Potential Magazine College Organizer 2019 | Page 25

admissions
academic common market
OUT-OF-STATE
TUITION WAIVED
Imagine these scenarios:
Courses of Study
You’ve finally chosen your major. You’ve done
the research, thought long and hard about it,
and decided to commit. There’s just one prob-
lem- the program isn’t offered at any college in
your state.
-OR-
You’ve always dreamed about leaving your
home state to go off to college. However, you
can’t necessarily afford to fund that dream.
Out-of-state tuition is expensive!
There are more than 1,900 degree programs to choose from with-
in the 100+ Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) member
schools- some are even online! Check out a few examples of
what a student from Alabama could study in another state while
paying in-state tuition rates:
ouisiana State University —
­ Bachelor of Arts, Political
•  L Communication
— Bachelor of Arts, Risk
• U Management
 niversity of Georgia
and Insurance
• M Contracting
 ississippi State ­— Bachelor of Science, Landscape
• Tennessee Tech — Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art Education
— Bachelor of Science,
• W Petroleum
 est Virginia and University
Natural Gas Engineering
Do either of those sound like a situation you’ve found yourself
in? If so, we have a solution for you! The Academic Common
Market (ACM) allows students to attend an out-of-state school
while paying in-state tuition rates. Basically, with the ACM, a
student from Alabama could attend school in Tennessee and pay
the same tuition rate Tennessee residents pay. Check out www.sreb.org/acm for more details and a full list of
degree programs offered!
Let’s Talk Money Am I Eligible?
Why does out-of-state tuition cost more anyways? Universities
are given a subsidy from their state government, funded with
taxes paid by state residents. Since non-residents do not contrib-
ute to the tax base that supports those universities, they typically
do not benefit from the in-state rate. The result? Non-residents
end up paying almost 40% more per year in tuition costs than
residents. The Academic Common Market solves that problem!
AVERAGE IN-STATE
TUITION: $9,970
There’s a certification process that any student applying to par-
ticipate in the ACM must follow. It varies from state to state, but
usually involves verifying your residency and the availability of
the degree program you’re interested in. Most schools will require
proof that you have been a resident of your state for at least
twelve months before you qualify for in-state rates. In addition,
you must meet the admissions requirements of the school you’re
seeking to attend. This encompasses everything from your GPA
and ACT scores to your enrollment status- most schools will
require you to attend full-time.
-VS-
AVERAGE OUT-OF-STATE
TUITION: $25,620
Source: www.collegedata.com
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