My visit to Oxy!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Occidental College
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<p>As requested, I am posting all about my visit in this thread for anyone curious. Feel free to comment, question, or even post your own visit experiences!</p>

<p>So my sister and I got there about an hour early cause LA traffic surprisingly wasn't that bad! We drove around Eagle Rock and the places around Oxy. It's not Palm Springs, but its not the ghetto either. There is a vast array of businesses in the area, but I don't think students spend much of their time there. It seems safe, which is the most important part, as long as you don't venture out by yourself at 2am..duh...anyway, the houses right by Oxy are gorgeous, and you have to drive a few minutes for it to get a little dodgier. But it's still adequate and safe, and that's all I would ask for.</p>

<p>I had previously made an appointment with my admissions counselor to chat before my tour (not an interview, as I've already done an alumni interview and my decision has probably already been made). First of all, I need to commend Oxy admissions at how warm and helpful they are! My counselor has been so nice to me and has been emailing me with some great information. In addition to herself, my counselor also brought to the meeting two recent grads turned admissions officers to talk to me and give me even more perspective! We just sat down on the couches and had a conversation, and I felt right at home because of how nice they were!</p>

<p>Next, my sister and I took the tour. My tour guide was SO energetic and enthusiastic-I liked her a lot. I felt bad cause she had a really bad cough, but she gave us lots of useful information about Oxy. She was a transfer student, which was helpful to compare Oxy and larger universities (although I didn't apply anywhere big anyway). She took us through a classroom, the dorms, the library, and the dining hall. Pretty standard. I loved how picturesque the campus was...absolutely gorgeous...and the few students who passed by (Oxy is on their spring break unfortunately, so it was not as lively as usual) were very friendly!</p>

<p>We didn't want to stay for the information session cause I've already applied, so we used the dining hall voucher the admissions office gave my sister and I, and we got lunch. There were a lot of options, such as custom sandwiches, pizza, burgers, salad, and more exotic things. We decided to check out the made to order pasta bar. You can pick 4 toppings and any of the 3 sauces (tomato, pesto, Alfredo) on whole wheat or white pasta. So good! Definitely worth the line. Oh, and you know what the best part was?? THEY HAD VANILLA COKE. I think that sold me more than anything else..I haven't seen vanilla coke in Chicago for years.. :)</p>

<p>I didn't get to stay too long, but I loved my visit and am very glad I saw the campus! It really made me love Oxy even more...now to wait for decisions...</p>

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<p>^^I am jealous that your counselor emails you frequently…I just received my confirmation letter few days ago, and that was all.</p>

<p>I am even more jealous because I can draw forth the vibrancy of the college as how you have expressed about it. And also because I cannot visit college by any means.</p>

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<p>Thank you dance, for this thread. It is helpful indeed. Glad to know you had a good visit. Good luck!</p>

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<p>@dance…can you elaborate about the dorms?</p>

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<p>Not a problem, and thank you pixeljig!</p>

<p>As for the dorms, I thought they were very spacious, which was great. They looked like regular dorms…pretty standard but very clean and a probably more space than usual dorms. I really liked the common room areas…they had a lot of comfy chairs/couches and a big TV, plus a little kitchen.</p>

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<p>i’m glad you had such a great visit! if you guys have any more questions about the campus/facilities let me know!</p>

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<p>:) :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :)</p>

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<p>I have a few sort of random questions about the dorm rooms because I am trying to figure out what I need to bring when I move in. I didn’t pay enough attention to these specific aspects on my tour there, so I don’t expect you to remember either but do the dorms have closets? and also, is there lighting in the rooms already or do I need to bring my own lamp?</p>

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<p>@Tritonortiger All dorms have enough closet space for however many people will be living in the dorm (i.e. if the room is a double, there is closet space for two people). Dorms also have overhead lighting in addition to windows, so you shouldn’t need to bring floor lamps, but a desk lamp might be helpful! I also recommend bringing underbed storage or extra closer storage bins in case you find you have packed too much clothing.</p>

<p>If you (or anyone else) have any additional questions, I would be more than happy to answer them for you! I am currently a senior at Oxy and have lived on campus for three years :)</p>

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<p>Hi SarahSterling! I am hoping to apply to Oxy, i visited the campus last summer. Unfortunately I was not able to visit the classrooms, could you expand upon how they are like? Also, how good is their financial aid? My mother is a single parent, and a teacher to add. Lastly, what are the chances of studying abroad? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I have really been struggling with my decision to apply to Oxy. It would be great if you could help.</p>

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<p>Hey GreenBean! Classrooms at Oxy are very different depending on the building you are in. Johnson Hall and Fowler Hall are set up for small discussion sized classes or large (a relative term, here) seminars. Johnson is currently being completely renovated and will be amazingly beautiful when finished! Weingart has rooms suitable for art / art history classes and is home to the film department. Overall, there are a lot of different spaces for classes and all of them are pretty new (air conditioned) and provide a comfortable learning space for students.</p>

<p>As for financial aid, I’d recommend you call the Office of Admission or the financial aid department for information. I know that different aid packages are given for different situations, but I don’t know specifics.</p>

<p>Let me know if you need anything else!</p>

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<p>Hi
Can you tell me how easy or hard it is to get in to LA without a car? I want to be involved in the music scene and am afraid that Eagle Rock may be too far.</p>

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<p>Hi Jen!
Oxy is very close to downtown LA, Silverlake, and Hollywood (all which have lively music scenes). Many students on campus do not have cars. I would say the easiest way to get around is to make friends with people who DO have cars, but Oxy also provides transportation via the Bengal Bus system. Bengal Buses are cars that can be rented for specific events (as long as you apply and are accepted as a drive). LA also has a convenient bus system that could easily take you around the greater LA area.</p>