Kick in the teeth....

Some days, it gets really disheartening on this path. While I had been accepted to start summer classes at a nearby school, I had also applied at a more prestigious school, also in state, that has their own medical school. My hope was that credits from this institution might look a little better, but also, they have a wider variety of classes, I like the campus better, etc.


Today I find out that they have only admitted me as an out of state student, and the tuition is triple what I would have had to pay. I can’t afford it. Since this has been my only residence for over a year, I have a driver’s license, vehicles registered here, etc. I’m told over the phone, that they require that I’ve worked full time in the state for at least a year. Seriously?


Not like I haven’t been looking for work, but software engineers aren’t really needed much around here. So if I start taking classes, I’ll never be considered an in-state resident if I apply to them for medical school either.


I asked them…if I’m not a resident here…then where am I a resident? So stupid.


Every time a plan I have falls apart, I really wonder WTF I’m doing…



I ran into the same issue too. Find a job at Starbucks or something simple just get the in state rate.

This process is arduous and sometimes, obscenely complex. Each school and state will have differing regulations on how to determine “in state”. I recall TX requiring you having paid taxes in TX for at least a year…which was odd, esp since TX does not have a state income tax.

perhaps you can refile your state taxes retroactively and make up a fake self employed job. it may cost you in “fines” but dont list much profit… then you might get residency… though this might have been thought up before.

States are idiosyncratic (and frustrating) about how they establish residency. And they do have a legal definition of “residency” that differs from the self-evident concept of “Hey, I freakin’ LIVE HERE!”


Because of those idiosyncracies, they often have administrators who can help clarify the requirements for you and help you see what you need. It may already be too late for this coming year, but it could be good to plan for next year and beyond.


Two things to note:


1 - For some states (eg Ohio and I think New York), relying fully on loans (as a med student would most likely do) qualifies you for residency after a year. I was accepted to OSU as an out-of-stater; after a year, I filled out the paperwork and am now considered an Ohio resident.


2 - From what I understand, in the perspectives of med schools and adcoms, the prestige of one’s undergraduate (or post-bacc) institution isn’t a huge deal. You did list other reasons to prefer the more presigious campus, but it may not pay to worry about its prestige in and of itself.


Good luck with it all! This is just another hurdle.


Hm. So I guess this process is both a marathon and a hurdle-thingy-competition . So it’s a marathon with hurdles.

Keep your head up, eyes forward, and control what you can.

  • keen_arene Said:
perhaps you can refile your state taxes retroactively and make up a fake self employed job. it may cost you in "fines" but dont list much profit... then you might get residency.... though this might have been thought up before.



Please don't consider doing anything even remotely shady to gain a transient advantage. Honesty is important.

Agreed. It’s not only morally wrong, it will almost certainly hurt you in the long run. Better to pay an extra $30k in tuition over the course of your school than to risk getting expelled for being dishonest.


In my experience, establishing residency is not that arduous. Ask the school about it.

I agree, you should ask how to establish residency.


You say you that someone on the phone said it would require employment in the state for at least a year?


Too often, people on the phone will choose the quick and easy path to answer a complicated question. You have been in the state and been paying rent while living in the state for that time period. You have been receiving unemployment or paying sales taxes on food, gas or whatever for the entire time that you were there. There have to be ways to establish residency besides being employed there. The records are there.


Many people move to attempt employment in an area where there are more jobs, and this economy is an event that has not occurred for 60 or so years. (I moved to california in may 2005 from buffalo to find a job, and didnt get one till feb 2006.)


dont lose hope. BUT more importantly, dont let some phone jockey scare you from your dreams!!!

It might be a good idear to check the school website or go in person to the admission office and ask for a copy of the school document on the rules that stipulate in state stutus. It is difficult to believe that a year employment is the sole factor to determin in state stutus in this time when job opportunities are so few. Some state may consider factors such as graduating from high school in the state; leasing a home or apartment for at least one year in the state;having a driver’s liscene for at least one year in the state etc. Just research this further; the person you spoke to on the telephone may not have told you all the options.

I am fighting the decision. I have assorted documentation, drivers license, car registration, letter from landlord, personal statement, etc.


Yes, I don’t see how a year of full-time employment can be a requirement. Especially since a lot of the lower paying jobs out there won’t give you full-time hours anyway. Only professional jobs I can get would be in software engineering, but I haven’t found anything.


I did ask for a specific list of rules but nobody could provide one. The state has their own, and I seem to qualify, but yeah, the university has their own rules. Sounds very subjective. The appeals form I have asks a lot of questions, and says you don’t have to answer all of them, they will make a determination from what is listed.

If the university says you have to be a state resident, then whatever the state has requirements for residency fulfills the requirement. My suggestion would be to cite the specific statute and regulations for state residency, cite where the university says you have to be a state resident, put that in a letter to the university , add a statement that you have met the requirements and any further denial of being treated as a state resident will result in court action. If you really wanted to get into it, you should find the charter of the university which the state government grants it the authority to operate UNDER STATE LAW (I’m 99% sure it will say that) cite that as well.