period while not enrolled is not entitled to the benefit of the grace period.</p>
<p>From the reply to my email. In other words I can’t get in-state tuition past freshman year (at most past sophomore year)… and can only get that much due to the 12-month grace period given. So getting in-state all four years would probably be impossible for me unless my parents stay here or continue living separately. I don’t know if it’s the same in other states, but this is based on NC law code.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids: That was what I was thinking with my parents. I’ve already figured after all this financial mess that their financial sense/obligation is different than what I think is the most logical… </p>
<p>arabrab: Yes. My top choice school since I was in 7th grade. Though I was excited that I was accepted I knew I couldn’t afford it. My parents really like the name, though.</p>