I am at $11445 now from a year I went back in '94 and the last two years here. I know I have up to around 54k as an undergrad. If I major in astrophysics, I am looking at four more years just to get a Bachelors due to being behind in math as I have to start Calc 1 coreq with Physics I next fall and then my 4 years starts there. However, if I change my major to aviation, I will only need about two more years to get my degree as I already have the necessary credits behind me. I have not borrowed anywhere near the yearly max for Stafford as my school is very affordable total cost per semester is about 7k for housing, tuition and meal plan at the out of state rate. This is a pretty decent school and they have helped me out quite a bit.
You need to establish residency in NM before you transfer. The idea of paying OOS costs there is crazy.
Establish residency in Florida first - address, driver’s license, taxes on file, etc. If you’re paying OOS in NM anyway, why not stay in school in NM till May but start establishing residency in FL right now? Even if you rent a 1-room dump in a backwater of central Florida and register a business that doesn’t make much money, it “counts”.
I just established residency in NM. I have no plans now to go to school in Florida. I’m likely going to an affordable school here in NM. I’m sick of trying to get into a big school like I wanted. The bigger schools seem to only care about taking lots of your money and I don’t have all the extracurricular stuff required to get into a school like that which will return a decent wage down the road, so I guess I’ll just make the best of going to a school that will land me only a mediocre job.
I was under the impression that getting good grades would allow me to obtain enough merit aid to afford to attend an OOS school when loans and grants are used alongside the merit aid. However, I have found this past year that good grades mean pretty much nothing other than allowing you to be accepted to a good school, but not get you any kind of additional aid (merit) in order to afford it.
^ Yes, you are right. Good grades in college get you in for admission as a transfer but don’t help with costs. The best scholarships are reserved for freshmen. Posters have been saying this on CC for years.
If you’ve established residency in NM, you can attend any in-state university for a relatively good price, including NM School of Mines and Technology, which is very well thought-of.
Good grades CAN get you some merit aid at your instate college, but transfers don’t get much if any merit aid otherwise.
Of course, you can also apply to top colleges that admit many students from community colleges (Cornell CALS, Columbia school of General Studies…) but indeed financial aid is often best for freshmen, which is why the option CC+flagship is not always the cheapest way to go. You can also apply to UMN-Morris or Truman State, which I think have merit scholarships for transfers, but I don’t know why you’d want to go there rather than to your instate universities.
Apply to a few different schools (UNM, NMSMT, Cornell CALS…) and see.
In any case, it’s not the school that lands you a job, mediocre or otherwise. Of course, if you attend a tiny branch campus with only 5 majors and few courses, sure. But if you attend a state flagship or a school as well-known as NM Tech, it’s all on you - use the opportunities offered, do well in your classes, seek out internships, network with professors and alumni, get involved on campus… and you’ll be well qualified for excellent jobs.
Thanks, that’s good information. It’s looking like NMSU right now. NMT has a new pre-calculus requirement as of Summer 2015 that I will not have by next Fall, only College Algebra. At my age I am not delaying or postponing anything.
See if NMT can waive that requirement since you’re a mature/older/nontraditional students. Adults returning to school often have some leeway since they’re not in the same situation as kidsin HS. Call them and open right away with the fact you’re a non traditional applicant so that they know exactly who to refer you to (if they have a specific counselor) or what category of applicant you’re in.