I live in New Jersey, and I’m hoping to go to college in California. My first choice is San Diego State, and my second choice is Cal State Los Angeles. My mom probably would move with me, I know this will make it much easier to become a resident. But, if she doesn’t, how could I become a resident? How long has did it take you? I want to work during college, and eventually live off-campus, and I’ve read this can speed things up…
I posted this in your other thread. this is from the SDSU website:
Establishing CA Residency
To be eligible for resident classification, you must have established and maintained permanent residence in California at least one full year prior to the residence determination date. You are not eligible if you moved to California primarily to attend a California higher education institution or because you have financial hardship. You must prove that you have moved to California permanently and are not merely living in California temporarily while you attend SDSU.
If you are a student being claimed on taxes and/or largely supported by out-of-state persons during any of the past three years, you most likely will not be classified as a California resident for tuition purposes. SDSU is a tax-supported institution and expects you, or someone supporting you, to be filing California income taxes. You are expected to establish California residency separate from both of your parents and your enrollment in school. If it appears that you could not be self-supporting, it will be determined that you are most likely in California for educational purposes.
Residency determination of students and applicants under the age of 19 on the residency determination date is based on the residency status of their parents.
Evidence of Permanent Residency
Establishing residence in California for tuition purposes requires that, for at least one full year prior to the residence determination date, you have official and/or legal documents showing that you have been physically present in the state and that you intend to remain in California indefinitely. Living in California or attending SDSU for 12 months is not sufficient to fulfill the requirements.
To show your intent to remain in California, acceptable evidence includes, but is not limited to:
A valid visa that allows you to establish residency, if not a US citizen
California voter registration and voting in California elections
California vehicle license plates and driver’s license or I.D. card
California state income taxes being filed the previous year
Active California bank account
Employment (or proof of support for the past year) with copies of W-2 form(s)
Active membership in California professional or social organizations
A permanent military address and home of record in California
Mortgage/lease/rental agreement of a residence where permanent belongings are kept
The best way is to move here as a minor with your parents while in high school - and graduate from a CA high school
Short of that, you’ll need to move here as a sef sufficient adult, get a job and work for a year before attending any college (that includes on-line schools, CC).
@NCalRent I’ve already attended three different high schools, so I don’t think that would be the best idea. I’m looking into working for a year, it does seem to make things easier.
In San Diego, our cost of living is very high.
If you were to find a minimum wage job, (operative word “IF”), you would use all of your money to pay rent and transportation. It is not that easy to find a job that will pay you for a full week of hours. Most of us don’t live at the beach in cute little cottages (that’s the television myth), we’re not all blonde (many are Mexican-American) but we are a variety of colors. Our public transportation is not good and does not reach all areas. We pay a lot of money in rent, gas and utilities and now we have a drought.
If your parents helped with any expenses, at all, you would not be considered self-sufficient and would continue to be viewed as an OOS student. Under the age of 24 is always a “red flag” to admissions offices especially if your parents live OOS. The admissions offices at the Cal states and UC’s know the tricks that people try to do to avoid paying OOS tuition. Your issue is that your high school is OOS and that is an immediate red flag.
We have a lot of homeless people who come out with your expectation of just “moving to California”. Not a good thing if you don’t have a lot of money.
BTW: Cal state LA??? Really? Wow, you really do rely on pictures.
@auntbea
My second choice is Cal State Long Beach now, after reading so many bad reviews on CSLA. I know San Diego is very expensive, but I’m from Bergen County in New Jersey, which is pretty much the same as the SoCal prices. I know California is very diverse, and that public transportation isn’t great. My parent would most likely come with me, so I know that makes getting in-state easier. Even if she does not, price isn’t really my biggest concern. My net price for San Diego State was 20,428, and Cal State Long Beach was $19000. This is before FAFSA, with FAFSA it will be even cheaper, so I’m not extremely worried about costs.
As an OOS student I don’t think your costs will be that low.
“My net price for San Diego State was 20,428, and Cal State Long Beach was $19000. This is before FAFSA, with FAFSA it will be even cheaper, so I’m not extremely worried about costs.”
Did you use the net price calculators? Net price calculators do include any federal aid possible in their results, so that’s very likely your actual price/you won’t get any more aid.
Reminder: “Fafsa” (the federal government really, since fafsa is just the application form) only gives 2 types of aid:
Pell grants: for very low income students, no more than $5.6k
and federal loans
that’s it
it’s illegal for the CSU’s to apply any financial aid to the out-of-state differential, so that cost will be there till you establish residency
not to be pessimistic, just trying to help you see how things work
@newjerseygirl98: I do not know why you keep on insisting your cost will be around $20K/year. I am a parent of an SDSU student. I pay $20K/year for my son to attend SDSU as a California resident. This is the cost of tuition/fees/room/board. I have copied CSULB’s Out of state costs and again it will come out to $33K/year. Yes, with FASFA you may be eligbile for Pell grants as stated by Lilliana330 which may bring your costs down to $27K/year. If you are not low income, you will receive no federal aid and will have to pay full fees. What is your FASFA EFC?
I copied these costs from the CSULB website:
Costs Of Attendance For Non-California Residents:
Commuter/On-Campus/Off-Campus
Non-Resident Tuition*: $9,672/ $9,672/ $9,672
Tuition & Mandatory Fees: $6,452/ $6,452/ $6,452
Room and Board: $4,770/ $11,880/ $12,492
Books: $1,860/ $1,860/ $1,860
Travel: $1,486/ $1,380/ $1,446
Miscellaneous: $1,392/ $1,392/ $1,392
TOTAL: $25,632/ $32,636/ $33,314
@liliana330 Yes, I used the net price calculators. For San Diego State I got 22,578 (I honestly have no idea why the numbers keep changing). It says I would get the Pell Grant, for 5,225. The Stafford Loan is 5500 but I know I have to pay that back. My parents would take out loans, I’m an only child, so it’s not as if my mom will have others to provide for, besides herself.
@gumbymom Pell Grant 5,225. Stafford Loan is 5500, even though that would need to be paid back. Work-study is 1,465, I will work during college, but I’m not sure what I’d make. I was only “insisting” because the net price was 19,112. I know it’ll still be about 9,000 more after those fees, so out of state would be around 28000. I still don’t think that’s a terrible tuition.
If you are a strong student, you should also apply to some private schools in SoCal like LMU and USD. They have scary sticker prices but, few people pay the full amount.
@ncalrent Thank you! I’ve heard LMU is great. Would a 3.4/3.5 be considered competitive? SAT scores are announced Thursday.
3.5, a solid SAT and ECs should get you into LMU.
You may not get work study, so don’t count on it. It is not guaranteed. The jobs are few. They give the open positions to California residents first.
@auntbea I know it’s not guaranteed. But, it’s only about a $1200 difference using FAFSA.
I would also suggest you do the private schools route. The Cal states are less expensive for our residents so they get tons of applications from locals for limited spots. I have to be honest, your GPA for SDSU and LB is just not competitive for the scores I’ve seen of incoming freshman. Everything is impacted at those two schools so you would have to be a top OOS student to even be considered. My son just barely got into LB with a 4.41 GPA and a 2370 SAT.