Hi all! My DS just turned in his application this morning for fall 2018. It was such an easy process compared to many other schools we’ve applied to. UNM is actually inching towards the top of his list for a few reasons - it’s close to home, he’s likely to get good merit aid (4.34 weighted, 31 ACT, taking SAT in a few weeks), and he loves to snowboard. Has anyone been through the Regent’s Scholarship process? Even with the Amigo scholarship, this school is a bargain!
I know a couple of Regents winners who were D2’s HS classmates. Instate kids, but extremely competitive applicants on a national level. (Think Ivy and top LAC applicants.)
It’s hard to compare weighted GPA since the high school (a top 50 day prep) they attended has one of the most confusing GPA weighting systems I’ve ever seen. (Basically max possible GPA is 4.4 and you don’t get extra GPA points for AP classes.)
But their ACT scores were higher, plus they all had significant EC achievements.
He’s the senior vice pres, has significant volunteer hours, all at one of the most competitive high schools in the texas panhandle. He also participates in mission trips every summer and volunteers bi-weekly at the clothes bank. He’s also varsity cross country.
Re: Regents - Our AO told us that last year there were some 300 applicants for 30 spots. 31 / 1420 are the minimum scores to apply, so I’m guessing that higher scores probably make an applicant more competitive.
Re: your application - We heard back in less than two weeks. 
Thank you DiotimaDM! We’re hopeful that SAT will be a better score for him. He missed NM quals by 3 questions on the PSAT by our calculations. He really blew off the ACT. He’s pounding prep for the SAT currently and bulking his EC’s.
DiotimaDM, do you know if the National Merit scholarships are limited in number or does every National Merit Finalist receive the scholarship? is the same true of the amigo on top of the National Scholars Scholarship? .
The Amigo scholarship is part of OOS National Scholars award. You can’t separate the two. The Amigo reduces the tuition rate to in-state rates then the National Honor award covers instate tuition, plus room & board. ( $18,868 is the value of the National Honors schollie for instate students.)
So if your child receives the National Honors Scholarship, he will automatically receive the Amigo Scholarship also.
Not 100% certain, but I believe the number of NMF awards may be limited.
I do know the number of Amigo Scholarships is limited and that not everyone who applies for the Amigo receives it.
@WayOutWestMom is much more of an expert than I am when it comes to UNM, but here’s what the AO told me back in mid-June.
He didn’t mention a limit on the number of NMFs. Doesn’t mean there isn’t one, of course, but the scholarship is automatic. They don’t get that many of them, around 15 or so, so I’m guessing that it’s not like OU where there are more than 150 and it’s a significant line item in the overall budget.
The AO said that the Amigo is automatic until funding runs out, and as of mid-June when we spoke, he was still awarding Amigos for fall semester.
There are other OOS tuition waivers for those whose scores don’t hit the mark for the Amigo. I know this is different than the above, so possibly I was given incorrect info but that whet he told me.
Thank you for the info!
The other OOS waivers are:
WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) 150% of in-state tuition.
WUE Plus --instate tuition
LUE (Lobo Undergraduate Exchange for resident of non-WUE states) 150% of instate tuition
LUE Plus --instate tuition
NOTE: Not all majors are eligible for WUE. See the Wiche.edu website for a list of eligible majors.
The LUE is new this year so I don’t know if there are any restrictions on majors.
See: [Non Resident Scholarships](https://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/non-resident.html)
The amount of funding available for Amigo scholarships varies by year. It is partially dependent revenues generated by severance taxes on oil, coal, gas and uranium. (So if lots of leases are signed there is more money in the kitty; fewer leases signed means less monies are available for higher education.)
Scholarship funding is also dependent on funds allocation by the state legislature and the approval of the governor. This year the legislature and the governor had a stand-off and the governor vetoed all funding for all NM public education in January. (So all state colleges and all public schools had no operating funds for 6 months. It was delightful......) Education funding wasn't restored until June.Got our acceptance today! Now, on to scholarship applications!