The University of New Mexico

Date: Sep 05 2007
Major: Anthropology (This Major's Salary over time)
Ok, UNM is really a mixed bag. Like any school you get out what you put in but you really have to be a certain kind of person doing a certain kind of thing out get much out of UNM. If your'e in a good program (photography, architecture, anthropology) you can end up with an amaizing and challenging experience. UNM is also one of the few schools that accepts students into grad programs form its undergrad program (if you get in with the right professors). And it's a research school so you can get into research as an undergrad. If you're a directed person it's ok but if you have no clue what you want to study and you want a GOOD general eduaction go somewhere else.

Unfortuantely just about everyone with a pulse gets in here so all intro classes are huge and most are boring. Sometimes you get lucky and have an amaizing prof from the grad program teaching your 101 but it's kind of hit or miss. The good thing is that if you are "fairly brilliant" you're smarter that 95% of the rest of the state and they'll give you tons of money (you can actually MAKE money on your college experience) - just be prepared to be smarter than 95% of the other students and staff. Not that you'll never be challenged but it will only be by 1 or 2 people in each class (unless you do honors in which case it's 3/4 of the class). Once you get out of 100 levels it gets way better. You can test out of a lot of lower division stuff with SATs and APs. Also, it's a big school, take advantage of HUNDREDS of options; you're core requirements don't all have to be boring.

The advisors are idiots so only go when you need something signed and plan to get to know the major requirements well on your own. As far as the campus goes, it's fairly big but not unmanagable. It's actually quite pretty. Unfortunatly the dorms suck and the food is worse. I made up a doctor's excuse to get out after the first semester. The houses and appartments are actually cheaper than the dorms if you go in with friends. The worst part is the social life. It's such a commuter school that you never get much of a sense of community. I went to a small HS and wanted a bigger pond but I really regret not getting the on-campus exerience most of my friends are having. There are communities but you ahve to find them and it's never really about the school. I'm not transfering because I'm in a great program and involved in research, publishing a paper. I have friends, a lease, a boyfriend, a cat, etc. but I think I missed out on something that I won't have the chance to experience. Ultimatley it's not a bad experince, just a different one.