OK. Here is the Scenerio. I was raised in Florida. When I was 23 I left Florida to join the military. I have since left the military and have moved to New Hampshire. I still have a valid florida driver's license, however, and have parents that live there. If I were to enroll in one of Floridas colleges (DL course), do you think I can get away with paying a FL resident tuition? Do you think they ask for a utility bill (but w/ that said supposed I was 18 just leaving my parents house to goto school, I would have a utility bill to give them....). Any body have any ideas how strict residency rules are? Best Regards, Bill
Since you still have a Florida driver's license you could probably get away with it if you were careful, but I sure wouldn't recommend it. I don't know what the consequences would be if you got caught, but I imagine that lying about your state residency probably has some harsh penalties, and there might even be legal repercussions. It's up to you, but I wouldn't risk it unless you legitimately meet the residency requirements.
IIRC, the time you spend on active military duty has no bearing on your residency. I spent 3 years active Army, but I always voted in Massachusetts elections because my "home of record" was Massachusetts. But...if you live outside Florida now (after you got discharged), it depends on how long you've been off active duty. Most states require a formal address change within 30-90 days, I have no idea what your state might be. The usual things used to determine residence are; - Voter lists - Vehicle registrations - Driver's license - Utility bills - Income tax records Having said all that, I would highly recommend that you DON'T attempt to skirt the system if you're not eligible. The best case scenario would be a time bomb in your resume, the worst would be a felony criminal charge. It's not worth it, IMO. Bruce
Thanks for the advice, New England is NOT a good place to be if you are poor and want an education. I think who ever thought of residency and non-residency for school tuition (especially for "distance learning") should be hung by their pinky toe. I am probably going to file a second mortgage and enroll in UMass since they seem like they are the cheapest here. Best Regards, Bill Ready
You really should check to make sure that you can't legitimately claim FL residency for tuition purposes. Sometimes those rules aren't as straightforward as you may think, especially when a period of military service is involved. Depending upon the state's residency rules (I'm not familiar with those in Florida), you may actually be able to maintain your FL residency, even though you're not living there. Check to see if there are criteria that you may be able to meet in order to keep your residency.
Thank your friendly state legislature, who (or is that whom?) decided that only state taxpayers (defined as residents) should enjoy the benefits of the state supported higher education. Some schools do allow non-residents a break on tuition for differing reasons. Some (Michigan Tech as an example) will allow children of alumni or alumni sponsored (sp?) students in at in-state rates (even if the alum paid out-of-state tuition). Others have a break for DL only students (Indiana State for eample). But you have to dig and hunt for these breaks, often asking advisors or PR sources at the school. A few regional associations to exist for inter-state transfers, etc. (Southern Regional Education Board and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education). So all is not lost, but it is not easy to find breaks.
<B>Thank your friendly state legislature, who (or is that whom?) decided that only state taxpayers (defined as residents) should enjoy the benefits of the state supported higher education</B> So, this would only apply to state funded colleges, right? What about other schools? I would feel that college with no ties to the state that would raise tuition for non-residents would be stores raising the price on their products for non-resident tourists. With that said... I seem to recall prices being very steep in touristy areas. Maybe THEY DO! Bill
Bill - It's hard for me to believe that UMass would be your cheapest bet. As a New Hampshire resident you'd have to pay out-of-state tuition rates at UMass. Wouldn't it be cheaper to go to UNH or some other New Hampshire state school? Jack
The U.Mass-L continuing studies program doesn't make the distinction between res and non-res ... it's one rate for all --- ~$205/s.h. ($235/s.h. for off campus and online courses). Pete
I am probably going to file a second mortgage and enroll in UMass since they seem like they are the cheapest here. I would check on student loans first. My student loan interest rate is considerably cheaper than the interest rate on a second mortgage for my house would have been. Just a thought.
(that mortgage thing was a joke BTW, I don't even have a first mortgage) As for schools in NH that are cheaper than UMass? Well, there are (UNH being one of them) HOWEVER, I want to do the BSET program and it specifically states on tuition page that BSET courses are 250 rather than the normal 180 per credit hour. So, that makes UMass the cheapest alternative (so far). Pretty frustrating, really. Regards, Bill
Bill, I am three courses shy of the UMass Lowell BS IS which has been a great place to study. I transferred to UML from another RA program and I discovered that not all online programs are created equal. UML fees are relatively modest but if finances are a stumbling block try taking a look at Troy State. If I recall correctly undergrad tuition is less than $150/ credit and there is no out of state differential. I did not transfer from Troy, that was UMUC, and I can't speak to the quality of Troy's programming. David