I attended a different Claremont College & my DC went on tours of Harvey Mudd & Pomona a couple years ago. As others have mentioned, CMC is strong for polisci/govt/econ & is relatively more conservative than other 5Cs. All of those schools are tiny but you can cross register at other campuses. Interestingly, I think that Pomona, Pitzer, Scripps all intermingle more than the other 2 or maybe that was just my experience. My work study job was up at Harvey Mudd & they had huge 5C parties. I had little interaction with CMC. I know a few graduates I've met later in life who loved it tho.

I can speak to Claremont: very suburban (at least 45 min-an hour from LA). Campuses are very separate from town. Beautiful campuses, sunny, mild climate, both beaches & hiking within about an hour's drive. Kids drive to Baja for spring break. Five colleges make it seem less small of a college.

GL to your son! Great school.

* It is definitely specialized towards politics, government, international relations, finance, and economics. That's what the majority of students major in and what their (excellent) career resources, research institutes, and funding programs emphasize.

* The alumni network is strong, but mostly centered in California. It's possible to work in other regions, but it requires more networking.

* Students do have a work-hard play-hard attitude; alcohol and partying is pretty prominent compared to the other Claremonts and most LACs. That said, it still is a rigorous T10 LAC. And if you don't fit that personality, that's okay. There are plenty of students who don't. You have the other Claremonts to find like-minded students as well.

* It is not a SJW campus. It actually stands out among the 5Cs for being the least liberal, though it's not conservative either. I'd say it's more politically balanced- there are a healthy amount of liberals, moderates, and conservatives on campus. SJW culture does make it way through largely from the other (very liberal) campuses, but I've found CMC on a whole engages with that constructively.

* With a car, venturing out to explore Southern California for internships and entertainment is definitely feasible. Without one, things are harder. Public transportation exists, but it isn't great. The 5Cs have a pretty solid social life and range of events, so there can definitely be a "bubble" making it unnecessary to leave.

It is a great school for the right student.

when I went there there was a t-shirt that was something like $25,000 cover charge, all you can drink.

It was (and I think still is) a very wet campus. This has its advantages- drinking is out in the open rather than hidden behind frat house doors.

There is some 'bro' culture for sure.

That being said, I definitely don't fit bro culture or college drinking type- and I got a great education and had a great time.

Anonymous wrote:It’s also pretty far inland. Definitely not an LA or even Pasadena vibe there.

There's a train station within a walking distance for 5C students to escape. There's nothing surrounding the campus, except for residential homes and small shopping places (not a mall).

Anonymous wrote:Spectrum kids who don’t want an ivy.

What are spectrum kids? Do you mean autistic kids?

Spectrum kids who don’t want an ivy.

Great school. Beautiful and safe campus.

It’s also pretty far inland. Definitely not an LA or even Pasadena vibe there.

Anonymous wrote:One interesting data point from a female social justice warrior type from Pomona College: she said her first choice was and still is Pomona. But her backups had been similar colleges on the East Coast. Having spent 4 years in the Claremont Consortium, she would now prefer Claremont McKenna over all East Coast alternatives.

Por qué?

One interesting data point from a female social justice warrior type from Pomona College: she said her first choice was and still is Pomona. But her backups had been similar colleges on the East Coast. Having spent 4 years in the Claremont Consortium, she would now prefer Claremont McKenna over all East Coast alternatives.

I wouldn’t call it fratty. It definitely has finance bro energy but that is sort of offset by the other colleges which are filled with kids telling them to knock it off. Definitely amazing econ and gov. Fine for everything else.

My nephew is a junior there. It’s VERY small, though size is somewhat mitigated by the consortium. Classes are hard; he’s taken some classes at the “easier” schools. He’s not a SJW and has never mentioned that being an issue.

And before anyone says anything, the conservative Claremont Institute is not affiliated with the college.

Have your kid go to the school’s Instagram and reach out to the students doing Instagram stories. The students are happy to speak directly to your kid
and answer any questions.

I’ve heard everything from “it’s too fratty and conservative” to “social justice nerds who drink” and from “it plays second fiddle to Pomona” to “it’s the best place to be on the west coast if you want to be happy and employable.” It’s making it very hard for my DS who won’t get to visit to be able to get a sense of the school. What are your perceptions, experience, knowledge, stereotypes, whatever about CMC?