West Coast college suggestions

<p>I second the Pepperdine suggestion. It has a very good sports medicine program, and better weather than Pasadena.</p>

<p>As someone that lives in West LA, I have a hard time believing there's any significant difference between the weather in Pasadena and Malibu.</p>

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Her 'wish list' for the perfect college has developed into: a smaller college in a college-town setting with a larger city available with easy access.

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<p>UCLA also fits this. It's somewhat secluded in Westwood, and of course you can't get much bigger than Los Angeles. And if your daughter is good enough, their athletic department is the most successful in the nation. Their women's swimming/diving team is usually in the top 25.</p>

<p>UCLA, USC, UCSD, and UCI</p>

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As someone that lives in West LA, I have a hard time believing there's any significant difference between the weather in Pasadena and Malibu.

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<p>Believe it. There's not much weather difference between Malibu and West LA, but going inland it's quite different. Colder in the winter, hotter in the summer, smoggier in the summer. No one ever notices this on January 1 which is the only day when anyone ever seems to notice weather in Pasadena, because it's always warmer in Pasadena in the winter than in most of the rest of the US. </p>

<p>OP, I'm wondering if the College of Creative Studies at UC Santa Barbara might be a possibility. College</a> of Creative Studies, UC Santa Barbara</p>

<p>I would have to disagree about weather difference. If your coming from the east or midwest you might say there is not weather difference. But for a native Ca. I find that there are weather differences even between West LA and Malibu. I lived for many years in Santa Monica, I worked in downtown LA. I took the bus to work. I would get off the first bus in West LA. In summer it would often be hot. I would take the 2nd bus down 20 some blocks and get off and the weather would be comfortable and cool.
Heck I live in Santa Barbara now and I find that even in this small city we have weather differences. I live within 1/2 mile of the ocean. In summertime it is often cold and foggy much of the day. I can have a sweatshirt on. I drive 5 minutes and it can be sunny and hot and need to be in a tank top. On the days I work from home and don't go out I can often not see sun in the summer till after 5 pm. Many a vacationer is fooled by Ca coastal weather.
I have lived in Ca my entire life and I would never consider living in Pasadena since the summers would be way to warm for me. Also air quality is different between Pasadena and Malibu.
I have a young friend graduating soon from the College of Creative Studies. She spent her first two yrs at Pomona. She has been very happy with her change.</p>

<p>Emory? Access to Atlanta, warm weather, challenging academics, and the option of a smaller environment for the first 2 years (Oxford College).</p>

<p>Tulane has all these as well (their small college is called Newcomb). </p>

<p>My sister (who also loved Stanford, liked Brown, and was pre-med) ended up applying early decision to Rice and loving it there. She got into their guaranteed med school admissions program, which saved her a LOT of money and stress. It's a pretty sweet deal if you can get it (and if you can deal with being in Houston for 8 years ;) )</p>

<p>She also really liked University of Redlands--not as selective as some of your daughter's other choices, but it's a small school in southern CA (there's a train to LA, though it is a fairly long ride) and offers some good merit aid.</p>

<p>Mills College. An amazing, beautiful school--a short hop to SF.</p>

<p>I've been beating this drum on these boards for a while but I would seriously rethink paying OOS tuition for UCs. With stats like your DDs you would probably get some merit money from other schools.<br>
The UCs are expecting record applicants due to the economic situation and the UCs are expecting budget cuts. Translation: overcrowded dorms and classes.
If she is looking at UCs don't forget the deadline and don't wait till the last minute. The UC servers often crash on d day.</p>