Thinking of relocating

Generally, they only get instate tuition if they've lived in the state for 1 full year prior to starting college. If they attend the first year full time as an out of state resident, their residency status cannot change to instate. If, however, she only goes part time the first year, she should be eligible for instate tuition the second year, assuming you've lived there her entire first year.

Just something to consider and definitely look into it before making that big a decision.

I grew up in eastern NC, spent 30 years in the Asheville area and am VERY familiar with all part of NC, SC, TN, AL, GA ... let me know what you're looking for. If you want the true southern experience, any of these would work.

Rurul? Urban? Centrally located? Off the beaten path? Cost of living? Special interests/hobbies? I could give you a boatload of advice depending on what you want.

What do you want?

Anywhere in the south is nice, it really depends on what you're looking for.

NC has a pretty good economy, TN and GA as well.

I don't know of the choices I would go with TN, I don't believe they have a state income tax, not 100% on that. I know FL and TX have no state income and I think one of those would be my preference. But for god sake whatever you do; get out of Michigan.

Visit in the summer. The entire American southeast has the most disgusting summer weather I've ever experienced, and I live in Arizona.

Disgusting as in...what? I'm assuming you don't mean heat, since you're from Arizona. Seriously not trying to be sarcastic - looking for clarification. Thanks.

They're talking about the humidity. It's brutal, especially when you come from a desert climate...that also has no summer bugs screwing up your bbqs.

Anyhoo, back to the topic at hand. If you want to move, then move. But I wouldn't suggest following your daughter around. She wants to go away so she can be on her own and she deserves the opportunity. If mom's dinner and laundry service is just a short drive away it won't be the same.

Visit in the summer. The entire American southeast has the most disgusting summer weather I've ever experienced, and I live in Arizona.

Disgusting as in...what? I'm assuming you don't mean heat, since you're from Arizona. Seriously not trying to be sarcastic - looking for clarification. Thanks.

I am guessing that is referring to humidity!

I'm a UGA alumni. Nice school with GREAT programs. Will warn you that it had been one of the top 10 party schools in the nation for a very long time. Not sure where they rank now (I graduated over 10 years ago). Something to consider is what she wants to major in. If you have questions about UGA or Georgia, feel free to message me. And yes, it is VERY humid.

EDIT: Your daughter might have an edge applying to UGA as an out of state student. The college is super competitive to get into instate due to the HOPE Scholarship. Unless the rules have changed, HOPE pretty much allows instate students with a B average to get a free ride to Georgia public university (with some hoops to jump through of course).

I grew up in eastern NC, spent 30 years in the Asheville area and am VERY familiar with all part of NC, SC, TN, AL, GA ... let me know what you're looking for. If you want the true southern experience, any of these would work.

Rurul? Urban? Centrally located? Off the beaten path? Cost of living? Special interests/hobbies? I could give you a boatload of advice depending on what you want.

What do you want?

Lol - ok...I'm looking for laid-back, quiet, easy going...but not totally out in the stix kind of thing. I could do a fairly big city, but I'm better with small town kind of feel. I work at a daycare, so I would have to at least be within commuting distance to a fairly large city. Oh - and college football is a must. :-) I don't make a lot of money, so the cost of living should be fairly low. I don't want snow - or at least the amount of snow we get here - but not sure if I would like the "extreme" heat of places like Arizona. How's that? :-)

That gives me something to start with. On above comments, TN has no income tax, but it has a very high property tax. NC has a great economy but it's job markets are VERY tight and the cost of living there a lot higher than TN or AL. AL has the lowest cost of housing in the country and is the heaven for college football (and if you're the real thing, I don't have to explain why).

I am myself in AL now after having spent considerable years working and living in NC and TN ... if you want to avoid humidity, you can't beat the Asheville area of NC, which also has proximity to Knoxville and to the tri-cities area of eastern TN (and a nice regional university there at ETSU with lots to offer). Eastern NC is nice too but if you get near a city, you are in a high cost of living/housing and a very tight job market again.

Nashville is nice if you are a shopper but the traffic was a dealbreaker for me.

I am personally most in love with Birmingham, AL and am myself zealously looking for work there to settle in a place called Smith Lake, a residential community with 500+ miles of lakefront property at ridiculously low prices, proximity to Birmingham, the state's largest city (45 min-1 hr commute) and it's the second cleanest lake in the country (after Tahoe) which means I could swim in it from my own dock and my hubz can float the wooden boats he loves to build. And the prices ... ! OY! Check it out ... (B'ham also has a booming arts community) ...

If you are looking for a progressive, artsy, cool hipster city, you can't beat Asheville in the NC mtns ... learn all about it at MountainX.com ...

Atlanta is nice but too big for my taste. You can live in a city nearby (like B'ham) and still be a days drive away for special events. Chattanooga TN is another hipster artsy environment, with central proximity to Atlanta, B'ham, Huntsville, Nashville ...

Let me know if you need more info.