<p>I'm considering transferring to Pepperdine next fall. I was wondering what sort of academic reputation it has and whether it is looked highly upon in SoCal and other parts of the country. I'm currently at the University of Wisconsin, which just isn't a good fit for me, but I don't want to transfer to a school that will look significantly less prestigious than the one I'm already at, considering the UW is a public ivy. Also, does anybody know what the religious requirements are at the university? I'm new to CC so this is my first post. Hope I'm doing it right. Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Hi oshkinlobinshla, I was faced with a similar choice when I transferred to Pepperdine and may be able to offer some insight on the choice of whether to transfer or not.</p>
<p>Since you are concerned with the portability of your degree, it is important to consider what you hope to do with it. Are you interested in going to graduate school? If so, what kind? If you are in a highly specialized program that a research university like UW offers but Pepperdine does not, you may be taking a step back in terms of your ability to do the kind of research that will make you an attractive candidate for graduate school. That is not true for many programs at Pepperdine. I know plenty of people who have gotten into great PhD programs in specialized topics out of Pepperdine. But if you are interested in going for Nordic Languages or some other obscure academic pursuit, UW is going to be more likely to have the resources to support that interest.</p>
<p>If you are interested in getting an MBA or a JD, the difference between UW and Pepperdine is going to be virtually non-existent. Law schools don’t care what school you come from, and business schools will be looking at your work experience and GMAT scores. If you are interested in joining the business community in Southern California, Pepperdine will most likely afford you better opportunities than UW simply because of the opportunity for internships during the school year and the network that Pepperdine offers throughout the region.</p>
<p>I go to law school outside of California and everyone I’ve told that I went to Pepperdine knows the name. I was quite surprised at the school’s name recognition on the opposite coast. In addition, a lot of Pepperdine graduates end up going to work in DC for think tanks, government agencies, and non-profits. They benefitted from the DC Internship program that Pepperdine offers where students can spend a semester interning in DC while earning credits that allow them to stay on track for their degree at Pepperdine. </p>
<p>I think I made a good choice by transferring to Pepperdine. I have never felt like I have been limited in any way. Depending on your goals, I don’t think you would have any problems either. There are certain programs that UW is going to have that Pepperdine won’t. For instance, Pepperdine does not have a formal engineering program but instead does a 3/2 engineering program where you get a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine in the sciences and a bachelor’s degree from either USC or Washington University in St Louis in engineering during your last two years. However, UW probably has its own engineering program that is quite good and would allow you to complete your degree in four years rather than five.</p>
<p>If your goals fit with what Pepperdine offers, you shouldn’t have a problem. WHat may be more important for you is to determine whether you will be happier at Pepperdine than UW. They are very different schools and draw different kinds of students. However, that may be exactly what you need.</p>
<p>I hope this helps.</p>
<p>One thing I forgot to mention is that if you want to work in the mid-west, I’m willing to bet that UW is better than Pepperdine across the board. That is only a guess on my part, but I get the sense that UW has a fairly extensive network throughout the mid-west and is well respected as a Big 10 research institution. Thus, if your goal is to end up in the mid-west, that is something to consider.</p>
<p>Thank you very much for your response! That was helpful. I don’t plan on ending up in the Midwest and am hoping to get my bachelor’s in some sort of communication program. The comm. program at UW is not especially great, and the programs at Pepperdine seem to offer a lot more of what I’m looking for. So right now it’s a choice between the journalism school at UW (which I think will be more valuable than a so-so general communication degree, although it’s not really my first choice) and one of the more specialized communications degrees at Pepperdine. This is all dependent on finances, but I’m hoping for some scholarship help 
As far as atmosphere goes, I definitely feel like Pepperdine is the best fit. Whether it’s looked highly upon by potential employees is really my only concern other than cost, but it seems like it has a pretty good reputation and definitely a lot of opportunities for internships, which is great. Thank you again!!</p>