@EconPop - Did you mean to say its hard to establish residency in the state you are attending college when your “home state” (especially if still a dependent on parents) is elsewhere?
Many states say the student/family has not only to demonstrate proof of living in that new state for at least a year (eg utility bills, voter registration, auto registration, etc) but they have to demonstrate (and I am paraphrasing) an intent to make that state their permanent ongoing domicile (intend to live there ongoing- not just for college).