Confused about state residency...

[livewell]

So I'm a little confused about what state I'd be considered a resident of. I was born in Texas, lived there until I was 18 when I moved with my family to Colorado. I took a year off and lived there for a year before returning to Texas to attend Baylor University, where I've been for the past 2 years. When I graduate from Baylor, I intend to do an Accelerated BSN program. The problem is, money is obviously a factor and I'd really prefer to go to a school in my "home" state so that I can pay in-state tuition. I'm technically still a dependent, so I assume that normally my residence would be whatever my dad's is (Colorado, since he's lived there for 3 years now).

BUT, what if I decide I want to do my BSN in Texas. Can I argue the point that I've lived there my whole life except one year between high school and college, and that I intend to go to school there and eventually stay there permanently?

Or if I decide I want to go to school in Colorado. Could I say that because I am financially a dependent of my father, that my residence should be in the same state as his?

Does anyone have any information about all this, or know where I can find some? Thanks!

[livewell]

So if my goal is to stay in Colorado for school, when it comes time to file as an independent (which won't be for another year or two anyway), I should do so in Colorado?

Also, I currently have a Texas driver's license, Colorado license plates, and I'm not registered to vote. Would it make sense to renew my license in Colorado and also register to vote there? Would that make me "more eligible" for Colorado residency?

[penelopelp]

I went through this when I was going to college in Florida. You need to make sure that you get your tag, voter ID, driver's license, etc., for the state that you want to be considered a "resident." I got all that stuff and paid my own taxes. Then, I wrote a long letter to the university explaining my situation. I had grown up in Alabama, my parents were living in Maryland, and I was living in Florida, so nobody wanted to give me in-state tuition. Go to the website of the college that you are interested in, and find out the requirements for in-state tuition. Make sure you follow all of those requirements. They just want to make sure that you aren't moving somewhere just to get the in-state tuition.