Hometown or Current Residence?

Question

Let's say that someone grew up in Tennessee and now has lived in New York City for the past 3-4 years after college. On the B-School applications at most schools, will they ask him/her to list both Tennessee and NYC, or just one or the other? When schools put together the list of geographic diversity of their entering class - will he/she be counted as someone from Tennessee or from New York City?

How much do schools attempt to strive for any sort of geographic diversity? Is it easier for lets say, someone from California to get into Columbia than it is for just another NYC applicant, considering similar profiles?

How much do schools attempt to strive for any sort of geographic diversity? Is it easier for lets say, someone from California to get into Columbia than it is for just another NYC applicant, considering similar profiles?

togafoot · Answer

It gets much more complicated that that...

e.g. for me... Brought up in Liverpool, UK with Asian (Chinese) parents, worked in London and now working in Tokyo.

It also complicates matters as well.. e.g. I`m not eligible to get loans from my home country (UK) because i`ve been a way too long, and can`t get a loan in Japan for an MBA because I`m not Japanese.

jbguy · Answer

This is an interesting question. I imagine that schools will consider as a NYC applicant since you have been there for several years. However, if you still lived in Tennessee and were applying to Columbia or some other schools in the Northeast, it might give you a marginal advantage.

Also, I recall some applications asking for both you current address and hometown. However, I think this was common with state schools (Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, etc), as it helps them determine your eligibility for in-state tuition.

I'd really like to hear from some students that have helped review applications. They could definitely shed some light on your question.

sm332 · Answer

I never thought that this would be a relevant factor but in my case I am not sure how I would explain my childhood-

born in India
3 yrs in Paris
3 yrs in Ivory Coast
2 yrs in India
3 yrs in Rome
4 yrs in India
2 yrs in NYC
5 yrs in Philly
2 yrs in Toronto

closest thing to hometown would be Jaipur - but as can be seen complicated question for me!

agold · Answer

I believe you're eligible for in-state tuition at UCLA and Berkeley as long as you have paid taxes in California the year before enrollment, have been a resident, and have had your car registered for at least 1 year. Your hometown has nothing to do with residency for in-state tuition.

jbguy · Answer

Ah, good point. Maybe I am just selectively recalling the question from some of the state school apps.

gixxer1000 · Answer

I was curious about the same thing. I'm from Ohio and let's face it, very few people from Ohio go to a top 20 school. You can look at the stats from GMAC and very few people here actaully take the GMAT. So I thought this would be an advantage by adding to the regional diversity. But I'm taking a job in DC and will be there for only 4 months before I apply. Will I be counted as being from Ohio or DC? Or does it not really matter and I'm just overthinking this?

jallenmorris · Answer

You can always approach this from the legal aspect. If you get sued, where would venue and jurisdiction be proper? This is a matter of domicile and the nature of the claim.

As for your domicile, you are domiciled wherever you live, as long as it is where you intend to remain and make your permanent residence. The types of lawsuits in which this becomes an issue are people moving from one state to another and college students.

Example: If you live in NYC and work for a company. You plan on residing there until whenever. NO PLANS TO MOVE. Your comapny says "Oh, we're relocating to Miami. Decide in 4 weeks if you're going to move with us or not." You decide you're moving so you pack up your things in a Uhaul and set out for Florida. You get hit by a punk law student in Chapel Hill, NC (never been a fan of UNC since Roy Williams left KU). You are still domiciled in NY because, even though you have no plans to go back to NY because you're company moved to Miami, you are not in Florida yet. There must be intent to make the new place your home and physical presence in that new state. Once you cross the line into Florida, you're domiciled there.

As for some that are from Tenessee but live in NYC, if you've been there for 4 years, ask yourself this "When I leased my apartment/flat/condo, did I plan on staying here with NYC as my home, or did I plan on this being a short-term stint and someday moving back to Tenessee?" Evidence in favor of you being domiciled in NY would be paying taxes to NY state, but that's not necessarily going to throw the decision one way or the other. This would only be evidence regarding your intent to be domiciled somewhere.

My opinion: You're from NY. You might have grown up in Tennessee, but now you're from NY. Besides, will it be easier for your to get accepted if you're from Tennessee? If so, I'm moving next weekend!

bsd_lover · Answer

Oh boy,
With that kinda diversity you dont need to retake the GMAT.

Darden2010 · Answer

well I know that for international students, we always claim our home country as the place we are from (hometown) no matter how long we have lived in the US. And also, we pay taxes to the states but stil we are from country X in every b-school application. 
So wouldn't people be treated the same when it comes to inter-state moving instead of inter-national moving?

sm332 · Answer

i dont know how much of an effect it will really have ... at the end of day they will see the Indian passport and lump me with my brethren. Amongst them my score is actually well below average

So hence the retake!

bsd_lover · Answer

No way !! this is your USP - make it shine via your essays.

Ozmba · Answer

I guess your dad works for Indian foreign service??

isa · Answer

I'm planning on putting my current address in Madison, WI as my permanent address. I've lived in Boston, DC, Boston again and since graduating from college (3 years now) have been in Madison. It should (in theory) work!

riverripper · Answer

I am the only person who is a resident of my state who went to either of the DAK weekends...not sure if any other people were admitted or not. It may help to have that in your favor but its probably a tiny factor unless you are from some unusual country where it may be a bigger deal.

sm332 · Answer

Yes

Hometown or Current Residence?

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