<p>Quote :
Although freshman year at Oxy was the hardest year of my life in so many more ways than one, there is no other place that I would rather have been than here.
Arriving at freshman orientation was very difficult -- I remember thinking over and over that I had made a wrong decision, that I should have gone with USC or UCLA. The ppl at Oxy are VERY different, very unique, and it was a hard adjustment coming from a prepy, homogeneous, sports-centered southern high school. Once you get over that fact and really get to know people, u see that there are some amazing individuals that attend this school.
The size is still a pain in the ass to me - 1,800 people is not a sizable enough population to sustain a healthy living space for 4 years of students. There is always going to be drama -- mostly caused by the fact that the many pretty girls are left to fight over the few cute boys that aren't even worth it. Oxy beer goggles is all I have to say...Everyone knows who you hooked up with, etc, so that can get annoying after awhile.
Parties are ok...lame at times... I was very disappointed with them compared to my high school parties. However, after visiting my high school friends at their colleges, I realize that our parties are actually ok. There is always something to do on Friday or Saturday nites, but it gets boring by second semester. Oh, and reminder to the freshman girls at parties, the football players are not gods - they're D3. You're lucky if there's any alcohol, music, or dancing at anything ... Club OXY parties are pretty fun if your wasted... and the sorority-sponsored parties are always good. Sex on the Beach is by far the best one of the year. There is also an alarming number of students that choose to stay in on Fri and Sat nites to work on hw... I still don't get that one cause Oxy's not THAT hard ... but basically my point is, if you want to have fun, party, etc, there is always a party, and if you just wanna chill, you can do that as well and still have a good time.
I have met some absolutely amazing people through my sorority, my hall, and in my classes. Most people are very nice and accepting and overall there are just some great people here. With just one year at Oxy I know I can count on some of my friends here for life.
Classes are hard, but professors are always there for you and it is very easy to meet with them to get advice on your work. For a small school, there is a good selection of classes. The core program has basic requirements, not too hard. Senior 'Comps' are basically a thesis that you have to write before graduation.
"Diversity" at Oxy is a big thing. Talk about fair and excepting diversity, huh? Study abroad is deceiving because Oxy only accepts abt 1/2 of the students that apply, great diversity tactic, right?
The food is excellent compared to most colleges -- it is easy to stick to a relatively healthy diet esp when stressed. The Freshman 15 wasnt really a problem in terms of food, but if you wanted to work out, you were screwed cause the gym sucks.
The location and weather are major a major plus for Oxy - you can't get better than LA in any way. There is always someone to go exploring with, somewhere really cool to check out, and the beaches to relax at. It is easy to forget that you're in LA cause there's so much to do on campus, but when ur ready to venture out, it is amazing.
Overall, I guess that you could say that Oxy is definitely not for everyone. I feel, however, that everything I have been through at this school this year has been worth it good or bad. I have grown so much in such a positive way. And thats the point, isnt it? No matter what school you choose, there is no wrong decision. You can grow up, be strong, and become the person you are no matter where you go. So in terms of deciding where to go (cause, trust, I know its stressful) listen to your heart and go where it just feels right. Because at least then there will be no regrets. :)</p>
<p>Quote:
Simply one of the most well-rounded colleges you will ever find. Academics are excellent and challenging, and professors are always willing to help during their office hours. Student body is great for a private college (Friendly, highly diverse, and most people aren't arrogant or stuck up like at most private institutions). The school prides itself on this greatly. Campus has a beautiful, spanish style flair to its archetecture, sort of like Stanford.
Social Life at Oxy is pretty good for a small college. Residence Halls are nice and well-maintained, with rooms going from small to spacious (Newcomb Hall). Each weekend, the college throws some kind of campus-wide party that many people on campus go to (Ex. Halloween, Toga Night, Splatter, Love on the Beach). Other than this, people usually hang with their buddies and get drunk (although campus safety really tries to clamp down on this). L.A. is a great place to have fun as a college student, just bring or find someone who has a car since you can't go far without one. However, the college has what's called a Bengal Bus, which can take you to a couple of places (Old town Pasadena, Glendale Galleria, and occaisonally Universal City Walk). Burbank, Santa Monica, Hollywood, UCLA, and USC are also great places to hang out. Lastly, don't feel pressured into joining a fraternity or sorority, since only 10% of the students here are involved in Greek Life. </p>
<p>The only complaint I have about Oxy is the issues regarding the administration. Some students have complained about a lack of funding for clubs, and the athletic facilities on campus are mediocre, with the exception of the track and football field, both of which are execellent. To give the administration credit, they are building a new olympic size pool, a new residence hall, and eventually a new a fitness Center (The current weight room is god awful). Part of the problem is that the college is trying to recover from near bankrupcy about 6 or 7 years ago, due to the controversy associated with diversifying the school (The old, WASPY, racist alumni from the 50's, 60's, and 70's weren't too happy about this), and at the same time spending a lot of money to upgrade the campus. In a way, I can't really blame them for trying to pocket as much money as possible. Also, the college tries to hard to push their political agenda on the students. The ideas of diversity and multiculturism are literally shoved down our throats, and the P.C. atmosphere of the campus can seem stifling at times (and I'm even saying this as a democrat). Conservative views aren't really accepted, so the conservatives on campus are quiet for the most part. If you can get by these two minor issues, you'll be ok.
Campus dining is pretty good. We usually have a good selection of food, and the pasta bar at the Marketplace is excellent. The only problem with Campus dining is the inflexibility of hours on the weekends for the market place and tiger cooler (If you miss dinner, you may have to go off campus to eat). There are some good fast food spots in Eagle Rock, and the resturaunts are ok too.
Another thing to add: The music and choral programs here are also top notch. Our glee club is considered one of the best in the entire country. The football team and basketball teams here are excellent, both making the elite 8 in their respective sports the past 2 years. </p>
<p>Overall, Oxy has a bright future ahead of it. I can definately see this college as being ranked in the top 20 or 25 liberal arts colleges over the next 10 to 15 years. If you're considering to apply to places like UCLA, USC, UC Berkeley, Stanford, Pomona college, Claremont Mckenna College, or the Ivies, apply here. You won't be disappointed by the educaion you get here, and you might even get a nice merit scholorship, which definately makes it worth it to come here.</p>
<p>The last paragraph completely sums up what I've been doing and thinking. I'm glad I started considering this college.</p>
<p>Any thoughts on Pomona vs. Occidental? Which has the better campus and location?</p>
<p>Quote:</p>
<p>Pomona</p>
<p>Keep in mind that all five of the Claremont Colleges occupy a campus the size of Williams -- less than one square mile -- and share many of the same resources, including libraries.
Our biggest disappointment was that the interaction and cross-fertilization between the schools seemed not as seamless as we were led to believe. Most students make their friends in their own college and may occassionally take classes elsewhere.</p>
<p>Here's my take on your question: </p>
<p>Location:
Pomona is in Claremont, a nice middle-upper class community. But it's not really a college town. It's kinda boring, and there's not really much in the surrouding area, except two malls. You're far away from everything in L.A., even if you have a car. </p>
<p>Oxy is in the neighborhood of Eagle Rock in L.A. It's a working class hispanic community, with a few good fast food places. The good thing is that your only 10 minutes from Pasadena, a really nice place to hang out for students. Glendale and Burbank are also pretty close, and Burbank also has some nice places to hang out. Your not too far from the museums and beaches of L.A., depending on how much traffic there is (30 to 45 min.)</p>
<p>Campus: This is much more of an opnion question. You should really visit both campuses to see which one you like more. They're both really nice in my opinion. </p>
<p>Pomona's campus is a little bit bigger than Oxy's. Because they wanted to build a new-England style Liberal Arts College in California, there's some variation between Spanish and Colonial Style Architecture. Thre's also more open spaces of greenery in between the dorms, since they had more room to do this. Pomona's campus is definately better if you want to use a bike.</p>
<p>Oxy is enclosed by the local community, making it a little smaller. The archetecture is strictly spanish style. Unlike Pomona, the campus slopes upward on a hill. The college is initiating it's Master Plan to build and renovate more dorms, add more spaces of greenery, and make it more bike-friendly. </p>
<p>I actually wrote the second posting of the thread. If you've got any further questions, e-mail me at <a href="mailto:edonin@oxy.edu">edonin@oxy.edu</a></p>
<p>Can you take classes at UCLA or some nearby college if they aren't offered at Oxy? One of the things I like about Pomona is the ability to cross-enroll at any of the 5 colleges.</p>
<p>There's a program where you can take classes at CalTech under specific circumstances. There is an accelerated JD program with Columbia law school. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.oxy.edu/x3227.xml%5B/url%5D">http://www.oxy.edu/x3227.xml</a></p>
<p>I've heard that it is possible to register for courses at UCLA and USC, but it's a complicated process. Ask the admissions office and see what they say.</p>
<p>Dangit, I just realized they only offer a minor in what I want to major in. Is there any way to turn it into a major through outside classes?
Yeah maybe I should just call.</p>
<p>What is it that you want to major in?</p>
<p>Classical Studies</p>
<p>Yes--students have designed their own major in classical studies before. Oxy has also just hired a full-time prof who specializes in Classics.</p>
<p>Classics programs at universities such as UCLA and Berkeley tend to be very small compared to other departments on campus. I question if you should attend a school and major in a subject with such limited offerings on campus. It's really something you should think about. It's doable, but would the school offer enough to satisfy you? Maybe it will, but would you rather have more offerings and a wider selection of choices? Maybe you would be fine. There are also other liberal arts schools which have more extensive programs in classics. I chose not to go to certain colleges because they offered almost nothing in the field I wanted to study. Although oxy might have more than one classics prof, one professor in my field at a school wouldn't be okay with me. It's still a great school, and I don't know about the area of study at the school, maybe they have many able teachers who can assist you in the subject.</p>
<p>Well, I would generally agree that if you feel 100% sure that you want to major in X, you probably want to go to a school that offers X as a major! On the other hand, you do need to keep in mind that people change their mind about majors all the time. In my view, what you think now you're going to major in should <em>not</em> be your chief criterion for picking a school--other factors are much more important.</p>
<p>Yeah I'm definitely not set on it, I'm more just really interested in it. Anything dealing with ancient history is actually interesting to me, as is linguistics and anthropology and archaeology. It's really hard to make a living off of though, so I've never been too set on it.</p>
<p>Well, choosing a major is not choosing a career path. Most people do not do work related to what they majored in, particularly within anything but engineering or types of business. Major in what you find interesting, and, if you want to do it for a living, expect to need a higher degree than a BA.</p>