Tuition :(

[pseudo_vegan]

I guess this would be the right place...to rant and rave...or maybe it should go in the Veggie Patch...but it has to do with money. A lot of it.

This is partially my own fault because I've lived in Colorado for more than a year and am *just now* getting around to getting my license and whatnot...I didn't really "need" it for residency classification because I was attending a private university, and EVERYONE was paying like $20K/year to attend...

Anyway...now that I'm applying to a state university...I want in-state tuition. Why? Well, though I may not have had my driver's license here for the year+ that I've been living here...I've been paying rent, tax, bills, and working...

So, CLASSIFY ME AS A RESIDENT OR GIVE ME MY DAMN STATE INCOME TAX MONEY BACK, KTHX?!?!?!

:grr:

And this petition for residency classification is...complicated. They use big words and polyphrastic phrases to try and confused people, I suspect, so that they'll have to pay like $1010920190202121 more dollars than in-state kids. And that totally sucks...so now I've gotta dig around in all my filed paper work to try and appease the tuition-classification-gods...

Erm. Kay. That's my rant. I'm just frustrated and freaking out because I really want/need to go back to school, but I won't be able to unless I can get classified as a resident :cry:

:nigel: Cheers.

[mysteriouspoet]

I guess this would be the right place...to rant and rave...or maybe it should go in the Veggie Patch...but it has to do with money. A lot of it.

This is partially my own fault because I've lived in Colorado for more than a year and am *just now* getting around to getting my license and whatnot...I didn't really "need" it for residency classification because I was attending a private university, and EVERYONE was paying like $20K/year to attend...

Anyway...now that I'm applying to a state university...I want in-state tuition. Why? Well, though I may not have had my driver's license here for the year+ that I've been living here...I've been paying rent, tax, bills, and working...

So, CLASSIFY ME AS A RESIDENT OR GIVE ME MY DAMN STATE INCOME TAX MONEY BACK, KTHX?!?!?!

:grr:

And this petition for residency classification is...complicated. They use big words and polyphrastic phrases to try and confused people, I suspect, so that they'll have to pay like $1010920190202121 more dollars than in-state kids. And that totally sucks...so now I've gotta dig around in all my filed paper work to try and appease the tuition-classification-gods...

Erm. Kay. That's my rant. I'm just frustrated and freaking out because I really want/need to go back to school, but I won't be able to unless I can get classified as a resident :cry:

:nigel: Cheers.


:hug: What about loans? Financial aid?

[pseudo_vegan]

:hug: What about loans? Financial aid?

My mother has *at least* $50K in student loans which, unless she wins the lottery, she'll surely never be able to pay off...

I'm so wary of them because of this reason...well, that and the 2379278397289327 gazillion other people in student loan debt...gah.

It's a major project, pulling old receipts and crap for this form but...it's gotta be done.

:whip:

:nigel: C.

[bstutzma]

You do not WANT to know how much $$ my husband and I own in student loans.

Think - 4 years at a prestigious private university in Boston, plus 3 years at a private law school in Boston.

Think 30 year payment plan.

But whatever. It got us where we are, and its part of our living expenses now. Do what you have to do.

[Coney]

How hard is it to get a driver's license there? Will that classify you as a resident? How long technically, do you have to live in Colorado to be a resident? I know in NY State, it's a year after you have "established NY sTate as a domicile". So I guess if you've lived here for a year.

Seems like if you've been paying taxes there, that should definitely make you a resident. If you can put money into the system of the state, the least they can do is give you a discount on tuition.

[pseudo_vegan]

How hard is it to get a driver's license there? Will that classify you as a resident? How long technically, do you have to live in Colorado to be a resident? I know in NY State, it's a year after you have "established NY sTate as a domicile". So I guess if you've lived here for a year.

Seems like if you've been paying taxes there, that should definitely make you a resident. If you can put money into the system of the state, the least they can do is give you a discount on tuition.

It's all this crap about "the intention of making Colorado your permanent state of residence" or however they worded it...that because somehow me not getting a CO driver's license right off the bat means that I want to go back to my crap-a$$ home state of Kansas...

I should just not fill out any information on the petition, but staple copies of every high school paper I wrote talking so much smack on my home town and the region itself...THEN they'd know I for sure have no intention of returning :wall:

:nigel: C.

[remilard]

I understand your frustration but as I'm sure you know residency for tax purposes does not imply intent to stay whereas residency for tuition purposes does. I would recommend doing your best and seeing what happens, a driver's license is a big deal, and getting one now won't help, but if you can somehow demonstrate that you moved to colorado because you wan't to live there, not for school, thats what they are looking for.

Given the tuition difference you are looking at, it might not be a bad idea to pay for a lawyer's opinion. Start with legal services at the public school you are transferring against, they usually live to go up against the administration.

If you can't get good advice from a lawyer, just fill the thing out and include every shred of documentation that might help. If you wrote papers in high school saying you wanted to leave kansas and never come back (I grew up in Kansas, I understand), attach those, it can't hurt. I find that people are empathetic and willing to help in general, your chances of getting in state tuition are probably somewhat better than you think they are.

Good luck.

[April]

I'm an Ohio resident, but I had to bust my butt to prove it to my state college last fall. I had lived in Ohio for over a year finishing my undergrad degree before I moved out of state for 8 months of grad school. I transfered to an Ohio state school; they told me I had to prove I was in Ohio for more than a year before leaving, and said "almost no one is able to prove that legally." They also told me I was better off trying to qualiify for an exception (which would require me to go to school part time, and not get financial aid), and I said "OH Yeah?!?!? Here's a 57 page fax of documents!!!"

If you've worked in the state and have the old pay stubs, and if you saved old utility bills, they can help your case. It was a pain in the butt, but totally worth it. Good luck!!!