Hi, I got all my decisions and I am in between UCLA, Purdue, and UIUC for engineering. Please ignore cost in your comparison because my family is moving in state to whatever school I go to, so that isn’t a worry. From my understanding, in terms of pure education, there isn’t a significant difference amongst these three schools, but I am having a hard time finding out where I can better research, internships, and ultimately job placement opportunities.
Congrats on some great acceptances, all 3 schools are excellent for engineering/mech e.
Have you looked at career outcomes? Course curricula? Requirements at Purdue to move from FYE first year to ME? Paging @momofboiler1 for Purdue specific info.
Career data:
https://sairo.ucla.edu/first-destination-survey-data
You will not be able to qualify for in-state tuition at UIUC or UCLA until your family has lived in Illinois or California for 12 months. Looks like for Purdue your parents just have to live in Indiana as their primary place of residence before first day of classes, but I would verify that. The good thing about Purdue for OOS it is the least costly of the 3 schools.
https://registrar.ucla.edu/fees-residence/residence-requirements/classification-as-a-resident
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Can they pay the full cost of attendance for that first year? You will need to reside in the new state…your whole family…at least a year before you can establish residency for instate tuition purposes. You will need to check Illinois and Indiana because some states actually don’t allow change of residency for tuition…whatever you are when you enroll is what you are for the duration of your schooling.
In CA, your family will need to reside there for 365 days before you are eligible for instate status for tuition…AND they will need to demonstrate that they intend to remain in CA. This cannot be viewed as a move to gain instate status for tuition…or it will be denied @Gumbymom can elaborate. Your parents will need to prove their intent to make CA their residence (buy a house, get a job and pay CA taxes, etc).
Any of these schools will be fine for your potential major.
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To get in-state tuition for California public universities, you have to prove they you and your family will make California your permanent residence. You have to provide documentation to prove you will become a permanent California resident. You have to reside in California for 365 days prior to the residency determination so you will pay OOS tuition fees if you do not meet the requirement for Fall 2022.
Residency requirements
There are four requirements you must fulfill in order to be a California resident for purposes of tuition at UC. All these requirements must be met by the residence determination date (generally the first day of classes) of the term for which you request a resident classification.
1. Physical presence
You must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status. If you moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition.
Read the full policy on physical presence (pdf)
2. Intent to remain in California
You must establish your intent to make California your home one year prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status.
Read the full policy on intent to remain in California (pdf)
3. Financial independence
If you’re an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately preceding the term you wish to enroll. Graduate students are presumed to be financially independent unless they were claimed as a dependent on their parents’ federal tax return for the most recent tax year.
Read the full policy on financial independence (pdf)
4. Immigration status
You must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa.
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They are all equivalent schools. They will not likely all be had for instate tuition though. I can’t speak for Indiana or Illinois, but you might as well write off getting in state tuition in CA. As @Gumbymom linked for the CA school system, you must establish presence AND intent before you start school. Once classes start it will be VERY hard for your parents to prove intent.
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Yes I understand that part. My family is willing to cover the first year, and then get in state for the rest. If we choose UCLA, we are planning to establish residency in CA, so there shouldn’t be an issue in that regard. In the long term, this would theoretically be the cheapest option, so my parents are leaning towards UCLA.
Thank you all for your responses!
If you moved to CA from OOS with the intent of going to school you will be classified as OOS for all 4 years. Even if they move it won’t change your intent. Don’t plan on in state in CA.
So even if my parents purchase a home, pay taxes in California, have Cali state IDs etc., I will still be classified as OOS for all four years?
That is my understanding. You have to be able to prove that school was not your primary intent for moving to the state. Some states, Utah for example, make it very easy to establish residency that way. @Gumbymom can clarify, but as it has been explained to me, it’s almost impossible in CA.
Back to your question…Purdue holds a special place for me for engineering majors like you. After all, their teams are called the boilermakers. Think about that for a minute. This school does engineering very well.
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According to the UC Residence Policy and Guidelines document:
“A Student or Parent who takes steps to establish residence in California but whose activities and circumstances suggest temporary or indeterminate residence will be considered as Nonresidents for purposes of UC tuition. Such
activities and circumstances include, but are not limited to, maintaining ties to and the continued maintenance of the prior residence, the Student is dependent on a nonresident parent including for purposes of FAFSA applications and income tax returns, and returning to the prior residence during periods of noninstruction.”
In other words, if you claim residency in California even if your activities show that you are not really in California for residence, then you will be classified as a non-resident.
However, if you or your family work in the state, pay taxes in state, are physically in state during breaks, you have a California ID, you are eligible to claim in-state tuition.
That overlooks this part of the policy under physical presence:
If you moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition.
It is very hard to prove otherwise if parents move after a student has been accepted. It would be a huge risk to plan on this being successful in CA.
I would contact the Residence Deputies at UCLA to confirm before committing.
You need to pay attention to the wording below from the FAQ’s. Remember the burden of proof is on you and moving to CA after a UC acceptance with OOS transcripts are red flags.
If I’m initially classified as a nonresident student, am I locked into nonresident status for the rest of my time at UC?
You do not become a resident for purposes of tuition and fees simply by living in California for a year or more. If you’ve moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition and fees.
If you hope to become a resident after entering UC as a nonresident: Keep in mind that even though you probably won’t submit a petition to change your residency status until the end of your first academic year, you must start the process of establishing residency as soon as you move to California. Pay close attention to campus deadlines, and remember that changes in residency classification will only apply to future terms.
Officers
UCLA Sara Diaz [(310) 825-3447](tel:(310) 825-3447)
Ana Ibarra-Abu Malhi [(310) 825-3447](tel:(310) 825-3447)
Jenn Seong [(310) 825-3447](tel:(310) 825-3447)
Residence Deputies
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Note, ”if you enter UC as a financially independent undergraduate…” If your parents claimed you, which they almost certainly did, this plan is bound to fail. I’d call as @Gumbymom advised. In fact, I’d call every school where this is the plan. It would be a jarring surprise to get it wrong.
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@Gumbymom this student isn’t independent. Didn’t they say the whole family was moving to CA?
Sorry, wrong FAQ quote. I will edit and aware the family is supposedly moving.
Coming back to the comparisons between these 3 schools. I would pick Purdue especially if you are in Mechanical Engineering. Theoretically, Purdue would be the cheapest option considering your family will move in state. Although UCLA all around is undoubtedly an incredible institution, it isn’t a engineering/CS oriented school like Purdue or UIUC.
Think about what you want to do 4 years down the line. Do you want to get into automotive/aerospace? If yes, Purdue may be your school. Maybe you want to go into research in bioengineering? Then UIUC/UCLA may be a good option.
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WHAT?!?!?!?
UCLA’s most popular majors are Biology, Business Econ, Film, Poli Sci, Psychology. While Engineering/CS are easily the top majors at Purdue/UIUC.
That has nothing to do with how good engineering is. For engineering, they are all three peer institutions.
If we’re going to use the rationale of how popular a major is at an institution, how would you rank Stanford? Berkeley? Michigan?