<p>Hello everyone! I am currently a sophomore in high school (soon to be junior) and I recently visited Pepperdine. I don't think there is a school that could be any more perfect. In my head right now, Pepperdine is my #1 school and I want to do everything in my power to get admitted. Anyone who was accepted or goes to the school.. Do you have any advice on what I really should focus on to increase my chances? Also if you attend do you love the school? Thank you so much and congrats to all you lucky people who have been admitted this year!!</p>
<p>Hello! Admitted student for 2013 here. </p>
<p>The biggest things to focus on:</p>
<p>Rigorous schedule (Take AP classes rather than basic courses) UNLESS you cannot get a B or above in them. Your GPA still needs to be good.</p>
<p>Study for the SAT or ACT. I took the ACT and got a 25 my first time. After some studying, I took it later and got a 31. Never take either test just once!</p>
<p>Be an active student. Volunteer. Show that you’re active because universities don’t want students who coop themselves up in their rooms without contributing to the social scene.</p>
<p>Write brilliant essays. I’d suggest to write one essay on religion in your life. Pepperdine IS a Christian institution, so play it to your advantage.</p>
<p>Get stellar recommendation letters. </p>
<p>Even with all of this, remember that college acceptances can be a crapshoot. Really. The acceptance rate this year was ~7%. If you don’t get in, don’t be heartbroken!</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thank you so much!! I’m taking 2 AP next year and one IB. I’m not taking loads of AP because I am the Yearbook Editor next year and will be in Virtual Enterprise (prestigious at my school) which are time consuming and take up slots. But, I am trying to take a class at my local community college during the semester. Congratulations on getting in, that is so exciting :)</p>
<p>Actually the acceptance rate this year was around 25%</p>
<p>As a current Pepperdine freshman, I agree with almost everything that uhmareikuh said.</p>
<p>Pepperdine LOVES volunteer work and extracurriculars. In fact, one of the biggest stereotypes about students here is our tendency to be super overcommitted and involved with charity. So play up that community service!</p>
<p>Also, with the number of applicants increasing every year, Pepperdine is starting to put more emphasis on Christian students. If you’re Christian, I recommend getting SUPER involved with your church group so you can get an awesome personal recommendation from your youth pastor, priest, etc. and show admissions that you’re dedicated to your faith. </p>
<p>It probably goes without saying, but continue to work on your grades, SAT scores, etc. If you’re among the top 5-10% in your class, Pepperdine will give you an awesome academic scholarship and access to a lot of resources specifically for the smart kids.</p>
<p>Pepperdine is an AMAZING school, and I’ve absolutely loved my first year here. Good luck with admissions, and feel free to message me with any questions about the school!</p>
<p>I would caution against telling potential applicants to Pepperdine that if they are among the top 5%- 10% in their class, they will get an academic scholarship. My D (Class of 2017 admit) wasn’t offered a scholarship and we thought she was basically an ideal Pepperdine scholarship candidate - top 1% of her class, 2150 SAT, 4.38 GPA, 11 AP classes, numerous awards, Christian (clearly communicated in her essay), tons of EC and volunteer activities through school and church, great recommendations, etc. She applied early in the fall too - and even got a letter from Pepperdine thanking her for applying early and that her “efforts would not go unnoticed”. She was offered admission and good scholarships to several other So. Cal private universities (like USC whose admission standards are higher than Pepperdines). This year the number of applicants to Pepperdine was huge so even great applicants are getting passed over for scholarships apparently.</p>
<p>The acceptance letter stated that there were over 10400 applicants for 800 openings - that’s where the 7% acceptance rate statement came from (not sure if that is how an actual acceptance rate is calculated though).</p>
<p>In getting the acceptance rate you need to take into consideration the yield rate of pepperdine and calculate that in terms of the 800 available spots (which I did). That’s how I got 25%. I know where the 7% came from. It’s not an acceptance rate, just a way to make the school look more selective. 
also on pepperdine’s website, they claim that the scholarships are given to the top 10% of the students admitted. I’m not sure how much truth is in that since jokahugo’s daughter didn’t get any scholarship and I’m sure she is in the top 10% of the admitted class (since pepperdine’s applicant pool isn’t amazingly strong). But good luck, lindseyyhill!</p>
<p>Here are the admission numbers right from the horse’s mouth:
[Fast</a> Facts | Admission | Seaver College | Pepperdine University](<a href=“http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/explore/fast-facts/fast-facts-2.htm]Fast”>http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/explore/fast-facts/fast-facts-2.htm)</p>
<p>Fall 2013 Application Numbers
Applications 10,464
Admitted 3,862
Enrolled 938</p>
<p>Hello!</p>
<p>Another vote for the extracurricular activities, especially with a focus on leadership. One of Pepperdine’s mantras is “Stand Up And Be A Leader”, and they work hard to foster a community of leaders. So, whatever you can do to show that you know your way around leadership and organizational management will definitely be a plus. Good luck, Pepperdine is well worth it!</p>
<p>I agreed with much of uhmareikuh’s advice except that regarding your HS courses. Uhmareikuh mentions not to take classes unless you can get A’s. That is not the prevailing wisdom. Universities expect you to take a rigorous curriculum. A “B” in AP English says a lot more about a student’s capabilities than an “A” in a standard junior or senior English class. If the student earns a 4 or 5 on the AP test, that’s another bump, not to mention the weighted aspect of AP classes. Universities also know which high schools inflate grades and which are rigorous. Not all A’s are created equal in any case.</p>