If you move West, make sure to check the WUE rules, which gives reduced tuition to neighboring states but only specific colleges/campuses and sometimes only for specific majors.
Also as you consider instate schools, know that university of Utah (which a lot of people really like) grants in-state residency to OOS students after the first year if they don’t leave the state except for specific periods of time.
And beware of moving to California without first checking if your kids would meet UC a-g requirements, which might be tricky if they start high school in CA mid-stream.
Lastly, some state flagships offer in-state tuition to OOS students based on GPA and other metrics, so could check that out too.
Good luck! It sounds like fun!
(Have you considered Canada? Their tuition is very inexpensive but I don’t know who qualifies).
Most states have a minimum one year residency requirement for both the dependent student and parents to get residency for tuition purposes. But check each state’s rules to be sure.
Some variations in residency rules:
Some states check residency each semester or year, so if the parents leave the state after state university enrollment, the student will pay non-resident tuition afterward. Others allow the student to retain resident status as long as the student remains enrolled at the same state university.
For tuition reciprocity, there are state-by-state agreements (e.g. MN with WI, ND, SD, and Manitoba in Canada) as well as regional agreements (e.g. Western Undergraduate Exchange, basically 1.5 times in-state tuition at many less selective state universities within the western region for residents in states in the region). You may want to investigate this on a state-by-state basis.
UC and CSU a-g requirements are described at University of California Counselors . Generally, a good college prep course selection in high school will satisfy them, except that one has to notice the art requirement (which trips up some out-of-state applicants every year). Note that some other states’ public universities also have high school art requirements, or requirements that art can satisfy.
Another thing to consider is how the state’s public universities are organized.
Some states have many public universities, so that they are relatively small relative to the state population. In some such states, the state flagship(s) can be highly selective, although there are also less selective options. CA is the archetype of this situation, but some other states like MI, NC, VA have some similarities. However, there are some states with many state universities where none are that selective.
Other states have fewer public universities, such that the flagship(s) also function as the less selective broad-access universities. AZ, HI, IA, WY are examples of such states; in AZ and HI, this may have been driven by the majority of the state population living in one metro area and therefore can be in commuting range of a major state university.
Also, some states have well developed community college transfer pathways to the state universities, but the transfer pathway is less desirable in other states.
For me, the lure of “out west” is pretty strong, except for the wildfires, which now seem to impact air quality too often for my liking.
How exciting to have that freedom to just up and go when you’re ready. Envious! We’ve got too much here (jobs, extended family) that keeps us rooted. For now, anyway.
Do you expect to pay in-state list price at state universities, or is there a possibility of in-state need-based financial aid (“upper-middle-class” means different things to different people)? If the latter, try running net price calculators on the state universities in the states you are considering. Some states are much better than others at in-state financial aid (to some extent, this is reflected on student loan debt levels: Interactive Map - The Institute for College Access & Success ).
I live in GA and I’d probably go for NC due to the geography and the wide variety of recreation options, plus being less crowded than the Atlanta area. However, GA should be considered because it’s hard to beat the Hope scholarship (and fits some of your other criteria). Most kids who get in to UGA and Georgia Tech are getting full tuition scholarships through the Zell Miller part of Hope (unless they lose it because of the GPA requirement). Students who have a 3.0 GPA (calculated with core classes) get about 80% tuition covered. While it’s quite competitive to get into UGA and GT, there are other good in-state options and many kids also transfer into UGA if they don’t get in the first time.
With almost college kids…I think I would stay put so they could graduate from high school where they are…unless you wants to establish residency for instate college tuition purposes. But even with that…moving when the kids are close to college age….I’d wait until they were in college.
Another vote for NC! I would move back the Triangle area in a heartbeat if my husband didn’t have tenure in another state. You can’t beat the in-state college options and it’s a fantastic area to live, in general.
I would look at the Research Triangle area (Chapel Hill, Durham, and Raleigh) in NC. It meets your preferences. It’s a popular area for people from the Northeast.
If she goes to an in-state public, does your current state allow her to retain in-state tuition and financial aid until she graduates if you move away from the state?
Ok…it appears that the OP does want to relocate to get good college choices…and their HS kids are on board with this plan.
I would be looking at these states: Virginia, North Carolina. Both have a plentiful number of fine instate public universities (and privates if that ends up being a choice). You should be able to find an affordable house somewhere in these states.
Check to see how long you need to be a Georgia resident to get the Hope or Zell Miller. But do check housing costs.
You could also check Florida…not sure how long a student needs to be enrolled in HS there to get the Bright Futures awards…but worth checking. Another state with affordable and many public colleges.
If you wanted to stay in your current sort of neck of the woods…what about NY State? The SUNY schools are plentiful, and pretty modestly priced for instate students. There are plenty of places in NY State where you could buy a home at your price point.
And lastly…if you are looking for a great number of public universities, how about Ohio? And cost of living is well within your price point.
Nobody mentioned South Carolina. The upstate is pretty. Close enough to Smoky Mountains and Atlanta. Lakes for boating. Beaches not a far drive. I find driving in the south more enjoyable than north. Better roads and flatter.
There’s always Charleston if you prefer the ocean. Savannah is close.
We’re actually in the UK at the moment and “home” fees (if my D22 stays here) are based on her being a UK resident for 3 years prior to starting college.
I was going to suggest Virginia, but several others have beaten me to the punch. I grew up there. Great in-state universities - UVA, Virginia Tech, William & Mary, VCU (great for the arts). Mountains, and ocean. Really nice weather year round - summers are hot, but spring and fall are beautiful, and winters are mild. Depending on where you live, close to Washington DC and everything it has to offer.
