In-state college tuition for AZ residents? (Tucson: rent, high school, universities)

[kate's gotta go]

Hi. Can anyone share with me if AZ makes it any easier for in-state residents to send their kids to in-state colleges? Also, can anyone recommend any AZ towns that are predominantly kid and family-friend and filled...with lots of sports leagues for the kids to participate in...good schools and safe streets? I know this is asking for alot.

Also, also.....any great colleges/universities in AZ known for their strong baseball teams?

Thanks!

ps How is the weather out there these days? We are already beginning to freeze here in NJ --- 40 and raining!

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by kate's gotta go

Hi. Can anyone share with me if AZ makes it any easier for in-state residents to send their kids to in-state colleges? Also, can anyone recommend any AZ towns that are predominantly kid and family-friend and filled...with lots of sports leagues for the kids to participate in...good schools and safe streets? I know this is asking for alot.

Also, also.....any great colleges/universities in AZ known for their strong baseball teams?

Thanks!

ps How is the weather out there these days? We are already beginning to freeze here in NJ --- 40 and raining!

Both Arizona State University (PHX area) and the University of Arizona (Tucson) have baseball teams that are usually nationally ranked and compete for the NCAA title. UofA is also ranked among the nation's best academic universities. ASU's business school is nationally respected.

We've been having record highs around 90, but it cools quickly in the evening this time of year so it's not bad. Supposed to get back to normal with highs in upper 70s later this week. It's rarely cloudy now or at any other time of year. We've been having beautiful sunsets for several days now.

As far as towns for kids, any of the suburbs are as you describe, kid-oriented with teams. My daughter is on a couple of them. It's a little different here in that the soccer, baseball, etc is played in the winter. It's too hot in the summer. The kids can take it, but the parents die on the sidelines.

[Idaho]

I'll address your in-state college tuition question. I have a AZ college senior and an AZ high school senior in my fam.

#1. As mute as this point might be, fill out the FAFSA (Federal Application For School Assistance). Most scholarships require that you have filed this form, even if the scholarship is not "need" based.

#2. Starting with the high school graduating class of 2007, the state is offering an opportunity to all graduating seniors. If they get a score of "excelling" on all three segments of the AIMS test, then in-state colleges will pay all the tuition for that student's freshman college year. Supposedly, the scholarship is renewable for up through a fourth year, with certain criteria met. The state is not clear on whether this will be a one-shot-deal, ie: only offered to the class of 2007, or if it will be offered to future graduating high school classes. I'm wondering how and where the funding for all that tuition is going to come from. (AIMS is the test AZ created in response to No Child Left Behind mandates - no student receives an AZ high school diploma without passing the AIMS, in theory anyway)