<p>I'm a senior with a 4.0 weighted, 3.7 unweighted gpa. I'm ranked in the top 1% of my class. SAT is 510cr, 690m, 610w. I have few extracurriculars in school, and more extracurriculars outside of school, mostly athletic activities. I've taken the most challenging courses in my school, AP and honors. I have some academic awards. I have well over 100 hours of volunteer work. I was also nominated to the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine.</p>
<p>I'm from NYC. I'm looking to major in athletic training or kinesiology/exercise science/sports medicine. What schools in california, preferably in socal, offer good programs in those fields? Much appreciated.</p>
<p>University of San Deigo</p>
<p>The top program in SoCal is probably at USC. </p>
<pre><code>Programs are available at Chapman U in Orange, Pepperdine in Malibu, and at Occidental College, a small LAC in L.A.
You could also look into Cal State Long Beach and San Diego State.
Further north and a good match for you statswise: University of the Pacific (UG major in Sport Science), which also has a Phd program in physical therapy. More colleges with kinesiology: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State Sacramento, Cal State Fresno, Cal State East Bay and Humboldt State.
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<p>Do the religious schools like pepperdine and chapman push their religion down students' throats? Or are they open-minded to others?</p>
<p>Are there other good match schools I should look into? I would prefer schools that aren't too large as well. Thanks for the help!</p>
<p>Chapman is not religious at all. I've known Jewish and Christian students who go there and there's nothing I can see on its website intros which indicate a religious affiliation so don't worry about that. Orange as a location is suburban, but fun, and pretty diverse. If you're not applying to the film college, I think you're a match, though it would help to bring that CR score up a bit.
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Pepperdine does have a religious emphasis, but I doubt it's of the down-your-throat sort, considering the kids I know who attend, who were public school kids. (Big plus if you've done a lot of community service --- that's important to Pepperdine.) It's getting more selective though, so I can't say if it's a match or not. </p>
<p>Occidental is not religious. You have a shot at Occidental, which you might like because of it's L.A. neighborhood environs, but again, your CR score is a bit lower than the middle average. Occidental</a> College :: Home and Occidental</a> College :: Kinesiology</p>
<p>I urge you to investigate U of P despite its No Cal rather than So Cal location. It's still CA, though, so the climate is gorgeous, and though Stockton is a smallish town, the college has a lot to offer. Great music and jazz program, for example. What</a> Makes Pacific Distinctive - University of the Pacific and Degree</a> Program - University of the Pacific</p>
<p>Looked up another small So Cal college, Whittier College in Whittier, just outside of L.A. and it has kinesiology. It is a definite match if not a safety, but I'm not recommending it in any way since I know nothing about it. Department</a> of Kinesiology & Leisure Science</p>
<p>For a smaller Cal State, look at Humboldt (only 7,000 UG) or maybe East Bay. Cal State Long Beach is a nice college in a nice suburban location in So Cal, but it is quite big and has lots of commuter students. (But there are dorms and residential students.) You will need a car to have a life, though.</p>