Favorite western colleges? I need to make a decision... (Albuquerque: student loan, unemployment)

[6 FOOT 3]

Annie..... for what you are asking i would say UNM for a large school at Albuquerque and Western New Mexico University for a small school at Silver City.

The University of New Mexico

WNMU Home Page

[GregW]

In my experience the school is less important than the student. Find a school with a range of programs related to your interests and then do the work. Learning is not easy.

Have a social life but stay way away form booze, drugs and too much partying.

End of granddaddy rant. good luck.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by GregW

In my experience the school is less important than the student. Find a school with a range of programs related to your interests and then do the work. Learning is not easy.

Have a social life but stay way away form booze, drugs and too much partying.

End of granddaddy rant. good luck.

as a wife and mommy I wouldn't think the party scene would be an issue..

Nita

[Jara]

Have you requested catalogs? One of my sons who lives in Hobbs NM would like to attend Texas Tech University, Lubbock Texas. Because of being so close to the Texas/New Mexico border they do offer a break on tuition. He is a good 2 hr. drive to Lubbock and would live there. His interest is computer science/engineering and sent me their catalog. I noticed that it had Natural Resources Management. Range and Wildlife Management. They offer majors in Agricultural Science and Natural Resources. Credits on wind power science. Good Luck!

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Jara

Have you requested catalogs? One of my sons who lives in Hobbs NM would like to attend Texas Tech University, Lubbock Texas. Because of being so close to the Texas/New Mexico border they do offer a break on tuition. He is a good 2 hr. drive to Lubbock and would live there. His interest is computer science/engineering and sent me their catalog. I noticed that it had Natural Resources Management. Range and Wildlife Management. They offer majors in Agricultural Science and Natural Resources. Credits on wind power science. Good Luck!

Jara, I think, if I have read the OP correctly she lives in California now so am not sure what kind of a tuition break she would get if choosing Tech? Just my thoughts, I could be wrong.

Nita

[Jara]

Hi nmnita,

I was thinking if she was a resident of eastern NM she would get around $1,000.00 cut from her tuition from Texas Tech University. But of course if she was a resident of Texas she would get more cut from her tuition. I was surprised that because of the location of eastern NM and towns close to the Texas border they did this. I know that a little over $1,000.00 doesn't sound like much, but every bit helps. Coming from California no she wouldn't get a tuition break, because of being from out of state, but they have many scholarships, she might qualify for those. Some young folks work and stay in a state with a college of their choosing in order to establish themselves, and make it their resident state. Your right she is looking for a western university and will no doubt attend right away. Renew her Calif. driver's licence etc..

[Jara]

When I post information I hope that more then one person can use it, delve into it a bit further then I have. Like Annie and many students trekking off to college; I wish them sincere good wishes for the most important faze of their lives.

[backslacker]

Originally Posted by Annie Metal

Howdy Everyone!

I am spending hours upon hours, looking up Universities (also, a solid Major) to transfer to. I would like some help! I live in San Diego, but it doesn't look like that has a lot of options for me, as far as what I would like to get into. I would like others opinions, experiences, and pics, if you have them!

Yes, I have spoken with various career counselors, coaches, etc. Ultimately, there is really nowhere near here to study, so I have accepted that I will have to leave for a while, to pursue my dream. I have been suggested places like Humboldt State, Northern Arizona University, etc. These are places of interest to me, I just want to know what all is out there.

I am going to work with wildlife/animals also while working with trees/outdoors. I am really into hiking, mountains, pines, rivers and rocks. Places I love are Sedona/Flagstaff Az, No. Cal, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wa. state.
I am open to other places in the West. I prefer a place that has perhaps a decent/easy way to get in and out of town easily, because my husband and family will be here the two years I am gone.

Majors I am interested in are anything to do with outdoors. Forestry, Environmental Ed., Wildlife Bio, Outdoor Rec., etc...

Thank you for your help, please let me know if you have any ideas!



-Annie

I went to Linfield college in Mc Minville Oregon. It is listed in the top ten best colleges for the money in the entire country. It is geared toward non-traditional working students. Evening classes, weekend and short courses, online and telecasted to other locations. Offers classes in Astoria, Portland, Salem, Long View WA, Eugene etc.

NAU was denied financial aid because of my disability. Rents are as high as Santa fe. It is cheaper to stay at the route 66 hotels. Not many jobs in the area. Was cheated out of my HUD voucher there. Poor internet. Bombarment of space debree interrupts with cell and internet service. It has good program but not up to speed on accessibility for people with disabilities.

U of A: good school but tucson is something to live in especially in the summer. I went to a Safeway that had a big sign where to check your guns. I used to love to take the train to Tucson and stay ant the railroad hotel across the street where the Daranger gang used to live. It has a hostel above the disco that is a internet cafe during the day. Recommend it to visit in the winter but living there not so sure unless you like it really hot.

UNM: Went to UNM in Gallup, don't a great school. UNM medical school not so great either. Depends what you are majoring in there. I get mixed responses from people that go there.

NMHU: shortage of professors. Good school, small classes but may take you longer to complete your education. Don't live on campus. The university are slum lords. the place to live is below HUD standards with roaches and disrepair & if you complain they use intiminating tactics to remove you. Unless you are a freshman and can move into the new building. The other dorms and the family and graduate housing are bad with roaches, with dirty stairways and facilities. People working like to look busy not doing there jobs with no supervisors anywhere around mindng the lack of progress on this issue.Nice hot springs. 70% Hispanic but they are friendly. $720 for 9 graduate credits is reasonable. Just don't live on campus. Very little racial tenson in the town of Las Vegas & not so much on campus. Has many international students.

If you go to any central or Eastern colleges the climate is like Texas. South of 40 gets hot.

WNMU-Gallup. Do not recommend for any reason.Shortage of professors, limited programs, lack of accomodations, racism.....
UNM-Gallup: OK for a few classes.
WNMU-Silver City main campus. Limited programs but worth checking out in person. Lots of mts., hot springs etc near by.

There is a school in Prescott that has programs environmental ecological etc that lets you write your own program. It is not strong scince based more ecology based.

[city_data91]

Originally Posted by Vinegaroon

Yeah, if you want to bake your skull all summer long in 100 plus heat. You might study the effects of extreme heat on stink bugs or something as exciting as that.

Las Cruces is not very hot by Southwestern standards. Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Tucson are significantly hotter in the summer.

Since NMSU started out as an agricultural school, they have a lot of good programs for people that like outdoor stuff (which is what the OP is looking for).

[Fiddlehead]

Hi Annie,

I am going to buck the SW trend and say Humboldt State. I went there, and it was fantastic. A smaller, but very dynamic school, excellent students, and a fabulous setting. I was actually a biology major, but due to a job I landed on the job board on summer have spent the rest of my career in conservation. I know many people in very high places in the National Park Service who went there. It is an amazing value, and since you are a California resident will be cheaper than your other options.

If you are eager to see other parts of the world, I can recommend:
NAU (great place, but you know that)
New Mexico State in Las Cruces
Montana State
Oregon State (did my doctorate here, loved it!)
Washington State
Colorado State (probably the best wildlife school in the nation, and a good place to live too)
UC Santa Barbara (great ecology dept., and now they have the Donald Bren Professional School)
University of Wyoming

But none of them have anything on Humboldt for undergraduate studies. Also, a thing to recall is that a conservaton career increasingly demands a graduate degree, so you can hit the bigger schools then. My 2 cents.