New Mexico college registration fees waived this month

Registration fees for colleges and universities in New Mexico have been waived this month courtesy of the New Mexico Higher Education Department (HED), the New Mexico Public Education Department, the New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation, and the state’s public colleges and universities.

According to a news release from the HED, the purpose of suspending the fees for November is to drive up college applications this month as part of College Application Month.

“We are excited to get New Mexico students and families fired up about applying to college and exploring the possibilities beyond high school or wherever they are in life,” Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez said. “New Mexico is the tuition-free college capital of the nation and we have so many nationally-recognized degree and certificate programs that lead to rewarding careers, right here in our own backyard.”

According to the news report, while students can still apply to colleges and universities in the spring, starting the process in the fall is ideal for giving students and families ample time to research admissions requirements, programs of study, scholarships, and other factors before deciding to enroll.

Submitting admissions and financial aid applications early also gives students the best chance at early consideration for admission and certain scholarship programs.

Research conducted by the College Board’s Advocacy and Policy Center found that increasing the number of college applications a student completes from one to two increases a student’s probability of enrolling by 40 percent, with three submitted applications adding an additional 10 percent likelihood of enrolling.

Teachers, leaders, relatives, and other trusted adults are also encouraged to talk to prospective students about why they decided to apply to college, and to share what motivated them via social media using the hashtag #WhyApply. Those interesting in sharing their story to social media can download the template online, print it out, and upload their photo to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

New Mexicans can search for colleges and universities, find links to applications, and learn more about the New Mexico Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships at ReachHigherNM.com.