@gallentjill I agree! @Volatyl you have your future ahead of you!
Also this – if you finish in four years, last semester is on UNM! https://aimtoachieve.unm.edu/
UNM does match your criteria to a tee :), including liberal, diverse, good premed, good weather, etc.
Florida will offer instate tuition to PR students and FIU is still accepting applications.
Aw, thank you guys! After feeling so discouraged since yesterday I’m starting to feel a little better. I’ll discuss my options with my parents and then apply tonight if I can!
@Volatyl Excellent. You sound like a great kid who will do well. Fitting user name though 
A door shuts and a window opens.
I agree, UNM sounds like a great opportunity!
And looks like it’s one of the only options that doesn’t require onerous parent loans or a gap year.
Kudos to you for being willing to explore your viable options and not giving up!
@Volatyl if you end up going to UNM, message me and I can connect you with my daughter. She will be coming from Chicago and would love to meet someone from out of the area too.
“Hispanic” does not tell what proportion are Puerto Rican. Yes, many speak Spanish, but they’re not interchangeable.
NO, NO. You do not get instate rates in CA, TX, or most states after moving there for college.
OP, applying to NM is a positive step. I know it’s encouraging. But please keep a grip on a realistic back up plan. Having Dad pay 10k on what seems to be a 42k or less take home pay is not reasonable.
@enginmom4 sure! I’m also thinking of applying to FIU because it’s close to my sister and she can help me out. I’ll apply to both and see what happens.
@lookingforward I agree completely re hispanic/latino terms
@Volatyl We are a family from SoCal and we are sending our premed son to UNM because the UCs and CSU are too expensive for us, even with in-state tuition.
UNM is a hidden gem for pre-meds. The Honors College is in the top 25 for the nation. The med school is #18 in the nation for Primary Care and #80 for research. I believe it’s something like #5 for Rural Medicine… We were very impressed with the pre-med advisor who spent an entire hour talking to my son about their program. Nursing is very strong there, too, and the med school offers PA programs as well as MD.
Here is my visit report thread for UNM. We visited twice, and my son is going to orientation in late May. Read the whole thread because there’s more information scattered throughout.
@lookingforward That is the only information supplied. I don’t think anyone imagines they have a high Puerto Rican population specifically. I think OP wanted “a feel” for diversity.
Also, welcoming and openness to latino populations in general is a good thing, even if the aggregate is broad
@Volatyl Ask UNM if you can get instate rates as a PR student. You might be able to talk your way into a better deal than OOS. Highlight your GPA. That is what is most important for admission.
A good source of such info is the federal IPEDS. You can search for any college, click on the Enrollment tab and find the makeup of the student body.
Sorry, when I (and others!) posted earlier about NOT obtaining instate tuition, we meant it. Not at UC, not at Cal State and not at a California community college. Ain’t gonna happen.
University of Nevada Reno is still taking apps and gives great merit aid.
If all else fails…take a gap year. Then look for some test optional schools where your GPA will be the focus…and full need is met. There are some.
You can’t use your sibling’s address to try to get in state tuition. You posted the question less than 30 minutes ago and the thread’s already been shut down, so take that as an indicator of how well attempting to commit fraud will go over with the US gov’t when you file the FAFSA and with the colleges and state governments when you submit college and financial aid applications.
Check the schools near your family. See which has OOS rates that are affordable with the $16k you have and apply there. You’ll probably have to commute – most kids do – but at least you’ll have a degree.
For example…I believe Pitzer (in CA) is test optional…and meets full need for all accepted students.
Look at fairtest.org for the list of test optional schools…then check to see if the meet full need for all.