Moving to Maine for a few strange reasons... (Portland, Bangor: 2010, rental)

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Some may think Acadianlion is a pessimist, but I consider him (you are a lion and not a lioness, correct?) a realist. A friend of mine just sent her child off to U of ME at Fort Kent instate cost $18,000 a year(?!)...I think it differs from state to state as to how long you have to live in the state to claim residency for tuition purposes. After reading several posts, I agree with those who say get job first--move after finding employment and then consider going to college in Maine. At least it won't look like you only moved to Maine to go to college even if in fact, that was one of the reasons. I certainly hope costs at a community college are a lot less than the cost at Fort Kent.

Acadianlion is a "he". There is an Acadialioness, too, but she seldom posts.

[reloop]

Originally Posted by JKHolden127

reloop, thanks for all those links!

as for the moving to be considered an "in-state" student, i think you have to "live" there and pay taxes for at least two years? maybe that's just how Missouri works. but when i applied for school here (st. louis, mo), that is what they told me. probably worth looking into though. just to know... because maybe by the time my husband transfers to a university, we'll be "residents"!

You're entirely welcome. I'm all for moving up here as long as one is realistic about what to expect. I'd give UMaine a call and ask Admissions what the requirements are to be considered and in-state student.

Good luck.

[Deborah Caldwell]

Where is everyone? My goodness, all that noise and then two days of absolute silence. My advice is that you not move to Maine. I left when I was 19, yearned for my childhood for decades, and came back yay yay yay, but it took me THREE YEARS to adjust to this peninsula. Maine is not part of the mainstream. If we spread the soil out so that there was an equal amount all over these millions of acres, there would only be 7 inches of soil. Nothing is arable. That is why there is not the dense populations that other very Northern countries have in Europe and the U.K. This is more like Siberia. The problem is that if you cannot afford to come here for a visit, then you will not be able to GET AWAY if you want to leave. Of course you will have to get a job, but there is no job here for you, there is no job here for me, and there is no job here for anyone at all. Working at a supermarket, stocking shelves, just covers the gasoline to get there and back, that is all. And Acadian Lion is right, and for some reason he has learned to type fast enough to spit it all out, but you are not listening, so he is beginning to repeat himself. Can you really tell us what YOU want to do? Why in the world are you doing research for someone else's whim? Why is HE going to college first, before you? Moving for the sake of moving is not a pretty thing, especially when you are doing it in an attempt to quiet the noise.Believe it or not, you do not owe your husband a thing. Nor does he owe you any thing. Just sit still. Think a little. You asked for advice. You have it, all over the place. We want you here, but we do not, do not, do not, want you to be stuck here with nothing but frozen tears on your face. Come and visit. Ask us where you can stay. We will help you do that, but we cannot help you to make this place into what you are insisting is is. His dream.

[chaosX5]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

Some may think Acadianlion is a pessimist, but I consider him (you are a lion and not a lioness, correct?) a realist. A friend of mine just sent her child off to U of ME at Fort Kent instate cost $18,000 a year(?!)...I think it differs from state to state as to how long you have to live in the state to claim residency for tuition purposes. After reading several posts, I agree with those who say get job first--move after finding employment and then consider going to college in Maine. At least it won't look like you only moved to Maine to go to college even if in fact, that was one of the reasons. I certainly hope costs at a community college are a lot less than the cost at Fort Kent.

I have read that in-state tuition for Fort Kent $5,100.00 Of course there are other fees.............I see that my figure is from 2007, have they increased the tuition? ( Room and board is $6,000.00 or so)

Just wondering...........

[lrfox]

I can't imagine tuition is much more than that. In-state at USM was about $9,000 this year (4500/semester) for a full-time student. I can't fathom that UMFK would cost much more than that. In state tuition for Maine schools is very reasonable. I chose Maine state schools because it cost me less to go to school in Maine as an OUT of state person than it did to go to a MA state school as an IN-state person. We had had the property in Maine for a while so I immediately got Maine resident tuition. Saved me a ton.

That $18,000 figure seems high. There's no way it's just tuition... that must be room/board with a mealplan, plus the cost of computers, etc. Even then it seems too high. If tuition is even $9,000, I can't believe that room/board in Fort Kent is an additional $9,000. It seems one could easily get an apartment from September-May for about 1/2 that.

[Sandhillian]

When I was fresh out of school, I moved to Maine sight unseen. It is a beautiful state. I lived in the "other Maine" right outside of Bangor. Good luck!

[chaosX5]

Originally Posted by Deborah Caldwell

Where is everyone? My goodness, all that noise and then two days of absolute silence. My advice is that you not move to Maine. I left when I was 19, yearned for my childhood for decades, and came back yay yay yay, but it took me THREE YEARS to adjust to this peninsula. Maine is not part of the mainstream. If we spread the soil out so that there was an equal amount all over these millions of acres, there would only be 7 inches of soil. Nothing is arable. That is why there is not the dense populations that other very Northern countries have in Europe and the U.K. This is more like Siberia. The problem is that if you cannot afford to come here for a visit, then you will not be able to GET AWAY if you want to leave. Of course you will have to get a job, but there is no job here for you, there is no job here for me, and there is no job here for anyone at all. Working at a supermarket, stocking shelves, just covers the gasoline to get there and back, that is all. And Acadian Lion is right, and for some reason he has learned to type fast enough to spit it all out, but you are not listening, so he is beginning to repeat himself. Can you really tell us what YOU want to do? Why in the world are you doing research for someone else's whim? Why is HE going to college first, before you? Moving for the sake of moving is not a pretty thing, especially when you are doing it in an attempt to quiet the noise.Believe it or not, you do not owe your husband a thing. Nor does he owe you any thing. Just sit still. Think a little. You asked for advice. You have it, all over the place. We want you here, but we do not, do not, do not, want you to be stuck here with nothing but frozen tears on your face. Come and visit. Ask us where you can stay. We will help you do that, but we cannot help you to make this place into what you are insisting is is. His dream.

You've just compared Maine to Siberia! I think you may feel a little.......ummmm.........stuck


I understand, really I do.........if someone were to ask me right now how I feel about living in a suburb of Charlotte, I would feel hard pressed to have anything nice to say. It's because I'm ready to get out of here, this area has nothing that we want for our lives and for our children. Wrong climate, traffic,high crime and no space. But, having said that, I have to understand that for some people this area is just perfect, it's everything that they want, very little winter, lot's and lot's of neighborhoods to choose from(with pools!) and a lot of activities and a reasonably large city that is close by. (see, I can be positive)

I do understand that Maine is not for everyone and it should be well researched with visits. I've met people here that are from Maine, some never want to go back and some couldn't get back to Maine fast enough! To each his own. (Everyone who reads this forum should pay close attention to Acadialion's posts, he gives a lot to think about. If one can pass his "tests" your good to go!, but it's not easy!!!!)

To say that there are NO jobs in the whole state of Maine is just incorrect, because quite often on this forum we hear of people finding jobs in Maine. In this very thread, I believe, MEorBust said they found a job on CareerBuilder. I know there are not many jobs in Maine, but frankly there are not many jobs anywhere (11.5% unemployment in the Charlotte area)


"and why is he going to college before you?" ............Mrs. Caldwell, married people sometimes do nice things for one another, not because they owe them, but because they love each other. I have friends with multiple masters degrees, they got them while their husband worked, after he had received his degree. I have a friend who worked while her husband got his masters, just do what works.


I'm sorry if this seems.....well, a little snarky, but I think there's a difference between reality and negativity, even though sometimes there is a fine line.

[forest beekeeper]

To compare Maine to Siberia, only serves to prove that a person has never visited Siberia.

I have seen a few comparisons drawn between Alaska and Maine, and the contrasts stand out.

Alaska and Siberia are far better comparisons.

[t_t1393]

Sometimes it maybe be better for the Husband to go to school first because maybe his degree is faster or less expensive then the Wifes or maybe she has a better paying job then he does so he goes to school first you state that she dont owe him nothing nor him to her which i personally feel is wrong all we have is each other and for one to depend on the other while is school owes the other a whole hell of alot trust in me i know this i am in school while my husband works to support me and our 2 girls not everything is about u in a Marrage its a give and take situation u both give and u both take!!

[Deborah Caldwell]

True enough. Everyone is right here. Snarky is a good word. And i have never been to Siberia, and yes, most of the time I wish that I did not have such a wonderful feeling about being there, because it is so hard to make a living here. But I must say, I am worried about Ms. Holden. But why should I, of all things, worry .... ? It did sound harsh.
I apologize for worrying about someone I know nothing about. And it did sound harsh. Sorry, Holden. So - don't listen to me, listen to the Lion. -Deb