Texas high school senior Mitchell Ackerman wakes up at 6 a.m. He turns off the alarm, turns on a lamp and reaches for a worn textbook. He begins to study for the ACT, the college entrance exam he has been dreading for months.

Throughout the day, Ackerman flips through flashcards, highlights text and takes notes. On Saturday he will take the test for a third time, hoping to raise his score enough to receive in-state tuition at OU, which can be difficult to obtain for out-of-state students.

Ackerman believes high test scores and a good GPA will be enough to earn Oklahoma resident status.

Ackerman’s mother, Diane Box, said her family can not afford out-of-state tuition at OU. However, she said an OU representative told her that in-state tuition is possible for Texas students.

“OU looks like the perfect school for Mitchell,” Box said. “I am pushing him to do well in school and study hard for his tests because he deserves to go wherever he wants.”

Patricia Lynch, admissions director, said it is unlikely for Ackerman and other Texas students to receive Oklahoma resident status, however.

She said many people confuse residency with a variety of scholarships, and the misunderstanding most likely came from the many scholarships which offer to waive non-resident tuition. She said students can find the scholarships to waive the non-resident costs on the prospective student section of OU’s Web site.

“A student may be paying in-state tuition but not be residents of the state of Oklahoma,” Lynch said. “This is a scholarship, not resident status.”

It is presumed that when out-of-state students come to OU they are in the state temporarily for an education, she said.

In Oklahoma, dependent students are considered a resident in the state where their parents or guardians reside.

In states like Arkansas, Kentucky and Missouri, public universities are trying to attract non-residents by charging them lower tuition if they meet minimum scores on the SAT or ACT.

Kevin Cheshier, engineering senior, is receiving in-state tuition at OU. Cheshier is from Texas where he is considered dependent upon his parents, but was granted in-state tuition after four years in Oklahoma.

Cheshier said it was a difficult process to receive in-state tuition, and the university looked at several factors.

“I took a year off from school and stayed in Oklahoma to work,” Cheshier said. “I also changed my driver’s license and waited a year after applying for OU to grant me in-state.”

Cheshier said his actions proved to OU that he would stay in Oklahoma after graduation and would contribute to the state’s economy.