Deciding Amongst Private California Universities

<p>Hi, I'm trying to narrow down my list of colleges that I'm applying to, and I just wanted to know from you guys how you would rank my current list, from most prestigious (great academic program, funding, etc.) to least. </p>

<p>My list is as follows (in no particular order):
Occidental College
Pomona College
University of the Pacific
Pitzer College
Chapman University
</p>

<p>I am interested in the health care field and I want to study some sort of science major, most likely Biology. Which private schools in California have good science programs?
Also, are there any other private universities in California that are NOT religiously affiliated that I have not listed?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Pomona</p>

<p>Pitzer/Oxy
Chapman/UOP</p>

<p>Stanford, CMC, Harvey Mudd, SCripps, Santa Clara (no religious feel).</p>

<p>If you’re an over-achiever and care about prestige:</p>

<p>Stanford, Caltech
Pomona, CMC</p>

<p>Harvey Mudd</p>

<p>The rest don’t matter. If you’re bent on cheaper schools, then UCLA and USC (assuming you’re NMSQT Scholar).</p>

<p>USC is private and is not religiously affiliated.</p>

<p>some clarification for those separating CMC and Pitzer:</p>

<p>Both offer their science degrees through the same Claremont Consortium “Joint Science Department”. [Joint</a> Science Department of the Claremont Colleges](<a href=“http://www.jsd.claremont.edu/default.asp]Joint”>http://www.jsd.claremont.edu/default.asp) Students from CMC, Pitzer and Scripps intermix in classes physically located in the Keck Science Center, which is separated from each of the three participating schools by an approx. ten minute walk.</p>

<p>I don’t know this for a fact, but it appears the class size is kept small in the JSD even in the intro classes of bio and chem. Small=good in my book.</p>

<p>Thank you for all the help! I think I might remove Chapman from my list. I wanted to apply to USC but the deadline for scholarship consideration is too soon for me to be ready. </p>

<p>Has anyone heard anything about Occidental or their science department?
I’m thinking the ones higher up on my list will be Pitzer, Oxy, and Pomona.</p>

<p>Pomona
Pitzer
UoP</p>

<p>I don’t know much about the others on your list.</p>

<p>Harvey Mudd has a very good science program and is one of the Claremont colleges.</p>

<p>if you have significant financial aid need, i would suggest applying to USC anyway. they are need-blind and will meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need with mostly grants.</p>

<p>I wanted to apply to USC but the deadline for scholarship consideration is too soon for me to be ready. </p>

<p>Is 12/1/10 too soon???</p>

<p>Pomona’s science program is much better than CMC’s or Pitzer’s, for what my opinion is worth.</p>

<p>Okay, so USC’s website says:
“December 1, 2010: Freshman Application Deadline for Scholarship Consideration”
What exactly do they mean by scholarship consideration? Are they referring to a scholarship that you may also apply to additionally? </p>

<p>In reply to jshain, for recommendation letters, my counselor’s require at least 2 weeks notice (not including breaks, ie. thanksgiving break) and I gave them my rec letter packet yesterday. It wouldn’t give them enough time to finish. </p>

<p>Also, I would be applying to the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and they want everything in by Dec. 1st:
“Both the USC Baccalaureate/MD Application and Part II Undergraduate Application for Admission must be completed online by December 1, 2010. The letter of recommendation and official high school transcript must be postmarked by December 1, 2010”</p>

<p>Why do they need it before the general admission deadline of Jan. 10th?</p>

<p>It works out well for students on the other end-- USC starts handing out acceptances earlier than a lot of other schools.</p>

<p>Have you asked (nicely) if your counselors can send in materials by the deadline?
I’d say it’s worth a shot for a chance at a hefty merit scholarship.</p>

<p>For Science, Chapman has an outstanding new Physics and Computational Science department including Yakir Aharanov and his team of 5. He just won a Nobel Prize in Physics. [Chapman</a> University](<a href=“Page Not Found | Chapman University”>Page Not Found | Chapman University)</p>

<p>Sounds like you want biology, though, to enter the health fields.</p>

<p>Re: Your questions about USC:

They mean in order to be considered for merit scholarships, including the full-tuition Trustee (about 130 awards), the 1/2 tuition Presidential (about 300 awards), and hundreds of other awards ranging from 1/4 tuition to $2,500/year, you must apply by December 1st. If you have no need for scholarships and prefer to pay full price, the January 10th deadline is fine.</p>

<p>

Because December 1st is the deadline for scholarship consideration (universities set the deadlines, not applicants). Scholarship candidates are admitted and invited for interviews the last week of January. They would not have time to match everything up, consider the applications and assemble admissions packages in only two weeks.

You are confusing programs. The regular deadline for CLAS is January 10th. The deadline for the Bacc/MD program - a program within CLAS - is December 1st. Again, Bacc/MD candidates are admitted and invited for interviews in late January, so they must submit earlier. If you are not applying to the Bacc/MD program, that deadline does not apply to you.

It is unfortunate you were so late with your requests - you may have missed out on many wonderful opportunities.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>1) Pomona College
2) Occidental College
3) Pitzer College
4) Chapman University</p>

<p>You should also really consider USC.</p>