The Class of 2028

Here are Class of 2028 updates (August 11, 2024) to share with you:

First, hello to the families I have met/interacted with in the past couple days from Houston and San Antonio, TX! It's an exciting time dropping off your students and was great to visit with you!

To all families: You have many choices where to attend college, but by selecting to attend UNM you are going to experience one of the most diverse student environments…UNM is ranked #14 on the U.S. News Diversity Index and in the top 2% of ranked universities in the world (Center for World University Rankings). You'll meet students from all over the nation and world, in a Research I environment that exists in only 147 institutions in the nation. ¡Go Lobos!

  • NEW Payment plans. An easy way to split up payments for any balances, after financial aid and scholarships are applied, during the semester. Up to five (5) payments during the Fall but important to set up by August 23 for the five payment split. Payment Plan Information here.

  • NEW Meal plans. Students living on campus the first year are required to have a meal plan. Lots of options here https://food.unm.edu/meal-plans/meal-plans/freshman-meal-plans.html and should be selected by August 9. 

    If no meal plan by August 9, students will be assigned the Lobo Weekly 15. It’s not bad and I often recommend it because you will get at least two meals a day at the dining hall.

    • I'm told that students have three (3) weeks to make changes to a meal plan if needed--the link to use is https://unmstudentlink.atriumcampus.com/#
    • There are also plans where you can eat there more often, but you might not want to. So consider how often the student wants to eat at the dining hall. It's very good and I have been many times, but...
    • Some plans give you more dollars to use at restaurants like Chick-fil-A and Subway. Your student may prefer that.
    • You can call the number on the website and speak to someone about the differences, if there are still questions.
  • Financial Aid.  The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid or (FAFSA) is available to complete.
    • If you haven't already completed the FAFSA do it today. 
    • Important: If there are funds remaining after student costs, we will issue a refund directly to the student. That typically happens the Wednesday before classes, but can take several days to hit direct deposit. (For example, awards total $8,000 and the bill is $6,000--a "refund" of $2,000 goes to the student.) Setting up direct deposit now is a great idea at https://bursar.unm.edu/for-students-and-parents/financial-aid-refunds.html 
      • NEW Direct Deposit. Here's another link for more info about "how" to set up direct deposit. 

  • New Student Orientation
    • Reserve your spot for Summer/Fall 2024 New Student Orientation (NSO) at nso.unm.edu. This one of the most important next steps and confirms your attendance at UNM.
    • There are a number of virtual and in-person orientation sessions to choose from. So if you can't travel to campus this summer, you can do a virtual session online!
    • At orientation, you'll learn more about programs and services, but most importantly you'll meet with an academic adviser and get registered for classes. That's where the magic begins!
  • Lobo Course Placement – required for all incoming first-year students:  https://test.unm.edu/lobo-course-placement/index.html
    • Recommended to do early at home and absolutely before Orientation. Helps your academic adviser know which course level is best for you! Each module may take 20 minutes, so it's fast and free. 
  • Housing. 
  • NetID Sign In. When using your NetID to sign in for things like applying for housing or New Student Orientation, be sure to use your complete NetID (including the @unm.edu) for example: ddgarcia@unm.edu
  • Tuition. Tuition is anticipated to be the same for 2024-25 as the 2023-24 tuition rates, which can be found here.
  • Check your UNM email. If you've been admitted, we've moved to using your UNM-assigned email address for important communications...meaning that we aren't sending messages to your Gmail, Outlook, or other account. Here is a link with instructions on how to set up your phone to use Lobo Mail:
  • Parking passes. If you are going to be living on campus with a vehicle, parking permit sales began July 25 at 7:30am. Commuters from off campus can get passes beginning August 1. Here is the link https://pats.unm.edu/parking/index.html  
    • Most students living on campus will select R lot. Sometimes Lomas Parking structure (S lot) has better availability but it’s a bit more expensive. The website has great maps to show where R and S lots are relative to housing facilities.
  • NM Residents - The Opportunity Scholarship pays 100% of tuition and fees at UNM during the first semester; afterward, the Lottery Scholarship and the Opportunity Scholarship cover tuition and fees. 
    • For incoming transfers that bring their award to UNM, Lottery begins immediately. 
  • Campus tours. We are conducting in-person campus tours for all students--and lots of choices during the week and Saturdays. You can sign-up here.
    • We also have a couple of different virtual tours available here—one is the same tour you’d get in person, delivered by one of our student tour guides, and the other is a self-guided tour of important facilities and landmarks on the UNM campus. 
  • Family Day Events. These are already scheduled for Fall 2024 and you can find more info here at this link.
  • Contact us. Admissions and enrollment staff and services are available online through live chat to help with many, many questions and processes. Try it!
  • Student Code of Conduct. By enrolling at UNM, students acknowledge that they are obligated to abide by the Pathfinder – UNM Student Handbook, which is found online, https://pathfinder.unm.edu/
  • Resource Centers.  Find your pack and get support by learning more about UNM’s Student Resource Centers.
  • Parents. I know you read this page, too, so here's a link to our Parent and Family Programs you should check out. You can join a listserv and get important updates and info about resources.

  • My contact information. For all parents and guardians, you should have received my contact information in case I can help answer questions, point you in the right direction, or advocate in any way. But in case my email is ddgarcia@unm.edu. Contact me if I can help navigate something!

I want you to join us for a world-class education at the University of New Mexico--a Carnegie Research I university, a national flagship. Great weather all year and nearly a hundred degree programs that will challenge you, prepare you for a career, and give you opportunities that are only afforded at a university like UNM. The future is bright and I promise an outstanding educational experience when you chose to attend the University of New Mexico. And my personal commitment is to help in any way possible; contact me directly at ddgarcia@unm.edu if I can help. I'll even give you a personal tour of campus.

Sincerely,

SIG
Dan D. García
Vice President for Enrollment Management
The University of New Mexico