Based on a tip from another parent, we looked at University of Arizona online and ran the NPC to find our potential costs were sub 20k based on significant automatic merit awarded for grades/ACT scores. This comes in several 1000 below our state flagship (Oregon) and was surprising as it wasn’t a school our son was considering. I have read a lot on these boards but have not seen threads specifically targeting west coast (or in the case of Arizona west) around automatic merit. Utah State was another school that offers significant automatic merit awards. I’m sure there are others?
University of New Mexico…
@WayOutWestMom can give the details.
University of Utah offers significant auto merit, but doesn’t publish a table. You can run the NPC with your stats, though the result can be a bit optimistic since it is backward looking. In recent years 4.0UW/34-35 ACT has received a full OOS tuition scholarship. You do need to apply by Nov 1 to be considered.
Also look at Arizona State.
UNM has both guaranteed/automatic merit and competitive merit.
Automatic–
National Merit Finalists get a full, free ride (Tuition fees, Room & board, plus books/computer allowance.)
Amigo–23 ACT/1130 SAT plus a 3.5GPA OR 26 ACT/1230 SAT plus a 3.0 GPA gets instate tuition (Instate tuition & fees are $7,552/year)
WUE (western state residents only) and LUE (everywhere else) require 19 ACT /990 SAT and 3.0 GPA get 1.5x instate tuition (or $13.700/year discount on OOS rates)
WUE Plus and LUE Plus require 22 ACT/1100 SAT and 3.0 GPA and gets instate rates (a $16,600 discount on OOS rates)
https://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/index.html
Competitive–
Regents Scholarship requires 31 ACT/1390 SAT and 3.9 GPA to apply. Full ride–tuition fees, honors housing, meals. 25 scholarships awarded each year.
Application due December 1
http://unmscholarshipapp.unm.edu
I think there was a list of schools with COA of under $25,000 here in the FA forum.
Some of these might also offer merit.
Here is that thread…but it’s more than several years old. You would need to check current costs as well as merit aid awarding policies.
Utah State has an auto merit table.