<p>Besides Stanford and USC, the private schools in California suitable for a political science major with the best academic reputation are some of the Claremont colleges (Pitzer, Pomona, Scripps).</p>
<p>“Comparable to UC’s” isn’t a description that’s going to fit most private schools. But if you’re looking for a quality education and are willing to go outside California, there are a number of good private schools in Washington. In the greater Puget Sound area, there’s Seattle U, Evergreen College, U of Puget Sound, and in eastern Washington, there’s Whitman. There’s also Reed College in Portland, although that’s a college for a very specific type of student.</p>
<p>If you’re only interested in large schools with that state-university feel, UW is excellent, on a par with most of the UCs in size and reputation. There’s also Oregon in Eugene.</p>
<p>Try Chapman University, a private school in Orange, CA. One of the top ranked west regional universities. Many of the students there passed up UC schools and other top private schools to attend. Great merit-aid program, world-class faculities and quality academic programs, small class sizes, gorgeous campus, great weather and location.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your help everyone. When I mean comparable to UCs I mean a school that could draw me away from a UC by quality of education or merit aid or both.</p>
<p>The most selective, most highly ranked West Coast private schools that offer merit aid are USC, Occidental, and Whitman. I think it would be hard to justify choosing USC over Berkeley or UCLA, unless USC wound up being cheaper after aid. Whitman or Occidental might be worth a cost premium over a UC for political science … if what you want is a small liberal arts college, that is.</p>
<p>Chapman University meets both, quality and excellent merit scholarships. Many of the students who are attending Chapman also got accepted to schools such as USC, UCLA, UCSB, UCSD, UCI, UCD, etc.</p>
<p>Hi Flobot, my d got into several UC’s including Berkeley, and was “drawn away” by Whitman. It’s such an individual thing, although as a junior she still doesn’t regret her choice at all.</p>
<p>I’d choose Pepperdine, the Claremont Colleges and Oxy over UCSB anyday. I’d rather go to a school with it’s own identity than a school that will be perennially compared to 3 schools in the same system that are “ranked” above it (i.e. Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD). Nothing wrong with UCSB, though. It’s a nice school.</p>
<p>Flobot, my son was accepted to UCB, UCD, UCSC, and UCSB, but like kolijma’s daughter, my son chose Whitman. He received merit aid which made the cost competitive. He’s having a great educational experience, along with having a great time. I’m sure he’d make the same choice if he had to do it all over again.</p>