by Jake | Apr 10, 2015 | Instate Tuition Tips
Along the winding path toward in-state tuition, unseen perils lurk. An affordable college education awaits…but this sweet prize is a long way off. Mis-steps could mean starting over, wasted years, squandered tuition dollars. Seeming shortcuts are pitfalls. Assumptions are man-eaters. Hubris is endemic. Unasked and unanswered questions stalk you and ignorance, feigned or real, will not save you. Sure, get a new in-state driver’s license, update your address with institutions like banks, register to vote, do taxes, etc. But there are more fundamental questions you may have overlooked. You think you know the way; you may know much, but it’s what you don’t know that hurts you. In-state is all or nothing so getting a lot of things right is great but simply not enough. What about the lesser-known requirements peculiar to your university? How do you reconcile the illogical and contradictory? Are you focusing on the small things at the expense of the big things? Are you doing it the right way beyond reproach? Are you guessing and crossing your fingers? How confident are you? Never confuse confidence with correctness, here are 8 areas that are easily overlooked and can disqualify you from earning in-state tuition: 1) Attendance Can you even be enrolled as a student during the domicile period? Some colleges you can go to school full-time while establishing residency like UNLV. Others put a cap on the number of credits you are allowed to take while proving your in-state eligibility, e.g. 8 credits max per term at University of Oregon-Eugene. Even more strict is Indiana University-Bloomington, where taking even 1 credit-hour at any institution of higher education in Indiana irrevocably brands you as being in Indiana solely for educational purposes and therefore disqualifies you from in-state status.... read more
by Jake | Apr 9, 2015 | Financial Aid, Paying for college
What is the FAFSA? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and is a form that prospective and current college students in the U.S. can complete to see what financial aid they qualify for to help pay for the cost of college. The financial aid offered can be in the form of favorable loans, grants, or scholarships from the US Government, the State, or the University and varies depending on the student’s financial needs. Why should I do it? Almost all students qualify for at least some sort of financial aid via completion of the FAFSA. Many people don’t realize that many university-specific grants/financial aid is apportioned only to those who submit a FAFSA, i.e. you run the risk of possibly foregoing totally free money by not doing the FAFSA. Isn’t it really hard to do? Some people say the FAFSA is too hard, but it really is not. You can complete it for free online at fafsa.gov OR you can have somebody help you complete it over the phone with services such as FAFSA.com. The latter has some packages ranging from $79 to $99 to help and can get it done over the phone in about 30-60 minutes. Is it true that if parents make a lot of money then you can’t get financial aid? Some people say the FAFSA is a waste of time because their parents make too much money, but again that is not the case. While it is true that a student might not be offered much or anything ….. Even wealthy people are typically offered at least favorable government loans. Take a subsidized... read more
by Jake | Apr 8, 2015 | Tuition Reciprocity Agreements
Tuition reciprocity agreements allow a qualified resident from one state to attend certain colleges in nearby states for a greatly reduced tuition rate. Although not without severe limitations and eligibility restrictions, thousands of people benefit each year from such reciprocity agreements. This article will focus on the regional reciprocity agreements among Western US states, Southern states, Midwestern states, and Northeastern states—these big four agreements account for the vast majority of reciprocity benefactors. There are other more unique reciprocity agreements between states and colleges which far fewer people benefit from but which are nevertheless worth addressing in the interest of being thorough. Regional Tuition Reciprocity Agreements There are four major regional tuition reciprocity agreements all out-of-state hopefuls need to know about. NORTHEAST Regional Student Program (RSP) under the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont The New England RSP allows New England residents to attend participating out-of-state New England public universities at a reduced rate of tuition. New England’s Board of Higher Education states an average tuition break of $7,000 annually being received by a full-time RSP student. Important to know is that there are certain requirements needed in order to reap benefits of the New England RSP Tuition Break. Most important is that the student must enroll in a major that is not only approved by the RSP, but is an approved major that is not available to the student at the public universities and colleges in their own home-state. There are also instances where proximity is a determining factor in that certain schools will allow qualification to the RSP Tuition Break if the out-of-state college is... read more
by Jake | Apr 8, 2015 | Tuition Reciprocity Agreements
The allure of going to an out-of-state college at an in-state cost with no effort whatsoever is attractive. Tuition reciprocity agreements seem to offer just that and millions of college bound students every year excitedly stumble upon what looks like tuition salvation. But much like a vision of an oasis on the horizon when you’re dying in the desert, the tuition relief assured by reciprocity agreements usually isn’t actually there. The fever-dream: Go to any college of your dreams in a nearby state but pay cheap in-state tuition automatically. The reality: Go to your 4th favorite college in a nearby state so long as you study underwater basket-weaving (or another obscure/unpopular major). If you’re lucky and first in line, then get an un-guaranteed tuition discount that isn’t as much as you thought and which you could easily lose. Some oases are real. That’s why it’s worthwhile to look into reciprocity agreements (you won’t die of thirst after all), but don’t get your hopes up too high because severe restrictions and limitations exist. Here are 10 reasons why tuition reciprocity agreements aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. 1) Lots of Popular Universities Opt-Out For example, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington are among the 15 member states that make up the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) reciprocity program. The most sought-after schools in each state: University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Oregon-Eugene, and the University of Washington-Seattle do not participate in the reciprocity agreement. 2) Major Restrictions At participating colleges, only certain majors of study are approved for the reciprocity tuition rate (typically around 150% in-state tuition). Don’t know your major yet or is there a possibly you’ll want to... read more
by Jake | Feb 18, 2015 | Instate Tuition Tips, Paying for college
Sure, we all know the usual cookie-cutter ways to help lessen the cost of ever-increasing college tuition: you can cross your fingers for scholarships and pray for favorable loans and grants through FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). But securing a meaningful scholarship is a highly competitive affair among the cream of the crop with the highest SAT/ACT scores. And the best grants and free money? That’s reserved primarily for those with the most extraordinary circumstances. What about the rest of us? Let’s think outside the box… You don’t need to be a valedictorian to afford college. These five untraditional ways to pay for college help level the playing the field and might just help you avoid a mountain of debt. 1) RESIDENCY It’s possible to earn in-state tuition in any state; find out if it’s viable for you. This is first at bat, because (if attending an out-of-state college) you can actually combine it with a few of the other non-traditional ways to pay for college that follow below, leading to an even bigger return on investment for your time. For example, you can work toward getting in-state residency while completing a gap-year, then not only do you save money during the gap time, but you also can begin or return to college with residency and in-state tuition. Win-win! Most people do not realize that if you qualify as a resident of the state in the eyes of a university, then you are entitled to in-state resident tuition, averaging over $52,000 in total cost difference over the course of a four-year college education (reference). Do you really love the state and would you be moving there with or without the... read more
by Jake | Jan 20, 2015 | Gap-Year
If price were no object: where would you live, where would you go to college? What if I told you a secret that allowed you to live in virtually any state, survive and thrive on your own, attend a top college and…that it would cost no more than going to college in your home state? The secret: take a productive gap-year! A gap-year is the most bulletproof way of showcasing your eligibility for in-state tuition which unlocks an affordable education in your chosen state. A gap-year allows you the time and freedom to establish and support yourself, you are allowed to explore interests while making money instead of spending it, and you are empowered by managing your own finances which also has a way of revealing what you really care about. Importantly, I’m talking about a productive gap-year. I’m not talking about a year of leisurely world exploration. I’m not talking about a year of doing nothing, napping on your parents couch, or purely “thinking about” your options. I’m talking about an action-packed year of employment, self-reliance, and self-discovery through actions not thoughts. Thinking about what you really want is paralyzing, act! Move to the state and city where you most want to be, work at the best job you can find in any field of interest, support yourself and take a stab at adulthood before college the following year. Before taking the plunge (it’s a big decision!), you should know what you’d be getting into. On one side, taking a gap-year could be your ticket to in-state tuition and myriad other personal, professional, and financial benefits. But beware, a gap-year is not for everyone; some are ill-suited for... read more
by Jake | Nov 20, 2014 | Instate Tuition Tips
About 17% of college students go out-of-state to college. They pay dearly for it; the typical out-of-state tuition rate at a 4-year public university is 3x to 4x more than the in-state tuition rate, that’s typically $10k to 20k per year up to $29.662 per year at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Unfortunately, that expensive out-of-state tuition rate is out-of-reach for many students despite their strong desire to transplant themselves. So many such students settle on going to college in the state where they grew up. Don’t settle, decide; you have options. You may be able to earn in-state tuition in your chosen state at your chosen college. Here are 10 tips. 1) Look in the mirror: are you sure? If getting in-state tuition were as easy as signing your name and getting your picture taken, there wouldn’t be millions of out-of-state students. How important is it to you really? There are plenty of fantastic colleges and universities in your state and you already have in-state tuition there. Is this something you really want to commit to or are you just thinking about it. If you’re going to go down this route, then you need to be committed before you start. You might be able to avoid all the hassle by just staying in-state. 2) Regional reciprocity exchanges In-state tuition might be a moot point for you; there are 4 major regional reciprocity exchanges whereby a resident of one state may attend certain colleges in certain states at close to in-state rates. For example, if you’re a resident of California with excellent grades and test scores, you could attend Montana... read more
by Jake | Sep 5, 2014 | Financial Aid
Who wouldn’t rather spend $10,000 or $20,000 less per year on tuition at an out-of-state univeristy? But is getting in-state tuition a real worthwhile pursuit for you, or is it like chasing a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Facts: $31,410 average out-of-state tuition cost at CU-Boulder per year (CU is used for example purposes) $9,048 average in-state tuition cost at CU-Boulder per year $22,362 annual difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition There are about 11,000 CU-Boulder students right now paying out-of-state tuition. Unbeknownst to most of them lurks the startling truth that many could qualify to earn in-state tuition. How can this be? Most people just have no idea there’s an alternative. For those who find out in-state tuition may be a possibility: many don’t pursue any further, some learn all about it but never act, some try to make it happen but fail, some try to make it happen and succeed, some hire a professional company such as In-State Angels to make sure it happens and happens right. Regardless of who you are, some would say you owe it to yourself to figure out—first step—does it makes sense to pursue in-state tuition given your specific circumstances? If it does not, no harm. If it does, make it happen one way or another! What is entailed in getting in-state tuition? In broad strokes, there are two important things that matter most. 1) Domicile: you need to have the present intent to become a permanent Colorado resident as demonstrated by documented behavior consistent with that stated intention. 2) Financial independence (at least some degree for most students anyway):... read more
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