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Summary
New Mexico State University is a public institution that was founded in 1888. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,495, its setting is city, and the campus size is 3,500 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. New Mexico State University's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 189. Its in-state tuition and fees are $6,040 (2012-13); out-of-state tuition and fees are $19,068 (2012-13).
There are five New Mexico State University (NMSU) locations, with the main campus situated in Las Cruces, about 50 miles north of the Mexican border. Undergraduates at NMSU can choose from nearly 90 bachelor’s degrees, and graduate students can pursue more than 50 master’s programs, including those in the colleges of business, engineering, and education. NMSU offers the only honors program in the state, and incoming freshmen who are eligible for the program can take small, specialized classes named “Journeys of Discovery.” The university is also home to the Chile Pepper Institute (CPI), an organization that researches and promotes the state vegetable.
Students at NM State, as it is also known, can get involved on campus by joining more than 200 organizations, pledging with nearly 20 fraternities and sororities, and running for student government. Student athletes can play at the recreational level or try out for the New Mexico State Aggies varsity teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Western Athletic Conference. The Aggies name reflects the roots of community members who traveled west and specialized in agriculture.
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New Mexico State University prides itself on being accessible to students of all ages and from all cultures and educational backgrounds. The state's land-grant university, NMSU is a reflection of the Southwest's vibrant mix of ethnic and cultural communities and, indeed, of the future demographic of the United States. A personalized small-college setting combined with the resources of a large research university allows NMSU to offer curricula designed to encourage student learning and success. Data show that these degree programs, guided by NMSU's top-rated and award-winning faculty, help all scholars, no matter their educational background, reach their full potential by the time they graduate. Also key to undergraduate and graduate success at NMSU is the extent to which students can participate in research, extension and community service programs. The university's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach programs are working with area public schools to build the number of students from underrepresented groups who pursue careers in these fields. NMSU's wide-ranging research investigations touch many areas of human endeavor, with programs focused on water and energy resources, food safety, environmental issues, homeland security, and border health issues. For example, NMSU students and faculty are exploring alternative energy sources, including algal biofuels, hydrogen fuel cells, solar energy and wind power. Environmental challenges are the focus of WERC: A Consortium for Environmental Education and Technology Development, which sponsors the International Environmental Design Contest that attracts students from around the world each spring. Innovative research is focusing on providing clean water to the nation's communities through desalination, brackish water utilization and contaminant removal techniques to ensure safe water supplies. Research on desert ecology is conducted at the university's Chihuahuan Desert Rangeland Research Center, and NMSU administers the NSF-funded Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research Project. At the forefront of space exploration efforts for many years, NMSU's aerospace and astronomy research programs deepen our knowledge of space and help expand the complex and fascinating possibilities of orbital and suborbital space travel. NMSU operates Apache Point Observatory, home of the Astrophysical Research Consortium's 3.5-meter telescope and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope. The university's Physical Science Laboratory operates NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility and launches high-altitude scientific balloons from sites all over the world. In keeping with the land-grant mission, NMSU provides extension and service outreach programs that benefit communities locally, statewide and globally. For instance, university extension programs help small farmers increase crop yields and utilize limited water supplies, while alsoproviding innovative and accessible educational resources for small businesses. NMSU also is home to the world's only Chile Pepper Institute, a research-based, international nonprofit organization devoted to education, research and archiving information related to capsicum. In all its facets, New Mexico State University shines as a place where students have a multitude of possibilities for learning and self-discovery --- truly a place to live, learn and thrive. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1888 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | city |
| 2011 Endowment | $94,339,911 |
Applying
When applying to New Mexico State University, it's important to note the application deadline is rolling. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due August 15. The application fee at New Mexico State University is $20. It is selective, with an acceptance rate of 80.2 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 80.2% |
| Application deadline | rolling |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | August 15 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at New Mexico State University is 19:1, and the school has 44.4 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at New Mexico State University include: Criminal Justice/Safety Studies; Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse; Elementary Education and Teaching; Psychology, General; and Biology/Biological Sciences, General. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 72.2 percent.
Student Life
New Mexico State University has a total undergraduate enrollment of 14,495, with a gender distribution of 46.3 percent male students and 53.7 percent female students. At this school, 19.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 81.0 percent of students live off campus. New Mexico State University is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 18,024 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
New Mexico State University offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. New Mexico State University also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Of the students at New Mexico State University, 75 percent have cars on campus. Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at New Mexico State University.
| Students who have cars on campus | 75% |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At New Mexico State University, 65.0 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $7,184.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $6,040 (2012-13) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $19,068 (2012-13) |
| Room and board | $7,182 (2012-13) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
