out of state vs in state

[kobe36]

don't know if this is appropriate but does anyone know what is the acceptance rate for students who are out of state vs in state ?? i guess my question is is it easier to get into a graduate program if u are out of state than if you reside in the state which the school is in.

Edited February 1, 2010 by kobe36

[strokeofmidnight]

I'm assuming that you're only discussing public schools? I would imagine that it would depend on the program. I think (not sure if this is true everywhere) that the program will pay less for your tuition if you're in-state, and may be more likely to either accept you (if they fund everyone) or offer you funding. On the other hand, I can also see why some programs might strive for a certain amount of geographic diversity, and might actually encourage out-of-state or international students...who can bring a different perspective.

That said, there's also the current economy to content with. I'd suspect that in badly hit states like California or New York, programs might prefer in-state students right now, simply because many of them are facing strict funding limitations.

[hubris]

My understanding is that the cheaper you are, the higher your probability of acceptance (hold everything else constant).

Assume that is true, being in state for tuition purposes would be a plus.

[tskinner]

My understanding is that the cheaper you are, the higher your probability of acceptance (hold everything else constant).

Assume that is true, being in state for tuition purposes would be a plus.

I think this is true for most of the time, but then there are some programs that will only fund in-state tuition. Like UCDavis only gives fellowships up to in-state tuition, so in their mind, an out-of stater is the same cost all else held constant.

But then you have to consider if they consider that that little extra financial strain could increase the chance of dropout, etc.

[The_Hanged_Man]

My understanding is that the cheaper you are, the higher your probability of acceptance (hold everything else constant).

Assume that is true, being in state for tuition purposes would be a plus.

I could be wrong here, but I think that at most universities if you are awarded any type of assistantship/fellowship you are classified as in-state for tuition purposes so your state of residence may not matter. For example, this is the University of Iowa's description:

http://www.uiowa.edu/admissions/graduate/why-iowa/assistantships.htm

"In general, people who have fellowships or assistantships quarter-time or more are classified as Iowa residents for tuition and fee purposes during the terms in which their appointments are held and any adjacent summer sessions in which they are enrolled."

Edited February 1, 2010 by The_Hanged_Man

[expressionista]

I could be wrong here, but I think that at most universities if you are awarded any type of assistantship/fellowship you are classified as in-state for tuition purposes so your state of residence may not matter. For example, this is the University of Iowa's description:

I know at a school where I just interviewed, if you're in state and receive an assistantship, they reduce your tuition by half. If you're out of state, they reduce you from out of state to full in state tuition. So the out-of-state student would still pay more than the in-state, but the in-state student's discount is actually smaller, which makes them cheaper to the university.

[kobe36]

my way of thinking is because you are out of state, your tuition is higher and therefore the university will get more money and are more likely to accept you. Maybe this only applies to undergraduate where they don't get fellowship/assistantship??

[rising_star]

don't know if this is appropriate but does anyone know what is the acceptance rate for students who are out of state vs in state ?? i guess my question is is it easier to get into a graduate program if u are out of state than if you reside in the state which the school is in.

Most universities have some sort of tuition waiver system set up for those who get fellowships or assistantships. And, departments usually get a chunk of these so it doesn't matter to them whether the students are in-state or out-of-state. Think about it this way: if you apply from undergrad, your university address may be in one state and your permanent residence in another. The universities don't ask what state you are a resident of because it doesn't matter to them for admissions.

[artschoolhopeful]

I don't know how valid this is, but I'm actually hoping that the in-state/out-of-state thing might be beneficial to me for the UC system despite drastic budget cuts. I know Cornell is suffering a lot from budget cuts and is thinking about combining certain departments.

And my UCLA application DID ask if I was a California resident and even what county I held my residency in and what city I was born in. I went to college on the east coast but thankfully maintained my California residency and driver's license the entire time. I am going to assume that this will play a factor in admission, especially for this year.

Edited February 2, 2010 by artschoolhopeful

[nessadub]

I asked the same question regarding PhD and the UC system. I was told for the department that in-state is more desirable than out-of-state, and both are more desirable than international. The department still has to use their budget to pay for the expenses of the student. For example, it might mean the difference between a department accepting 6 students or 4, depending on the residency of the applicants. It was implied that in-state would make your chances slightly better for PhD at a UC school.

[Pamphilia]

I have heard that in-state residency can be somewhat helpful, as schools covering tuition won't have to pony up as much money for in-state residents.* At the same time, it's not *that* big a deal because the student should be able to establish residency by the second year. I've heard that it is generally only an issue if a program is deciding between two equally-qualified candidates (though obviously anything to do with finances is wonky this year and conventional wisdom doesn't hold anywhere).

* I keep writing "insane residents," haha. Oh, my subconscious.

[rising_star]

At the same time, it's not *that* big a deal because the student should be able to establish residency by the second year.

This really varies by state. In my current state, I could not become a resident for tuition purposes unless I dropped down to part-time enrollment and worked full-time for 12 consecutive months. So basically, as out-of-state grad students, we have zero incentive to even get a driver's license in this state since we will never be in-state for tuition purposes.

[kobe36]

i was hoping that being out of state would help me actually as I am currently living in california but want to move to ny for school. also does anyone know if the in state vs out state only applies to public school?? would it be the same rules for private school? or would they not care??

@Pamphilia LOL at the "insane residents" part, I caught myself doing that just now ....

[coyabean]

Also keep in mind that public schools usually have kind of charter or legal mandate to serve the state's student body. For some schools its a set percentage of how many can be out of state -- well, for UG anyway. I know for a fact though that the UNC system has some guidelines at the grad level too.

[strokeofmidnight]

i was hoping that being out of state would help me actually as I am currently living in california but want to move to ny for school. also does anyone know if the in state vs out state only applies to public school?? would it be the same rules for private school? or would they not care??

@Pamphilia LOL at the "insane residents" part, I caught myself doing that just now ....

I don't think it matters for private schools, since they don't have tiered tuition.

[Pamphilia]

This really varies by state. In my current state, I could not become a resident for tuition purposes unless I dropped down to part-time enrollment and worked full-time for 12 consecutive months. So basically, as out-of-state grad students, we have zero incentive to even get a driver's license in this state since we will never be in-state for tuition purposes.

Thanks for the insight! I didn't realize it was so very different from state to state (though I probably should have!).

[pea-jay]

Actually I was under the impression that in this economy out of state students are more desirable since they pay more and represent income to the state. In state students are partially subsidized by state taxing arrangements.

[Pamphilia]

Actually I was under the impression that in this economy out of state students are more desirable since they pay more and represent income to the state. In state students are partially subsidized by state taxing arrangements.

While I don't know anything about unfunded programs, this seems fairly logical. I think thus far posters have been discussing funded programs, but this is obviously relevant as well! Another reason that this all varies state-to-state, school-to-school, program-to-program.

Edited February 3, 2010 by Pamphilia