Benefits of being a high school graduate in DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, if kid is in school out of DC for a year, can kid just make that state her residence (as of August X prior year, etc.) and family can pay in-state tuition even if core family unit (of an ADULT, right?) lives in DC?

Depends on the state. Most states keep residence with the parents, but Utah makes it pretty easy for even dependent undergrads to establish in-state status the way you describe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, if kid is in school out of DC for a year, can kid just make that state her residence (as of August X prior year, etc.) and family can pay in-state tuition even if core family unit (of an ADULT, right?) lives in DC?

Most states, the kid has to be emancipated from the parents in order to qualify for in-state tuition. In a state like CA, even if the parents were to move to CA, you still have to wait one year before you get the in-state tuition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, if kid is in school out of DC for a year, can kid just make that state her residence (as of August X prior year, etc.) and family can pay in-state tuition even if core family unit (of an ADULT, right?) lives in DC?

Most states, the kid has to be emancipated from the parents in order to qualify for in-state tuition. In a state like CA, even if the parents were to move to CA, you still have to wait one year before you get the in-state tuition.

I did this in the early 90s. Here is what I did: I lived a different state than my parents. I had a job, a lease, and bills in my own name. I did this for a year and a half before applying to a university as a transfer student. I still had to work with financial aid at the uni to file “special conditions” with my FAFSA. Mind you, this was after initial financial aid rejection. I had to submit my lease, copy of bills, maybe bank statements (? don’t really remember). It isn’t easy but it can be done. I was 21 at the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, if kid is in school out of DC for a year, can kid just make that state her residence (as of August X prior year, etc.) and family can pay in-state tuition even if core family unit (of an ADULT, right?) lives in DC?

Most states, the kid has to be emancipated from the parents in order to qualify for in-state tuition. In a state like CA, even if the parents were to move to CA, you still have to wait one year before you get the in-state tuition.

I did this in the early 90s. Here is what I did: I lived a different state than my parents. I had a job, a lease, and bills in my own name. I did this for a year and a half before applying to a university as a transfer student. I still had to work with financial aid at the uni to file “special conditions” with my FAFSA. Mind you, this was after initial financial aid rejection. I had to submit my lease, copy of bills, maybe bank statements (? don’t really remember). It isn’t easy but it can be done. I was 21 at the time.

Oh and I had to supply my tax return. I had to show I was independent, which I truly was. My parents borrowed money from me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only speak anecdotally, but it seems like DCPS kids (I only know JR and Walls) seem to punch above their weight in college admissions.

I hear horror stories from parents in VA about how their kid was rejected by VT or UVA and their kids have incredible grades, stats, etc...and then I look at the kids I know from JR and Walls getting accepted into those schools with scores, stats, etc. that are nothing incredible. I don't know what majors kids are applying for which could impact it or what...that is why it is all anecdotal.

We also know a number of parents with kids at SJC and JR and they will make the same comment...that kids that have been friends (or even siblings) and were similar at Deal and have similar classes at JR and SJC and similar test scores...the JR kids seem to get "better" college acceptances.

Perhaps DCPS schools are all considered challenged...I honestly don't know.

One final comment on DC TAG...if you look beyond the expensive state flagships (UVA very expensive OOS...Michigan and Cal schools also expensive OOS), then DC TAG can be meaningful. There are a number of state flagships like University of Nebraska, University of South Carolina and others that offer in-state tuition as merit inducement for OOS candidates. In that instance, you receive in-state tuition, plus DC TAG and can attend those schools for very little out-of-pocket $$$s on a net basis.

Going to a large DC public school creates a different type of student that one who attended SJC. I wouldn’t assume that they are a lesser choice or less qualified. They’ve had a very different experience and bring that with them.

A lot of universities don’t want to deal with students who are NOT able to think critically and thus Catholic school students are often disfavored.

Sorry but did you forget the “not” in that last statement? Having had an inside look at both the SJC curriculum and the JR curriculum, I can only conclude that it is the high performing JR students who engage in much more rigorous critical thinking during their 4 years of high school. Not only do SJC students take fewer courses overall (7 instead of 8 each year), one of those is a religion course which is nothing more than catholic indoctrination. Moreover, the rigidity of catholic schools and the whole “limited world view” of a religious perspective just gets in the way of developing independent thinkers. SJC parents may think their students are learning critical thinking, but they are learning it within some very rigid guardrails.

You know nothing about Catholic high schools.

[Anonymous]

am I dumb, but since when do I need to emancipate an 18 year-old? And why do these people get to know how much I give a non-dependent child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:am I dumb, but since when do I need to emancipate an 18 year-old? And why do these people get to know how much I give a non-dependent child?

Maybe because you want to take advantage of their state-funded university without having ever paid taxes there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:am I dumb, but since when do I need to emancipate an 18 year-old? And why do these people get to know how much I give a non-dependent child?

You don’t get emancipated. PP isn’t using the correct term. You are officially an adult but most 18-26 year olds still get support from parents. I think insurance will cover kids until 26 if in school. Financially you become a quasi-adult. Financial aid doesn’t recognize people who have poor parents who cannot support them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:am I dumb, but since when do I need to emancipate an 18 year-old? And why do these people get to know how much I give a non-dependent child?

Maybe because you want to take advantage of their state-funded university without having ever paid taxes there?

Exactly this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dumb question, if kid is in school out of DC for a year, can kid just make that state her residence (as of August X prior year, etc.) and family can pay in-state tuition even if core family unit (of an ADULT, right?) lives in DC?

Most states, the kid has to be emancipated from the parents in order to qualify for in-state tuition. In a state like CA, even if the parents were to move to CA, you still have to wait one year before you get the in-state tuition.

I did this in the early 90s. Here is what I did: I lived a different state than my parents. I had a job, a lease, and bills in my own name. I did this for a year and a half before applying to a university as a transfer student. I still had to work with financial aid at the uni to file “special conditions” with my FAFSA. Mind you, this was after initial financial aid rejection. I had to submit my lease, copy of bills, maybe bank statements (? don’t really remember). It isn’t easy but it can be done. I was 21 at the time.

What you indicate may still work, but I do know that CA at least used to be much easier for a kid to qualify as in-state after 1 year...and the restrictions are much higher now. I can't tell you exactly what the changes were, but you had many kids able to qualify as in-state prior to the changes.

[Anonymous]

OK, I'm PP, just not totally into the idea of a residency time requirement before being able to participate in state benefits.

But whatever. We earn well, so I guess we'll have to pay well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ actually I take that back for private universities. I just looked it up. It appears that DC Tag applies only to public universities, HBCUs and private universities (American?) in the district of columbia, so it's not as broad as I said above. So yet another reason to move to Virginia. DC TAG eligible institutions are: all public colleges and universities throughout the US; public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) throughout the US; all private colleges and universities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
File Size: 411KB

So actually PP was right that at public universities with decent merit, DCTAG can make a meaningful difference. UVM, for example, regularly gives 16-20K of merit to high-achieving students; with the 10K from DCTAG, tuition would be 11-16K for my kid. I have friends in VA who always assumed their kid would go in-state (they even did the VA state pre-pay)…and then the kid ended up loving UVM and going there. We live in DC and have a kid who loves UVM; we’ll pay less than my VA friend if my kid ends up going there.

Point is, you can move to VA or MD and assume your kid will go to a state school, and then the state schools might not be what they want. If you want to be in VA or MD, you should move. But don’t move just for college (unless your financial situation requires it).

Correct, this is where DC TAG is quite helpful. You get that up to $10k if you pay $1 of tuition to any state university...so if University of Vermont or Nebraska or anyone else gives you in-state tuition/merit aid to induce you to attend, you can still use that $10k from DC TAG. There is no reduction in DC TAG for any grants provided by that State U.

You can’t count on any merit aid. That’s a big if and variable. Where you know for sure and it’s guarantee that you get in state tuition in VA.

My nephew went to a VA state school and just graduated 2 years ago. It was a total steal and bargain at about 25k a year all in for tuition, room and board.

You also can’t count on getting into the VA state school(s) you prefer. If the idea is to make your kid go to an in-state school no matter what, sure, this is the more certain plan. But if the kid is going to have choices, it’s worth factoring DCTAG into the equation.

Also, merit aid is guaranteed at many state schools for certain stats. And it’s all but certain at others for OOS kids. If you have a middle schooler who is doing well academically, you can make a pretty good bet that there will be merit aid out there for them and factor that into the equation as you make decisions about where/whether to move.

Yes you can definitely bet on getting into a state school in VA. UVA is not the only option.

VA has a ton of in state schools to choose from. My nephew is a mediocre student and had no problems getting into VCU. BTW his brother who is still in college is going to James Madison

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ actually I take that back for private universities. I just looked it up. It appears that DC Tag applies only to public universities, HBCUs and private universities (American?) in the district of columbia, so it's not as broad as I said above. So yet another reason to move to Virginia. DC TAG eligible institutions are: all public colleges and universities throughout the US; public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) throughout the US; all private colleges and universities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
File Size: 411KB

So actually PP was right that at public universities with decent merit, DCTAG can make a meaningful difference. UVM, for example, regularly gives 16-20K of merit to high-achieving students; with the 10K from DCTAG, tuition would be 11-16K for my kid. I have friends in VA who always assumed their kid would go in-state (they even did the VA state pre-pay)…and then the kid ended up loving UVM and going there. We live in DC and have a kid who loves UVM; we’ll pay less than my VA friend if my kid ends up going there.

Point is, you can move to VA or MD and assume your kid will go to a state school, and then the state schools might not be what they want. If you want to be in VA or MD, you should move. But don’t move just for college (unless your financial situation requires it).

Correct, this is where DC TAG is quite helpful. You get that up to $10k if you pay $1 of tuition to any state university...so if University of Vermont or Nebraska or anyone else gives you in-state tuition/merit aid to induce you to attend, you can still use that $10k from DC TAG. There is no reduction in DC TAG for any grants provided by that State U.

You can’t count on any merit aid. That’s a big if and variable. Where you know for sure and it’s guarantee that you get in state tuition in VA.

My nephew went to a VA state school and just graduated 2 years ago. It was a total steal and bargain at about 25k a year all in for tuition, room and board.

You also can’t count on getting into the VA state school(s) you prefer. If the idea is to make your kid go to an in-state school no matter what, sure, this is the more certain plan. But if the kid is going to have choices, it’s worth factoring DCTAG into the equation.

Also, merit aid is guaranteed at many state schools for certain stats. And it’s all but certain at others for OOS kids. If you have a middle schooler who is doing well academically, you can make a pretty good bet that there will be merit aid out there for them and factor that into the equation as you make decisions about where/whether to move.

Yes you can definitely bet on getting into a state school in VA. UVA is not the only option.

VA has a ton of in state schools to choose from. My nephew is a mediocre student and had no problems getting into VCU. BTW his brother who is still in college is going to James Madison

These types schools are "beneath" the majority posters on this Board. A college advisor told me that parents are still thinking about colleges like it's the 90s and early 2000s. There are so many more great choices than before that are financially attractive with great opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ actually I take that back for private universities. I just looked it up. It appears that DC Tag applies only to public universities, HBCUs and private universities (American?) in the district of columbia, so it's not as broad as I said above. So yet another reason to move to Virginia. DC TAG eligible institutions are: all public colleges and universities throughout the US; public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) throughout the US; all private colleges and universities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
File Size: 411KB

So actually PP was right that at public universities with decent merit, DCTAG can make a meaningful difference. UVM, for example, regularly gives 16-20K of merit to high-achieving students; with the 10K from DCTAG, tuition would be 11-16K for my kid. I have friends in VA who always assumed their kid would go in-state (they even did the VA state pre-pay)…and then the kid ended up loving UVM and going there. We live in DC and have a kid who loves UVM; we’ll pay less than my VA friend if my kid ends up going there.

Point is, you can move to VA or MD and assume your kid will go to a state school, and then the state schools might not be what they want. If you want to be in VA or MD, you should move. But don’t move just for college (unless your financial situation requires it).

Correct, this is where DC TAG is quite helpful. You get that up to $10k if you pay $1 of tuition to any state university...so if University of Vermont or Nebraska or anyone else gives you in-state tuition/merit aid to induce you to attend, you can still use that $10k from DC TAG. There is no reduction in DC TAG for any grants provided by that State U.

You can’t count on any merit aid. That’s a big if and variable. Where you know for sure and it’s guarantee that you get in state tuition in VA.

My nephew went to a VA state school and just graduated 2 years ago. It was a total steal and bargain at about 25k a year all in for tuition, room and board.

There are schools that guarantee a certain amount of merit aid based on GPA and/or test score. If you have a kid that can hit the test score threshold in 9th-11th grade and is on track with GPA, it's as close to a sure thing as you'll get in college admissions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ actually I take that back for private universities. I just looked it up. It appears that DC Tag applies only to public universities, HBCUs and private universities (American?) in the district of columbia, so it's not as broad as I said above. So yet another reason to move to Virginia. DC TAG eligible institutions are: all public colleges and universities throughout the US; public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU's) throughout the US; all private colleges and universities in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
File Size: 411KB

So actually PP was right that at public universities with decent merit, DCTAG can make a meaningful difference. UVM, for example, regularly gives 16-20K of merit to high-achieving students; with the 10K from DCTAG, tuition would be 11-16K for my kid. I have friends in VA who always assumed their kid would go in-state (they even did the VA state pre-pay)…and then the kid ended up loving UVM and going there. We live in DC and have a kid who loves UVM; we’ll pay less than my VA friend if my kid ends up going there.

Point is, you can move to VA or MD and assume your kid will go to a state school, and then the state schools might not be what they want. If you want to be in VA or MD, you should move. But don’t move just for college (unless your financial situation requires it).

Correct, this is where DC TAG is quite helpful. You get that up to $10k if you pay $1 of tuition to any state university...so if University of Vermont or Nebraska or anyone else gives you in-state tuition/merit aid to induce you to attend, you can still use that $10k from DC TAG. There is no reduction in DC TAG for any grants provided by that State U.

You can’t count on any merit aid. That’s a big if and variable. Where you know for sure and it’s guarantee that you get in state tuition in VA.

My nephew went to a VA state school and just graduated 2 years ago. It was a total steal and bargain at about 25k a year all in for tuition, room and board.

You also can’t count on getting into the VA state school(s) you prefer. If the idea is to make your kid go to an in-state school no matter what, sure, this is the more certain plan. But if the kid is going to have choices, it’s worth factoring DCTAG into the equation.

Also, merit aid is guaranteed at many state schools for certain stats. And it’s all but certain at others for OOS kids. If you have a middle schooler who is doing well academically, you can make a pretty good bet that there will be merit aid out there for them and factor that into the equation as you make decisions about where/whether to move.

Yes you can definitely bet on getting into a state school in VA. UVA is not the only option.

VA has a ton of in state schools to choose from. My nephew is a mediocre student and had no problems getting into VCU. BTW his brother who is still in college is going to James Madison

Did you even read the comment you’re responding to? Seems like you didn’t. So I’ll copy and paste the relevant part:

You also can’t count on getting into the VA state school(s) you prefer. If the idea is to make your kid go to an in-state school no matter what, sure, this is the more certain plan. But if the kid is going to have choices, it’s worth factoring DCTAG into the equation.