Meet UA junior Alex Nunez, a History major from Phoenix.

Looking back on his own days as a prospective student, he believes that staying in state is one of the best decisions he made. “The advantages of staying in state extended well beyond lower tuition costs,” he says. “In high school, I took a few dual enrollment courses and AP tests. Many of these were able to transfer and give me credit, exempting me from some introductory classes and putting me ahead of the game in my major. If I had opted to go out-of-state, very few of the courses might have transferred.”

In addition to the in-state tuition and extra credits, Alex remembers that his application process for the UA was far easier than for the out-of-state schools he considered. “Applying to the UA was very simple. The 3-in-1 application made it a very convenient process, and I didn’t have to spend extra time filling out supplemental applications for the Honors College and scholarships,” he says. “I remember other schools had so many extra forms, recommendations and essays to fill out that the supplemental applications took weeks to complete.”

Even the acceptance letter made Alex’s decision easier. “When I got my acceptance letter to the UA in the mail, it also told me of my honors status and what scholarships I had received, all from filling out one application.”

When Alex finally arrived on campus, he understood that the UA truly was the place for him, offering him opportunities that he couldn’t find anywhere else. “I’ve been fortunate enough to get involved in fantastic organizations on campus,” he says. “My life has never been the same since. You only go to college once, so you might as well go all in.”

If you’re an Arizona resident, there’s no better way to “go all in” than by going in state.