Out-of-State tuition for two years of graduate school: $38,000.

Total amount of loans to pay back after graduation: $61,000

Cost of books for two years: $1,000

Graduating with a Masters degree in Social Work: Priceless.

How good does the Master Card commercial make spending a lot of money sound when the end return is mainly sentimental value and no real consideration of overall debt?

For some students the small picture is most gratifying if they do not have to look at the big picture just yet. For others however, all they can see is the big picture- the post graduation, real life picture.

Being classified as an out-of-state student without the opportunity to change residency classification is a problem that may leave some students with a degree from the school of their choice, but also leaves them in a long- term financial hole.

Tiaera Faison graduated from the University of Tennessee in December 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

She applied to the Master of Social Work program and got accepted to the same school that she just graduated from.

She started attending classes in August 2007.

“I thought for sure that I would be classified as in-state because I graduated from UT,” said Faison. “I was hoping that they would take that into consideration.”

The main problem that Faison encountered, like so many other out-of-state students, is that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and UT do not classify under- age students based on where they live, but rather where their parents live.

Faison’s father is in the military. And as a typical military family, he and his wife are moved around the US and overseas regularly.

“They said my residency was classified wherever my parents reside,” said Faison. “I thought this was (dumb) because I got my bachelors from UT and my parents are military, so how is it that I can work, pay bills, and live in Knoxville but cant qualify for residency?”

When Faison spoke with someone who was over residency establishment for graduate students, she was told that in order to receive in-state tuition she would have to provide documentation proving that she is not a resident here just for school purposes.

“How stupid is that?” Faison said. “Jobs don’t send my money to my parents’ house in South Carolina along with my bills because I only live in Tennessee to go to school.”

Most students looking to reclassify their residency usually view the student residency classification guide.

The student residency classification guide does provide some help in clarifying the terms of residency, and it offers what hope it can for students who wish to apply for in-state tuition.

Paragraph Four covers different points at which a student will be classified as out-of-state but only required to pay in-state tuition. The highlights of those points are:

1. A student will not be reclassified as out-of-state if their parents move as long as they are continuously enrolled.

1. A student whose parents are in the armed forces and stationed in this state will be classified as out-of-state but only required to pay in-state as long as they are continuously enrolled.

1. Those students who are from specific adjacent counties and states shall be classified as out-of-state but only required to pay in-state.

1. Part-time students who are not domiciled in this State, but who are employed full time by the state or have two part-time jobs will be classified as out of state but only required to pay in-state.

Her problem was that she graduated in the fall of 2006, but her master’s program classes did not start until the following fall semester. She admitted that she spent time with her family in other states after graduation, while still providing a valid Tennessee address to use to apply for graduate school.

“After I graduated I just wanted to get out of Knoxville, well Tennessee in general, for a while,” said Faison. “Even though I was out of the state for about eight months, I figured I would still be in good shape in getting in-state because I still had a place here.”

According to UT’s guidelines, however, Faison did not do enough to establish herself as a Tennessee resident without the basis of attending school.

One option that the university provides students who want to re-establish their residency is to take time off from school.

“Taking time off from school was not an option, and neither was transferring,” said Faison. “UT has a highly ranked social work program. That is what made me want to come back here.”

In UT’s defense the guidelines are the way they are for a reason. Not everyone who wants to be a Volunteer is guaranteed or even has the right to cheaper, in-state tuition.

UT offers financial aide programs and has various scholarships ready and available to students who are in need, and the FAFSA does provide some relief with grants once the student completes the application.

None-the-less, if you are an out-of-state student the question still remains: Financially, just how bad do you want to be a Volunteer?

“It’s these out-of-state students, who should be paying in-state, that receive the ‘Big Orange Screw’ by the university,” said Faison. “How is it that school is supposed to afford you the opportunity to have a better life when at the time of your departure you are so far in the hole you have to work double just to rise above water?”

“Yes a college education is highly valuable in today’s society but one must ask is it at a reasonable cost,” said Faison.

For more information on UT’s scholarships and loan opportunities visit: http://web.utk.edu/~finaid/newpage/schol-info.html.

To apply for the free federal student aid visit: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

The residency reclassification application is available at http://registrar.tennessee.edu/residency/resguide.shtml.