Did I make the right choice

Colleges and Universities A-Z Occidental College
1

<p>I'm applying to early decisions to Occidental. For the longest time I was thinking about Pitzer, but I think Occidental is the better choice. Am I right or wrong? Also what are my chances of getting a good scholarship from Occidental? </p>

<p>My stats
GPA 3.967
ACT 23
Senior Schedule
1) AP comp and lit
2) Math analysis
3) Anatomy and Psychology
4) Leadership
5) Decisions
6) Third year college credit Spanish </p>

<p>2nd Semester
7) AP comp and lit
8) Math analysis
9) Organic/Advanced chemistry
10) Leadership
11) American political behavior
12) Third year college credit Spanish </p>

<p>Extra Curricular activities
1) Four year varsity swimmer
2) Treasure for SADD, one year
3) Three years as a young Republican. Currently Vice President.
4) President of the AV Communications Club, two years.
5) Three years of National Honors Society.
6) Worked at the YMCA for one year.
7) Worked as a bus boy for one year.
8) Worked as a swim instructor/ lifeguard for three years.</p>

2

<p>No one can tell you on the basis of any information, let alone that which you provide, whether you're "right" or "wrong" in your decision. Your stats aren't helpful. What do you want in a college experience? Why did you prefer Pitzer? Why do you now prefer Occidental? What are your concerns? What attracts you? Why do you worry that you're wrong? In the end, it's just about "fit" (which you're probably sick of hearing). You might feel your best at a school that, on paper, doesn't do a thing for you. That's why I say we can't help.</p>

<p>Pitzer is anything but conservative. That's pretty much the only comment I can make based on your ECs and what I know about the school.</p>

<p>What I would say is that if you're not POSITIVE about your choice, you shouldn't be applying ED anywhere.</p>

3

<p>A friend is applying to Occidental as well, but during the RD round because he was not quite sure that the college was for him...</p>

4

<p>Occidental seems very liberal to me. Not sure that would fit well with your Republican leaning. </p>

<p>I'd much prefer the location of Pitzer to Occidental. The Claremont village is charming and within walking distance. Also there's something to be said for the various colleges being geographically close. My stepbrother met his future wife while attending CMC, but she was at Scripps. Perhaps not something you've thought of, but many people meet their future mate while at college and it wouldn't hurt to have a larger pool to play in.</p>

5

<p>My impression is that Pitzer is even more liberal than Oxy.</p>

6

<p>Your relatively low ACT score will probably preclude a merit scholarship from Oxy, sorry.</p>

7

<p>No, your wrong. Sorry....</p>

8

<p>you have to understand that merit aid depends a lot on SAT and ACT scores though. And yes, i think you made a good choice. If you really want to go there, the ED will compensate your low ACT score</p>

9

<p>Excert
Oxy Remembers "Barry" Obama '83</p>

<p>Almost 30 years ago, he was a freshman from Honolulu living in Haines Hall, playing JV basketball and developing a reputation as a campus activist.</p>

<p>Today, Barack Obama ’83 is a Democratic presidential hopeful, and the national media have discovered that he spent his first two years of college at Occidental. “It’s a wonderful, small liberal arts college,” he told the Los Angeles Times in a Jan. 29 news story. “The professors were diverse and inspiring. I ended up making some lifelong friendships there, and those first two years really helped me grow up.”</p>

<p>Drawing on interviews with faculty, alumni, and excerpts from Obama’s 1995 autobiography, Dreams From My Father, the Times story described him as a serious student, a good athlete, and a man of principle who made friends with students from across the political spectrum.</p>

<p>“He came off as a serious, articulate, intelligent young guy,” Eric Newhall, professor of English and comparative literary studies, was quoted as saying. “I didn’t say, ‘Here is presidential timber,’ but I said to myself, ‘I like our student body because they are going out to do interesting things.’”</p>

<p>According to Obama, who then went by the name of Barry, it was his involvement in the South African divestment movement at Occidental that first set him on his current path. “I got into politics at Occidental,” he said in a 2004 interview with Occidental magazine. “I made a conscious decision to go into public policy.”</p>

<p>It was a decision that eventually led him to transfer to Columbia University – “the idea of being in New York was very appealing,” he says – where he received his bachelor’s degree, and later to Harvard Law School, where he became the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review.</p>

<p>This is not Occidental’s first brush with presidential politics. Reporters also descended on campus when Jack Kemp ’57, former pro football quarterback and Republican congressman, ran for president in 1988 and as a vice presidential candidate in 1996.</p>

10

<p>Pitzer is in a better neighborhood if you're 70 and just want peace and quiet. Northeast LA has rapidly gentrified over the past few years with cafes, art gallerys, hip bars, and nice restaurants. True the multiple colleges is not something oxy offers, but you couldn't pay me to spend time out in Claremont. BTW: I attended undergrad at Oxy and grad at CGU so I'm not just blowing smoke. Check out this site on NELA for additional info: <a href="http://www.yorkblvd.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.yorkblvd.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Also, any liberal arts school is going to have leftist leanings, just be receptive to new ideas and if you don't agree with them, turn the other cheek. (Still, I can't believe Pitzer has a freakin' Free Range Chicken Pen on campus)</p>

11

<p>This thread is pretty outdated, but in the spirit of yesterday's resurrection, I want to comment on one of guero's points: the undergrad Claremont experience and the grad Claremont experience are very different things. I certainly agree that Claremont and Eagle Rock are hold different types of appeal, and I imagine that the latter has a bigger fan base). But I also think that the incredible amount of on-campus activity, which is primarily geared toward undergrads, makes the city of Claremont less dull for the undergrad crowd, which is less reliant on its offerings. </p>

<p>Juuuust sayin'.</p>

<p>And to the OP, I hope your decision is working out wonderfully for you!</p>

12

<p>Just got back from visiting DD (2nd yr) at Oxy-We spent more time on campus,meeting her friends and getting a better feel for the school. Her friends are just amazing kids, so talented , motivited and genuine.In spite of being in the midst of midterms they seemed to enjoy the challenges DD is competing for a research project for the summer where she would (if accepted) live on campus and get paid to do original research. It was gorgeous-LA fun in Pasadena.</p>

13

<p>-Pitzer is WAY more liberal than Oxy
-Oxy is way closer to LA, but the 5C's have a better, more varied campus life
-7 fabulous dining halls to choose from for every meal, not to mention 4+ student run food/snack places
-We love our chicken pen ;)</p>