<p>My family is planning to do a college tour around southern California. Since I've only been to a couple campuses before, I'm open to a lot of possibilities, at least for visiting purposes (size, location, etc.) My general criteria at this point are:</p>
<p>-- Academically rigorous and challenging.
-- A more personal approach to education (I'd like to be able to get to know my professors.)
-- Preferably not extremely liberal. (Berkeley and Occidental, for instance, are less desirable.)</p>
<p>Any suggestions? If you've visited them before, do you have any recommendations as to what to see/do at the specific schools?</p>
<p>Some typical examples of schools in southern California:</p>
<p>UCLA: big public research university
USC: big private research university
Claremont colleges: small private liberal arts colleges</p>
<p>What kind of cost constraints and possible majors are you working with? You may want to use these as a method of screening colleges (no point in visiting if you cannot possibly afford to attend or it does not have the majors you want to study).</p>
<p>People of traditional college age are more likely to be left leaning on social issues (e.g. gay marriage) than the general population. Students at conservative religious colleges are often exceptions. There are a number of colleges in the area affiliated with various religions, but the level of religiosity varies.</p>
<p>ucbalumnus-- My parents are willing to pay up to ~20-25k total each year. According to most financial aid calculators, we are not eligible for need-based aid, so a low COA or merit money is necessary. My PSAT score is high enough to earn National Merit Finalist status, which should help at some schools. </p>
<p>I don’t necessarily want an ultra-conservative school, but I would prefer not to be in a tiny minority at an ultra-liberal school. Religion is not necessary; I am open to Christian schools, though.</p>
<p>Good student, ~4.0 uw GPA and 3 AP classes so far (at least a couple more in senior year). Not taking the SAT until next month, but projecting a score around 21-2200. My major interests are all over the place-- everything from political science to chemistry to economics.</p>
<p>Those cost constraints are rather limiting.</p>
<p>UCs are about $50,000 per year out-of-state, with merit scholarships mainly being small ones. Probably not realistic financially if you are out-of-state.</p>
<p>CSUs are about $30,000 per year out-of-state, with little or no merit for out-of-state available. Some of them may be barely affordable with $25,000 per year from parents and $5,500 per year Stafford loans.</p>
<p>USC is about $60,000 per year, or about $40,000 per year after applying the half-tuition scholarship for NMF. There may be a few competitive larger merit scholarships available.</p>
<p>The Claremont colleges are over $50,000 per year, but there are a few competitive large merit scholarships available.</p>
<p>The various less selective schools may be more likely to offer large merit scholarships.</p>
<p>You may want to look at places like Truman State and University of Minnesota - Morris, where the list price is within your budget range (and merit scholarships are available).</p>
<p>Make sure to look at USD and LMU…good possibilities for substantial merit awards for your stats at both of these schools. Both schools focus on undergrads, and the profs are very accessible. Both have beautiful campuses and locations close to the ocean. Depending on the major, both can be very rigorous - it all depends what you put into your education!</p>
<p>I really don’t think of Occidental as that liberal. It’s not conservative, but it’s not at all in the Berkeley category, judging by the people I know who went there. </p>
<p>Westmont in Santa Barbara gives good merit aid. It’s a Christian school with good academics and is known for good student-professor relationships. On the conservative side but not militant. And it’s beautiful.</p>
<p>You say you find Berkeley less desirable, but they have a Middle Class Access Plan that could make it more affordable if your family income is less than $140K. I’m not sure if any of the other UC’s have something like this?</p>
<p>Berkeley isn’t nearly as liberal as it once was. That’s not to say it’s a conservative paradise, but the old 60s hippie student is an outdated stereotype.</p>
<p>You might want to look at University of Redlands Johnson’s School. I’ve heard it’s quite liberal, but the other students are more conservative.</p>
<p>You can go to the net price calculators of the UCs and CSUs and other schools to see what their financial aid estimates are. $25,000 per year actual family contribution could be added to Stafford loan and some student work earnings to barely cover UC costs (may be cheaper if commuting from home). $25,000 per year should cover CSU costs (again, may be cheaper if commuting from home).</p>
<p>If you do make National Merit Finalist, Texas A&M has a good scholarship for that.</p>
<p>whenhen-- I agree that Berkeley has “toned down” over the past decades. We visited a few months ago (my second official college visit) and while it wasn’t unbearable, I disliked the campus atmosphere and tour. My mother, a Berkeley alumna, is adamant that I must have a very good reason for attending before she’ll let me go ;)</p>
<p>mom2collegekids-- I’m definitely considering OOS schools. We can’t visit them all, though, so the visits will hopefully help narrow down the list in terms of “fit” factors.</p>