It doesn’t take 3 years to become a resident in CA, it only takes 1 year - that’s pretty much the standard for most states (it’s the same in TX). However, if you obtain a student visa (F1), or a B, J or M visa type you typically will not be considered eligible to establish residency.
OP - Since you indicated you will likely work full-time, you should be able to get one of the qualifying visa types (there are a lot) that will allow you to establish residency within a year. Each school’s financial aid office should have all of this information for you so that you can get specific instructions for that state.