Hello!
I got into Pitzer college (a Claremont school), Pepperdine and LMU for the class of 2019.
I am having a hard time to decide where to commit and I would love to hear what you guys think. I applied for Economics, but I will go as undeclared.
- Pitzer:
Positives: Pitzer is a Claremont school. I know that it is extremely selective college with an acceptance rate of about 12%. As it is a Claremont school, I know that I will also be able to take classes in Claremont McKenna and other Claremont schools.
Concerns: Nothing really…I hear that the campus isn’t that great. Nevertheless, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
- Pepperdine
Positives: I loved Pepperdine when I did a campus visit. Beautiful campus, great people, facilities and everything else. You can't deny the location. I mean it's Malibu! I am really into surfing, beaches and athletics. I was actually scouted to play D2/D3 basketball in some schools, so I might give Pepperdine a shot.
Concerns: Nothing really…I hear that rules can be very strict and social atmosphere could be dull.
- LMU
Positives: Similar to Pepperdine, I love the atmosphere of LMU. On top of that, I will be receiving a large sum of financial aid.
Concerns: Nothing really. Really just the fact I am comparing it to Pitzer and Pepperdine, which are much more more selective schools.
Conclusion: I love all of these schools! Just wanted to hear from another person’s perspective. I know I might sound a bit immature, as I am really thinking more about the balance of education and enjoying the college experience.
I attended one of the Claremont colleges and am a strong advocate for the consortium. You really can’t get that experience anywhere else! Pitzer is very far left on the political spectrum as you might have guessed. A lot of “trust fund hippie kids” mixed in with non-traditional students and all in all a very diverse campus, with the exception of hardly any students with conservative political views. I wouldn’t say the Economics program is super strong, but you do have the option of taking courses at the other schools as well. CMC, for example, has a really well-known Econ program more focused on finance, accounting, stats whereas Pitzer’s course offerings are more in the realm of international development, social justice issues, healthcare/education, etc. The name is well known in the LA area and you have recruiters from top consulting, accounting, non-profits, etc. that open up events to students from all schools.
Socially, I loved my time at the Claremont colleges. Most of the social life is centered on or around campus which is great. Students are very active in clubs, sports and activities. Great community to be a part of.
Pepperdine and LMU obviously are very different. They have the religious aspect, so definitely will be more conservative. Socially, most students live off campus after the first year or two, so you don’t have quite the same community in a small area. Classes in your first two years will be slightly bigger than at Pitzer - you’ll probably even have a few of the larger lecture hall type classes.
Great to have those options - I’d encourage you to visit them all again before making your choice. Good luck!
I am an alumni of LMU but a parent of two Claremont students. I loved my time at LMU, but I’ve become a big fan of the Consortium. If you haven’t already, you should probably visit the schools again to see where you feel most comfortable.