<p>My #2 son has just returned from visiting his east coast colleges, and now he's narrowed his list down to three schools; Pepperdine, Occidental, and Pitzer.</p>
<p>He is quite bright, but doesn't always perform at his maximum.
He has no idea of what he wants to do in life.
He earned ten varsity letters in high school, but doesn't want to do intermural sports in college.
He has an active social life, but isn't a party animal.
His brother is a freshman at Harvey Mudd.</p>
<p>Any hints, tips, ideas, or suggestions will be appreciated.</p>
<p>First of all I think your son should narrow down the three, by choosing either Occidental or Pitzer and then comparing the winner of that to Pepperdine.</p>
<p>Personally I would go with Pepperdine. Pepperdine offers the assets of small school (community feeling + small class sizes) but still has national recognition and connections that a top university has</p>
<p>Also I have been to Pitzer and it is by far the ugliest Claremont College. I've looked at pictures of Oxy and it looks really nice.</p>
<p>I personally would decide between Pepperdine and Occidental. And I would eventually go with Pepperdine bc of their D1 athletics and school spirit, amazing location and campus, really nice dorms, and strong connections throughout the LA area.</p>
<p>My D goes to Pepperdine and I live 10 minutes from Occidental. My son and I checked out Occidental and he really liked it. It is a pretty school, but the surrounding neighborhood isnt great, but it is closer to downtown L.A. and Hollywood. I think it is a pretty challenging school, but the faculty sound very supportive...in the depts we checked there seemed to be a lot of longevity with the faculty, which I think is important. They have some interesting and exciting programs.</p>
<p>We love Pepperdine! My D is having an incredible experience! Her professors are so supportive. Her dept. chair works miracles with her schedule. Her italian teacher comes early to prep her for tests. (D has a hard time with languages) The social life is good, she has lots of opportunities, but not excessive like some of the larger colleges. She is like your son, very social, but not a party animal.
I think once on campus he may get involved in the intermural sports because it is part of the social scene. What does he play? It is incredible to watch rugby or lacrosse with the Pacific Ocean as the back drop!
They are incredible at making you feel you have made the right choice. They are so welcoming to students and families!
The housing is good the view is the best ever! The kids seem to like the food. The Greek system is very tame and really emphasizes service, but is a big part of the social scene too. Community building is very evident. </p>
<p>Academically, I believe that my D is getting a well rounded liberal arts education in conjunction with an excellent theater and acting experience, which is her major. In recent years, I believe Pepperdine has stepped up the academic expectations, yet they continue to have an admission process that looks at more than numbers, which I find refreshing. </p>
<p>Both schools are good choices for someone who is still decidng on a major as they are both strong Liberal Arts colleges. Pepperdine has a stronger religious affiliation, but it is not overbearing. My D is Catholic and feels perfectly comfortable on campus. The required Convo once a week is more of guest speakers than a chapel.<br>
The Claremont colleges have good reputations, I don't know much else about them, except they are not in my favorite part of So Cal.
It really is worth visiting the campuses and finding out what feels like the right fit.
Good luck with the decision!</p>