I am a non-traditional student with an associate’s degree (4.0 GPA) returning to school to complete a biology degree (with med-school aspirations) and I am having trouble finding an affordable option.
My cheapest in-state option isn’t affordable. They’re requiring me to take out about 25k in loans to attend a full year. Have already appealed my financial aid (based on income changes), but I don’t think it’s going to end well given that most of the aid is gone for the year. While they work on my appeal, I am considering the cancellation of my attendance this fall to look for and apply to cheaper options.
I am eligible for $12.5K/year in federal loans as an independent for FAFSA purposes. Are there any reputable schools out there that won’t require me to take out more than $12.5k in loans per year? At this point, I am willing to go anywhere as long as my debt is minimized and the schools is reputable.
How do non-traditional students out there afford going back to school full-time? Would working full-time and attending school part-time be my only option?
Look around the Midwest, it’s not so expensive here. You would qualify for in-state rates at Northwest Missouri State University, so tuition would be $8933 and you would get $2500 auto merit. So a year’s tuition of $6433 plus your living expenses. My nephews share an apartment and I think it’s $300/month each. It’s a small town so not as easy to find part-time jobs though. Anyway, there are others, especially ones in the middle of nowhere 
that will offer in-state rates and auto merit.
Check out University of New Mexico. You would be eligible for their Amigo scholarship, which is an OOS tuition waiver. Tuition is around $7500, and full COA is around $22,000.
Albuquerque rent is pretty cheap. The only hitch with the transfer Amigo is that it’s 8 semesters (including summer), and then it expires. You’d have to graduate by then or get stuck paying OOS tuition (or get in-state residency).
Their med school has a number of top ten rankings, and is one of the least expensive in the country once you obtain residency.
If you get a job with the hospital (adjacent to campus) and work 50% time, there are significant tuition benefits.
UNM is still accepting applications, and last year they were still awarding Amigos around now, too. The app takes about 5 minutes to complete. You’d be auto-admit to both the school and the Honors college.
https://admissions.unm.edu/costs-financial-aid/index.html
http://www.unm.edu/apply/
@DiotimaDM @bjscheel would those merit scholarships apply to a transfer student?
@“Erin’s Dad” Yes, they would. https://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/transfer-scholarships.html
Non-resident scholarships are in the bottom half of the page. If OP can work part-time and / or has savings, UNM is probably do-able.
@“Erin’s Dad” yes that is the transfer scholarship for a 4.0.
That’s incorrect. The Transfer Amigo is only good for 4 consecutive semesters. (Summer counts as a semester if the student takes classes.)
http://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/transfer-scholarships.html
Re: Four semesters - Derp! That’s what I meant, but not what I typed!
As for summer, that’s not what they said when I asked. OP will need to confirm if interested.
@threepeat
If you’re willing to live in a smaller, rural town, both Eastern New Mexico University and Western New Mexico University will be less expensive than UNM or NMSU. (by a lot…)
At both Eastern and Western, you’d automatically get the Competitive Transfer Scholarship (requires 3.5 college GPA) which would give you in state tuition rate.
COA at both Eastern & Western is ~$15/year (tuition, fees, room, board, books)
https://admissions.wnmu.edu/transfer/?utm_source=undergraduate&utm_medium=wnmu-supermenu-future-students&utm_campaign=dropdown-menus
https://admissions.wnmu.edu/undergrad/#student-costs-tuition-__0026-fees-sample
Your COL may be even lower if you live off campus.
With your $11,500 student loan as a junior independent student, you have most of your costs covered.
Eastern is particularly friendly to transfer students and will accept most of your current college credits. (This is partly due to the presence of an Air Force Base nearby. Many of the airmen are enrolled in ENMU classes.)
Both universities offer degrees in biology, chemistry and psychology. Both Portales (where Eastern is) and Silver City (where Western is) have regional hospitals for pre-med volunteering.
Take a look at this list–
[50 Colleges with the Lowest Out of State Tuition](https://www.bestcolleges.com/features/lowest-out-of-state-tuition/)
Would getting New Mexico residency (for undergraduate and medical school, since in-state New Mexico medical school is relatively inexpensive) be difficult in practice for an independent student?
http://registrar.unm.edu/residency/index.html
State residency is relatively simply to get.
While OOS students are not eligible for state residency, one could live in NM after college, work in NM for a minimum of 12 months & demonstrate financial independence by being fully self supporting (leases, utility bills, W2s, etc required), file NM state taxes, register to vote, get a NM driver’s license and demonstrate an intent to make NM one’s permanent domicile.
However, UNM SOM rather frowns upon “carpet baggers” and expects a significant demonstration of service to NM’s underserved communities as well as a demonstration of a sincere commitment to remain in-state and practice medicine in NM after med school graduation and residency.
Enrolled members of any Native American and Native Alaskan tribe are consider in-state for admission purposes at UNM SOM.
Thanks for all of these suggestions; currently sifting through the details!