<p>Westmont College in Montecito (Santa Barbara) two hours north of Pepperdine might be worth a look if she is not against Christian Colleges.</p>
<p>I know several kids who go to Pepperdine. All are either Catholic or Christian but none who strongly identified as religious. They are fairly well off and maybe on the conservative side. Though I did see one of them with an Obama sticker.There may not be parties on campus but I have been told they do exist off campus. One thing possibly worth looking into is the housing arrangements. Malibu is expensive and I would check if there is affordable off campus housing for jr and senior year.</p>
<p>When we were there, my impression was that many students do a full year study abroad their junior year. I believe housing is guaranteed for all four years at Pepperdine. The housing is reportedly very nice. Not included on the tour!</p>
<p>
[quote]
StickerShock is confusing the United Church of Christ, which ran the objectionable ads, with the Churches of Christ that are associated with Pepperdine. They are totally unrelated
[/quote]
Absolutely correct. </p>
<p>But there is also a pretty strong anti-Catholic thread in <em>some</em> Churches of Christ. It's very hard to generalize, though, because the CofC is an extremely de-centralized church (no national body, no formal system of pastors, etc.).</p>
<p>This was my D's second choice and she really felt like a fit there. ( She is
WAY more conservative than I!). Beautiful campus but hilly and a little isolated, but it did not feel preppy or uncomfortable to us. A touch of racial diversity, but not bad for California. I thought it was weekly, not daily spiritual activity, and this was failry broadly defined. It is unusually selective for it's "stats", and I think the application essays and admitted students welcome are designed to help you and them know if it's the right place for the right reasons. If they had given D merit aid, I think we/she might have gone for it.</p>
<p>My son has several friends who attend and attended Pepperdine. Beautiful location and very safe area. Within driving distance of LA. Very nice area and very expensive area. We took a tour of the campus and it is very very clean and modern. The kids looked very clean cut and friendly. We were quite impressed with the fact that there is only 1 way into the campus and 1 way out of the campus. There's a guard shack at the entrance. We felt that it was very safe! The housing arrangements are beautiful and very nice. They look more like luxury villa's than college dorms. </p>
<p>You've all been so helpful but I have another question. Does or do you think Pepperdine takes into account demonstrated interests if you visit the school? California is roughly 2500 miles away from where we live and I just hope that it will mean something to them - that we visited - when my daughter applies.</p>
<p>I don't mean to sound sort of entitled for their notice because of our distance, it's just that to even do this trip it's going to cost a well amount. I hope you parents know where Im coming from.</p>
<p>USD is in many ways Pepperdine's San Diego counterpart. While it is a Catholic, not CofC, school, students are about as equally devout, with weekly mass and required religion classes. It's not located in a particularly nice neighborhood, but it is close to shopping, downtown, the beach and all the stuff a typical college student would be looking for. There is a sizable contingent of daddy's girls, but they offer some merit scholarships and good financial aid, so I'm sure that there are people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, if that is what you're worried about. All the people who go there are genuinely nice people and appreciate the education they are getting, so you should look into it if it at all interests you.</p>
<p>CountryBoy, I am glad to hear that. As lderochi explains, I do have trouble keeping on top of those decentralized churches.</p>
<p>A few years ago Pepperdine was featured in some silly tween show. Maybe it was the one Britany Spears' younger sis stars in? I'm not sure. THe campus is gorgeous.</p>
<p>OP-DD and I did a tour and a one on one with an adcom in January. I would call the adcom for your area and ask your question about demonstrated interest straight out.<br>
I live in CA and have one in school in Boston and I totally understand where you are coming from. The trip is expensive and time consuming...particularly if she applies and is not accepted.<br>
We found the admissions staff to be some of the most open I have ever met. Give them a call.</p>
<p>StickerShock, yes the Pepperdine campus was the location for "Zoey 101," which starred Jamie Lynn Spears. I think that show is one of the reasons that my youngest daughter wants to go to Pepperdine in a few years.</p>