<p>It's getting close to decision time and my son has narrowed his list to three choices including Pepperdine. He is leaning towards chemistry/biology as a major, but is also intrigued by the possibility of pursuing a business/economics degree. The other two schools at the top of his list are St. Olaf (which his older brother attends) and Denison. These schools are in my mind very similar in terms of the quality of their science programs, class size, percentage of students accepted into medical school and Phd programs, student body and obviously climate!. So in my mind the decision is between Pepperdine on the one hand, and the other two.</p>
<p>My son is attracted to Pepperdine because it offers both a science track and also a stronger more traditional business track (not just Economics/Business Mgt that are offered by St Olaf and Denison). He also was very impressed by the study abroad programs. Socially, even though we are not devout Christians, we are strong believers in a values based education, and sense that he would fit in well with the student body. Finally, while we live in the Midwest and he knows he can deal with the winters, he really likes the idea of a warmer climate, and having visited California many times, enjoys the lifestyle.</p>
<p>Unlike St Olaf and Denison, he received no merit scholarships from Pepperdine, so we are faced with a decision of paying full sticker, or $20K less annually for his other alternatives.</p>
<p>In weighing the alternatives, I am interested on the one hand in understanding how a chemistry/biology degree from Pepperdine would stack up against St Olaf or Denison, and separately, get feedback on how the quality of the education and career placement services rate for various business degrees that are offered at Pepperdine.</p>
<p>Any perspective you can provide would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>I too am in your scenario. I am considering Pepperdine, but I am unsure about its Math department. I don’t know the quality of it, but I imagine its pretty good. The greatest part of it for me is that it is very small so i would get plenty of personal attention. However, for chemistry or math, I would find it difficult to rationalize full price for a degree there.</p>
<p>Hello! I’m a current freshman at Pepperdine, and I absolutely love it. While I don’t know anything about your son’s other options, I believe I can offer some helpful insight about my school.</p>
<p>The business major at Pepperdine is EXCELLENT, so if your son is strongly considering that path, I highly encourage it. Pepperdine’s business department offers a plethora of internship opportunities, business fraternities, and general networking opportunities. It’s probably the biggest department on campus, and for good reason.</p>
<p>Pepperdine’s science department, although fairly small, is also excellent. I don’t know if your son is interested in Medical School, but the Pre-Med program here requires students to take a predetermined set of science courses while allowing them to pursue whatever major they choose. This allows for a lot of flexibility–one of my friends is a Creative Writing major with a Pre-Med emphasis–but it can often requires lots of extra coursework, labs, etc. Most science majors here are too busy to study abroad during their sophomore year, and seem stressed out. Fortunately, Pepperdine offers an excellent summer study-abroad program in Fiji for all science and pre-med majors; I know many people who’ve taken part in that and absolutely loved it. I would say that in terms of personal attention and general quality of professors, Pepperdine is definitely worth it.</p>
<p>As for general student life, you honestly can’t beat Pepperdine. I’ve had an amazing time here so far, and wouldn’t trade it for anything. Feel free to message me if you have any questions, and good luck with your decision!</p>
<p>If I’m not mistaken, the Buenos Aires study abroad program now offers classes for pre-med students. When I was there, they were expanding the campus house to make another classroom specifically for pre-med students. </p>
<p>My pre-med friends say that classes are very challenging, but worth it. </p>
<p>As a business major, I feel very prepared for internships and the small class sizes are very helpful. I could email or meet up with my professors and they’d give me insightful advice regarding business.</p>