<p>Well folks, I think all this scary traffic talk has made the Midwest OPer go silent. Just thinking how he would react to having to merge over 5 lanes of lunchtime traffic going 70 miles/hr to make a off ramp that has a line of stopped traffic on the shoulder waiting to exit. Good times…</p>
<p>I would visit at most 3 colleges on the preference list and spend more time on each college, its neighborhood, and relax. Speaking form someone who lives in CA and took my kid to visit only 2 colleges in the entire US, and 1 of them is very close to my home.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for all your suggestions! I’ll probably end up making this a 4-5 day trip because I want a day just to see LA.</p>
<p>Do you think I should consider looking at UCLA? I really like it but I’m not sure if it’s worth the OOS tuition, and I would need a good amount of financial aid.</p>
<p>I’ll probably end up visiting LMU for a safety. I just don’t want an overly religious environment, but I’m pretty sure Pepperdine and LMU don’t have that.</p>
<p>Probably should visit LMU as a safety. My D (the one at UCLA) was admitted there and also was offered a huge scholarship ($17,000 a year) but chose UCLA (still cheaper!). As far as visiting UCLA…it is a great school and you are in LA so why not? It is very tough to get into but give it a shot. But don’t count on any fin aid. One thing to consider…what kind of school are you looking for…size, location, area of interest? My older D only looked at small schools (USD, Pitzer, LMU) ended up at Lewis & Clark in Oregon (less than 2000 students). Younger daughter wanted a big school (UCLA, USC), applied at LMU but that was the smallest she applied to as she had no interest in a small LAC. I can’t imagine the same person applying to a Claremont school and UCLA as they are worlds apart. BTW, LMU and Pepperdine are not overly religious so don’t worry. It’s there if you want it and want to get involved or you can avoid it. But you will be required to take at least a couple of religion classes at any religion affiliated school.</p>
<p>What are you interested in studying? There are many other colleges in the LA area.</p>
<p>I doubt as an OOS student you will see financial aid at UCLA. I’m not sure I would consider Pepperdine not overly religious. I toured it with my daughter and she definitely found it religious. You have to take a religion class, there are rules about members of the opposite sex not visiting in dorm rooms, etc.
LMU is not as strict. If you are looking for financial aid you will be much better off at the smaller LACs that are trying to attract students from your geographic area.</p>
<p>second/third the posts re UCLA. </p>
<p>Glad you will consider LMU it really is a nice school. Like many schools with a religious history, a course or two (I can’t remember) in religion is required but it is approached historically and culturally not with an intent to convert. This requrement can be fulfilled with any classes on eastern religions too.</p>
<p>Inquiringmind, I’m applying to CMC because of the consortium. I don’t want to go to a really small school, and I’m still considering even applying to Occidental because of its size. I’m looking for a school with at least 3,000 undergrads, good location, and strong political science and language programs.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure I would consider Pepperdine not overly religious.”</p>
<p>I don’t want to say “overly”, but essay questions seem very religious if I recall, and along with extracurriculars, probably account for the surprising “selectivity”. Speech for admitted students do seemed to underscore it as well.</p>
<p>In any case, we visited the Claremonts, occidental, and Pepperdine, but on three different trips. D liked them all…</p>
<p>DD goes to Santa Clara University. It’s in the bay area and not really in the same neck of the woods as your other schools. I have no idea about their poly sci and language programs…but it has 4500 undergrads which is the size you are looking for. It is a well regarded school. It’s Jesuit and has a religion requirement but also about 100 different religion course from which to choose. No required chapel (I believe Pepperdine has some required participation…and their religion requirement is three specific courses…no choices).</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Only 5 lanes? Where I-5 merges with I-405 in Orange County the freeway, for a short distance, is 26 lanes wide - 13 lanes in each direction. I read somewhere that stretch is widest road in the US.</p>
<p>Have you considered Chapman University in Orange, CA?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Yes, my son – then a college senior – did this when visiting prospective grad schools (UCLA and UCSD). It’s actually quite a nice train ride. </p>
<p>However, the schedule you have in mind is much more complicated than my son’s. I think a rental car is essential – even if it means that you need to bring an over-25 person with you on your tour.</p>
<p>From the Pepperdine website:</p>
<p>"Student Life
Spiritual Activities
Convocation/Chapel
Each semester, all undergraduates are required to attend 14 programs in the Convocation Series, which are activities aimed at building Christian faith, affirming Christian values, or addressing ethical and moral issues within a Christian worldview posed by current events. Most frequently, students attend the Wednesday morning chapels at Firestone Fieldhouse. Other programs include student-led worship services, small group Bible studies, and individual spiritual mentoring sessions with faculty or staff sponsors.</p>
<p>Additionally, all undergraduates are also required to take three religion courses as a graduation requirement: The History and Religion of Israel, The History and Religion of Early Christianity, and Christianity and Culture. Many students take part in Christian ministries that cater to the Malibu campus community"</p>
<p>Sounds pretty intense to me. There is also a long explanation of how attendence is verified for the required chapel services.<br>
Even for those who happily attend chapel, do you want your continued enrollment to depend on you getting there on their schedule? (I went to a college with an on-campus chapel as a freshman, and went just about weekly. If they had required it, I’m pretty sure I would have been trying to figure out how to sleep in and have my roomie scan my card…)</p>
<p>All good suggestions. The only thing I have to add is to be sure to allow for an additional 30 minutes traveling time to each destination. In other words, if your GPS says it should take an hour to get from USC to Pepperdine, give yourself an extra 30 minutes in your timeline. LA freeways are wild and wacky places and anything can and will happen.</p>
<p>This thread is TWO years old…presumably the poster came and went on this trip.</p>
<p>That’s quite an impressive thread bump.</p>
<p>Whoa! Didn’t notice that. Hope the poster made it.</p>