Is the in-state tuition at any public school in your state, or the in-state tuition at any public school in any of the 50 states? Am I understanding correctly that your grandparents are willing to pay whatever the difference is between the in-state public college cost in the designated state as compared to the actual cost?
In-state tuition at the U. of Maryland-College Park is in the neighborhood of $11,233. In-state tuition at Stony Brook (one of the New York’s designated flagships) is about $10,560. Columbia’s tuition is approximately $66,139. Are your grandparents okay spending additional $55k for tuition? (Tuition costs have increased significantly, and your grandparents may or may not be aware of it.) Also, don’t forget about room & board, which generally runs between about $12-18k/year, depending on the school/location. Are they okay paying for that as well?