What state am I a resident of?

pyles_m · 10-26-2009, 03:34 PM

So it's an interesting story. My mother was no longer able to support me so at 16 I moved in with my father and he gained custody of me. My mother lives in Ohio, where I had spent all my life previously and then I moved to Georgia where my father was. When I was 17, he kicked me out of the house and I was homeless until I graduated high school. Upon graduation, I came back to Ohio where I stayed with family until I left for college which is where I am now. I currently do not have any ties or relations to either of my parents and I am now 18 and I attend Rice U in Texas. I know that for educational purposes, you are considered a resident of whatever state your parents are from but seeing as I'm no longer connected with them, I'm not sure. Ideally I'd like to become a Texas resident because I intend to go to medical school but I hear that obtaining a Texan residency is hard.
Does anyone have any input?

mildred · 10-26-2009, 04:51 PM

^

Your situation is rather unique and if you are currently paying out of state tuition, then you need to arrange a formal meeting with the head of the fin aid department and explain your situation. Please try to obtain some kind of proof prior to the meeting, because there are some folks who actually do lie to try and obtain in state tuition rates and whatnot.

You also need to look up what the requirements are to be an independent student and see if you meet some of those by now. I meet them all because I had a hellish upbringing and was truly independent at a rather young age and stuff. You might meet the criterion to be an independent student for all I should know.

pyles_m · 10-26-2009, 05:02 PM

Fortunately, Rice is a private school so the tuition is the same regardless and I have enough scholarship money to pay for it. I do think that meeting with the people in FA might be a good idea because they may be more familiar with it.

siglio21 · 10-27-2009, 01:58 AM

Quote:

I was homeless until I graduated high school

Wow...what'd you do during that year?

mildred · 10-27-2009, 09:41 AM

OP

There is independent for financial aid purposes and then there is independent for income tax purposes. And they are not always mutually inclusive at all.

Your best bet to figure out, within all the different areas of this site you have posted this in, if you can obtain residency in Texas for the long term is to immediately arrange a meeting with the head of the financial aid department and bring a bit of proof about your situation.

It is best to prepare now.

reillytheman · 10-27-2009, 02:56 PM

Props to you for sticking it out to finish high school. You probably have more life experience than most adults

Mr. Bojangles · 10-27-2009, 04:35 PM

All states and schools have their own rules...but from the sound of it you are a resident of Texas.

It depends on how you file your taxes. If you file dependent then whoever you list as the person(s) you are dependent on will be your state of residence. It sounds like you claim independent and in that case it will go by what state you have a valid driver's license in and what the address is on the license. Most states need you to show proof of residence in that state for at least a year, along with getting a driver's license in that state before you are actually considered a resident.

pyles_m · 10-27-2009, 06:18 PM

I'm going to arrange an appointment with someone of financial aid tomorrow. During that time, I stayed with friends and teachers until I graduated. Of course I was going to stick it through, I was already accepted into Rice and there isnt much you can do without a hs diploma.

mildred · 10-27-2009, 07:27 PM

pyles_m: good luck with your upcoming appointment with financial aid. You and I have a great deal more in common then you might think.

Trust me on just going ahead and learning of your residency status and whatnot now. Since you go to Rice, your tuition is the same amount no matter where you are from. But, the schools you might go to in the future might have a different take on things.

Mr. Bojangles is right on the money. If you are self supporting and no one claims you on your taxes and all of that, then you are alright. You just need to establish residency year round and all that good stuff. But be sure to go to that meeting with fin aid so you can learn the ins and outs of what you need to do. Trust me. If it worked for me (without me wanting it to, necessarily) then it will work for you.