Does Oxy compare to the Claremont Consortium? I’m a very interested applicant to both institutions, and their respective colleges. I realize, of course, the prestige of the Claremonts may outweigh that of Occidentals, but does Oxy beat them back in another way? Hoping students can share their thoughts on their experience at Oxy, and shed some light onto what goes down on the hallowed halls (designed by Myron Hunt).
Part of the draw of the Claremont colleges is the easy proximity to the other schools for academics and social activities. That is kind of hard to beat. Oxy is a fine school, but can’t offer the combination of small school benefits combined with the consortium that the Claremonts can.
Occidental is more urban and has easier access to LA. I think Oxy has the most beautiful campus. Oxy students seem to be the most engaged with the outside world whereas the Claremonts are in a privileged bubble. Building off that, Oxy seems to have the best global feel. Oxy is statistically more diverse than most of the Claremonts. You can cross register at a prominent RU (Caltech).
My daughter was very interested in Pomona but, after interviewing with Oxy, she immediately preferred the vibe at Oxy. I agree it’s hard to beat the Claremont schools but Oxy’s been a great fit, is tight knit and has really good connections. It’s proximity to CHLA is a great opportunity for internships in the medical field.
I can’t say for the Claremont College, but as an Oxy student, I can say that Oxy’s DWA (Diplomacy and Global Affairs) program is strong, opposed to STEM which I feel are weaker.
But at the end of the day, it really depends on which school you like better. Hard work at either school and internships, academic success, and enjoying college will follow.
Considering your timeline, I would research your intended major and go off from there. People tend to choose a college largely based on their career choice, and though I believe this factors into your decision, it really is how you’ll fit in that institution. Yes, this is cliche and everyone raves over “fit” but if you go a college with strong academics but hate the environment, it’ll hard to thrive.
I’m a CS major and Oxy JUST got that a few weeks ago. Needless to say, that field is not too strong and well-known but I love studying it here and had I gone to UCSD, my other choice, I would probably feel miserable and overly anxious.
Hope this helps!