I realize now that I wasn’t explicit, but implied by “in state” is going to a public university (since those are typically where in state tuition is different than out of state tuition).
Really this would have been great to know from my high school advisor to be able to convince my parents to let me consider other types of universities.
Granted I should have went to a community college to get my basic classes sorted out.
But being a first generation immigrant and the first to go to college I had little guidance and a high pressure to appease my parents.
At the same time they could not make any payments on my behalf but also did not allow me to go to community college either.
Some would say I should have been smarter, but my parents were sold the "American Dream",
I was forced to foot the bill :)