Miscellaneous questions about Albuquerque (Santa Fe, Tijeras: jobs, house, college)

[yukon]

As for the professional sports teams, I would say by far the biggest team supported is the Dallas Cowboys. Closely seconded is the Denver Broncos.

Better watch your back. There's at least three of us Saints fans here now. And at least two Bucs fans. And we can multiply faster than roaches.

[AndyJ]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Thanks for the response, AndyJ. I'm actually a Colorado resident for tuition purposes (not AZ), since I'm still classified as a dependent of my parents. I have a full ride scholarship right now, which is the only reason I'm attending ASU; otherwise I'd be paying $17,000 a year in out-of-state undergraduate tuition. My in-state backup school I'm applying to is CU Denver, a branch campus of the state flagship school (CU Boulder). That being said, I have also applied to UA. Do you think if I went to UofA, it would be easy to get a job in Albuquerque if that's where I decided I wanted to be? Are there alumni connections between the two states?

There is a pretty sizable UA alumni chapter here, but I couldn't say for sure how many of them are in business or accounting. So the connection is there, and I would think that you would have a good chance of running into someone with a degree from UA or ASU in a job in which you're interested here in Albuquerque. Same probably goes for CU; lots of alumni here who are from NM but attended college out of state and eventually came back.

At any rate, good luck with your searching!

[yukon]

5. Is anybody on this forum an accountant? Would ABQ be a good or bad place for someone who wants to start a career in accounting (public accounting or corporate accounting)?

>>>>(sorry...although I know some accountants post here, hopefully they'll chime in; accountants are needed though in almost every big city)


I'm not a degreed accountant (just work for CPA's) so I checked with my various degreed accountant and CPA friends here locally, and to a "T" they all said they had NO problem finding work once they graduated, CPA or not, and that good accountants are hard to find here in NM (and the SW as a whole). The CPA community here seems to be pretty tight knit, but what I found surprising (and nice) was that the school you graduated from wasn't as important as your skills, ability and reputation. They all talk amongst themselves, so if you interview with one and it's not a good match, don't be surprised if they refer you to a firm that might be a better fit. Many of the small and mid-size firms were started by CPA's moving here from out of state, so you'll find a wide assortment of schools represented in ABQ.

[vegaspilgrim]

I'm combining my replies from the weather thread into this thread so I don't end up hijacking someone else's thread:

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Albuquerque in many respects is very similar to Tucson. I know you are very familiar with Tucson from some other posts and you are leaning towards Vegas or Denver, so I don't know if you'd prefer ABQ truthfully. It has a similar population size as Tucson, a similar layout (mountains on one side, military base on the south end), etc. It, in my opinion, has maybe more of a cool culture and flair than Tucson, and the weather is surely cooler than Tucson's, but is similar.

ABQ's job market is booming in many fields due to the great population growth and the influx of new businesses, but still it is a metro of 850,000, not 3-million plus.

I would prefer ABQ over Denver, Vegas or Tucson, but given your interests I have seen in other posts in bigger cities, it might not be "for you"...but hey, spend some time there, see if you love it!!

I happen to love Tucson! I go there about once a month to just "chill out" and do some hiking, walk around the rival school U of A's campus, check out the girls there, etc. I'm applying to UA for their MS in Accounting program, so if I happen to choose that school I'll be living in Tucson for at least a year. Most people here in Phoenix are so negative about Tucson it's unbelievable; the rivalry between the two cities almost turns into hatred at times. Layout-wise, I think Albuquerque has a big advantage over Tucson in that ABQ is criss-crossed with two major interstate highways going through the middle of town, whereas I-10 only bypasses the majority of Tucson on the outskirts. Believe it or not, traffic on surface streets in Tucson is worse than Phoenix. Another big advantage ABQ has is it's the biggest city in the state, whereas Tucson is always second place behind Phoenix-- and often gets the leftovers when it comes to state funding, etc.

As for Las Vegas... I don't really know anymore. I've been there at least 15 times (no joke), mainly visiting family there off the strip, but I'm not totally sure if I want to live there. In some ways, Las Vegas would be a step up from Phoenix, in other ways a step down. Las Vegas during the middle of the summer is just as hot as Phoenix, and I'm getting sick of the extreme heat. It's still a possibility though, and I applied to UNLV as one of my schools. BTW, my username "vegaspilgrim" has nothing to do with relocation; I've used that as my screenname long before I discovered city-data.com. I've also expressed interest in San Diego, especially since I took a quick road trip there a few weeks ago. San Diego would be a great city, IMO, and a nice change from Denver and Phoenix, except that it's so darn expensive! And as much as I like San Diego, is living there the same as visiting there on vacation? Probably not.

Who knows, maybe I am kidding myself that I would like Albuquerque? My family would probably think I'm nuts if I told them I was thinking about living there. But I think it would make sense in a lot of ways. I don't really care whether I live in a giant city or a medium sized city, as long as it happens to be a nice place. Main thing is I just want to be happy. Obviously, some people can be happy anywhere, but I want to find the place that will be the right "fit." I am prepared to work long and hard, but I don't see myself as a pushy "ladder climber" type; I consider myself a much more laid-back type of person.

Last time I was in Albuquerque was in August 2006, stopping there for the night on the way from Denver to Phoenix. It was raining all afternoon, night, and morning, but the rain was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen, with clouds hovering over the Sandias. I don't know how to describe it exactly, but I just really liked it! Last summer I went on a trip to Durango, CO, and then down to Santa Fe, NM. I'll admit that Santa Fe is a tourist trap, but I love that place nonetheless, tourist trap or not. Anyway, I think New Mexico has a LOT to offer, and I've only seen the tip of the iceberg.

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

For part "A" of your question, I would say to a certain degree a split between Denver, Phoenix, and El Paso, however, honestly, Albuquerque is great in that the people don't generall commonly have an inferiority complex towards bigger regional cities. They are fiercely proud of their city, and their scope of reference is New Mexico, in which they are by far the biggest city. That is one neat thing about ABQ to me.

I'm glad to hear that! Strange thing is, Phoenix, despite being HUGE (metro area is over 4 million people!), has a major inferiority complex, falling in the shadow of LA. People are constantly bragging that "we are only 4 hours from the beach at San Diego" (assuming they drive 100 mph). Living in a place where people have a lot of hometown spirit is a big plus for me.

As for the professional sports teams, I would say by far the biggest team supported is the Dallas Cowboys. Closely seconded is the Denver Broncos. MLB and the NBA just aren't as big in Albuquerque, as the UNM Lobos kind of fill the basketball void, and the Albuquerque Isotopes have a great minor league baseball following.

In terms of college sports, I'm a Sun Devil first and foremost, but I've always liked the Lobos for some reason. I watched the New Mexico Bowl this year and it was nice to see the Lobos eat the Wolf Pack for breakfast. Talk about a dog fight! It's good to hear that I wouldn't be alone there being a hardcore Broncos fan! I'll openly admit that the Broncos sucked this year, but just wait, give them some time to regroup as a team and they'll be back in the Super Bowl before you know it!

Originally Posted by yukon

vegaspilrim, for what it's worth, I had a VERY easy time finding a good job here in ABQ - much easier than when I moved to Dallas, Houston and Tampa. I had the job 2 months before I moved here. I don't remember what you said your major is in, but if it's accounting or accounting-related, I don't think employment will be an issue here in ABQ.

Glad you hear you had an easy time finding a job. It's a VERY long story, but I'm actually majoring in English Literature of all things. No regrets, but I'm ready to move on to something different. After thinking LONG and HARD about what I want to do as a career, I've decided on becoming an accountant. In order to become a licensed CPA, over 150 credit hours are required and a certain number of accounting credits are required. Many people who majored in Accounting who desire to become CPA's go straight into a MS in Accounting so they can get the required number of college credits. Instead of wasting another 2 years getting a second bachelor's, my plan is to graduate this May, go directly into a MS in Accounting program, and try to find an internship simultaneously as I take classes. I will have to take a bunch of prerequisites (many of which can be taken concurrently) to get up to snuff with the people who majored in business/accounting, which might add another semester to the standard 1 year MS program, but point is, by the time I graduate with the master's in accounting, I'll have all the formal education I need to start my career. As of right now, though, I've only taken 2 introductory level accounting classes, so getting additional knowledge is an imperative.

And keep in mind, I don't necessarily have to go to school where I plan on working; I could go back to Denver for a year, complete the MS, and then move on if I decide Denver isn't where I want to be.

[yukon]

Hmnnn. With a degree in English Lit and a Masters in Accounting, you could very well ultimately end up with an interesting job in the film industry here.

[abqsunport]

Wow, this thread has turned into quite a fountain of information and discussion!!!!

Some great nuggets of information there, abqsunport. Believe it or not, I actually like block fences. They look much better than wooden fences or ugly chain link and they hold up forever. Glad to hear ABQ is pretty bike friendly. I'm not a hard core cyclist by any means; I don't even own any of those neon jumpsuits or anything like that; I just like bicycling for fun and for exercise. Out of curiosity, have you ever heard of a Phoenix-area "New Mexican" chain called "Los Dos Molinos"? How does that place stack up with the real thing?

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to try that restaurant--honestly, I have never heard of it. Next time I am in Phoenix I should try and find one.

11.) What big city do people in Albuquerque (Albuquerqueans?) relate to the most? Like which city's professional sports teams do people tend to support?

People here relate really well with Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso, and to a lesser extent Denver. Like others have said, Albuquerque doesn't really have the inferiority complex;however, the State of New Mexico hates the State of Texas. This hatred dates back long long ago during the first ages of Colonizing and Territorializing( i know, i am making up words ). Though New Mexicans hate the "Texan" attitude, New Mexicans get along famously with Texans. So it is more of a "state hate" rather than a personal one-on-one hate kind of thing--if that makes any sense at all.

Joke posted on City-Data about a month ago:
Why is there so much wind in New Mexico?
>>>Because Arizona Blows and Texas Sucks!


Like others have said Dallas and Denver rule the roost on fan base for NFL; however, there is also a decent sized following of the Raiders <Go Raiders!!!>, and pretty much any franchise that has a devout following (ie Green Bay).


I think you probably realize, New Mexico is its own place. You can't find a similar place anywhere. Lets be honest, Austin, Oklahoma City, Denver all have "similar vibes". Sometimes PHX tries to be L.A. All Southern Cities are alike. However, there is only one NYC. Only one Boston. Only one Albuquerque!!!! I really honestly feel like that is the way it is. Sure El Paso and Tucson are very similar, but the overall feel has some staunch differences. <BTW...There are a few quarrels between ABQ and El Paso, but that is more because El Paso has an inferiority complex jk> But the El Paso Albuquerque rivalry isn't a serious one, just a friendly one!!!!


Anyway, spend a week here. Try to see every part of town, and you might find you love it or hate it. Best of luck!!!!

BTW, you should seriously look into UNM. It really is a good school--though sometimes it isn't so popular among the youth.

[vegaspilgrim]

Interesting take on the question, abqsunport. I know what you're talking about with the inter-state rivalry thing. A lot of old school Coloradans, people a generation or two older than me, really resent Californians and Texans, who they feel are taking over the state. It seems like most Arizonans on the other hand could care less about where people come from-- probably because the majority of the population here is from somewhere else. Out of curiosity, which city do you think has the best economy out of these three: Albuquerque, Tucson, or El Paso?

I'll definitely look into UNM as a possibility. I'm going to keep reading this forum and doing some more research. I'll have some time to do a little bit of travelling in May right after I graduate, but before then I might be able to visit Albuquerque for a long weekend. How long of a drive would you estimate going from Phoenix to Albuquerque? 7 hours? I've even thought about doing a road trip where I start from Phoenix, see some sights in SE Arizona and SW New Mexico, check out Las Cruces and El Paso (I've never been to either one), then go up to Albuquerque, possibly Santa Fe, then back through Flagstaff and Sedona. I love exploring, and I've never been one to turn down the chance to take a road trip.

[desert sun]

The bike paths seem like there all over the place here and there is one along the rio grande.

Albuquerqueans dont really feel the need to go to other nearby cities,we are a city of our own and have no reason to rely on the others,but when I do leave town its usually to El Paso.

In sports Albuquerque and New Mexico as a whole are mostly Dallas and Denver fans.MLB and NBA dont really have that large of a fan base here.

and Gardunos is a place that I wouldnt even consider if I wanted Mexican or New Mexican food,there are so many better New Mexican restaurants to choose from.

[abqsunport]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Out of curiosity, which city do you think has the best economy out of these three: Albuquerque, Tucson, or El Paso?

I would say you have listed it in the right order. ABQ, TUS, and ELP. However, I am under the impression that they are all booming.

How long of a drive would you estimate going from Phoenix to Albuquerque? 7 hours? I've even thought about doing a road trip where I start from Phoenix, see some sights in SE Arizona and SW New Mexico, check out Las Cruces and El Paso (I've never been to either one), then go up to Albuquerque, possibly Santa Fe, then back through Flagstaff and Sedona. I love exploring, and I've never been one to turn down the chance to take a road trip.

Yeah, PHX to ABQ is about 6-7 hours. However, flights are generally only about 100 dollars, so that may be something to consider if you aren't big into driving. I love your roadtrip idea!!!!! That would be a really cool route to take.

[yukon]

An additional observation on accounting jobs here - if you opt to go into public accounting (especially tax), you'll be exposed to a very wide variety of businesses here. I thought I'd seen a bunch in TX and FL, but I'm encountering additional industries I've never been exposed to before, like ranching, oil production, filming, etc. Makes things much more interesting.