Anonymous
02/13/2026 21:41
Subject: Re:Colleges in Southern California
UC Irvine, CS Long Beach , CS Fullerton
Anonymous
02/13/2026 21:03
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:UCs: UCSB, UCSD, UCD, UCSC
Cal Poly: Cal Poly SLO
LACs private: Occidental College (gives merit), 5Cs (Pitzer and Scripps are the only ones that measure demonstrated interest and are easiest to get into the other 3 are improbable and not worth getting fixated on).
Mid-size private: Chapman, Loyola Marymount, U of SantaClara, U of San Diego, U of San Francisco
Large private: USC
How can you possibly not mention UCLA?
Anonymous
02/13/2026 20:25
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Add Pepperdine.
If you are evangelical Christian.
We are Jewish. DD is at Pepperdine.
I've driven by Pepperdine many times - it's looks awesome. What am I missing about this school vs other Cal beach schools? What did you see in Pepperdine that was different from other schools?
Easy admit!
Anonymous
02/13/2026 10:38
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Occidental?
Oxy had a 15% decline/no shows in last fall’s class which resulted in curtailing faculty hiring and spending, and trying management techniques with admissions such as “lock-in” scholarships to those willing to go with ED1ir ED2 to drive up yield. https://www.oxy.edu/about-oxy/college-leadership/presidents-office/community-messages/falls-incoming-first-year-class
More about Oxy
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1288269.page
Anonymous
02/13/2026 07:57
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
I don’t understand being from here and not going to a “beach” socal school. USD, ucsd, ucsb, lmu, Pepperdine. Maybe ucla. Why go to usc or to one of the Claremont colleges? Just to be in ca?
Anonymous
02/13/2026 00:04
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:UCs: UCSB, UCSD, UCD, UCSC
Cal Poly: Cal Poly SLO
LACs private: Occidental College (gives merit), 5Cs (Pitzer and Scripps are the only ones that measure demonstrated interest and are easiest to get into the other 3 are improbable and not worth getting fixated on).
Mid-size private: Chapman, Loyola Marymount, U of SantaClara, U of San Diego, U of San Francisco
Large private: USC
But you need to ask why is it giving merit? Schools do that to get certain students they wouldn’t get otherwise. Oxy’s Selectivity is only 44.9%. Also the new Oxy Commitment Scholarships were announced in October to address the catastrophic 15% reduction in the size of last fall’s class - to which I’ve not yet heard an adequate explanation. I know Jewish students are avoiding it due to violations of their civil rights. The commitment scholarships give $15,000 to students accepting ED1 and ED2 - but that was a fast solution by Admissions to addressing the yield problem. In essence, Oxy is buying yield commitments to ensure students will show up.
Anonymous
02/12/2026 22:39
Subject: Re:Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:I would suggest visiting the Claremont colleges since you will be able to knock out 4-5 schools in one area-- nice bang for your buck! We did a tour of UCLA and visited UCSD on our own.
Here is another thread about Claremont schools:
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1314055.page
Anonymous
02/09/2026 10:53
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Didn’t see Cal Tech mentioned - top 15 school
Anonymous
02/09/2026 10:49
Subject: Re:Colleges in Southern California
I would suggest visiting the Claremont colleges since you will be able to knock out 4-5 schools in one area-- nice bang for your buck! We did a tour of UCLA and visited UCSD on our own.
Anonymous
02/09/2026 08:51
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:Occidental?
Oxy had a 15% decline/no shows in last fall’s class which resulted in curtailing faculty hiring and spending, and trying management techniques with admissions such as “lock-in” scholarships to those willing to go with ED1ir ED2 to drive up yield. https://www.oxy.edu/about-oxy/college-leadership/presidents-office/community-messages/falls-incoming-first-year-class
Anonymous
02/09/2026 08:47
Subject: Re:Colleges in Southern California
For private schools, I would include the Claremont colleges. The tours and info sessions will help you distinguish between the cultures and missions of the different schools.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 23:39
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Are you too stupid to Google?
Anonymous
02/07/2026 23:29
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Maybe there is already a thread.? What are colleges in southern CA worth visiting? Public. Private. LA to San Diego, Santa Barbara (an hour north of LA). Other?
I would say none.
Interesting take …
Considering UCLA is one of highest-rated schools in the country in terms of student quality of life AND academic depth and breadth, is consistently ranked in the Top 20 in most U.S. rankings and many global rankings, has been the most applied to college or university in the world for many years now, and is probably the “dream school” for more in-state and out-of-state applicants than any other college or university (if not nationwide, than certainly those West of the Mississippi), I’d say you’re probably missing the mark here.
Yep. UCLA was my DD'S dream school. She graduated last year and said it was the absolute best college experience anyone could ever have!
Was she involved in clubs, sorority? What did she like about it? I am trying to decide.
Decide? UCLA decisions have not been released yet.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 22:32
Subject: Colleges in Southern California
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Add Pepperdine.
If you are evangelical Christian.
We are Jewish. DD is at Pepperdine.
I've driven by Pepperdine many times - it's looks awesome. What am I missing about this school vs other Cal beach schools? What did you see in Pepperdine that was different from other schools?
Jewish PP here. We were not comparing branding. DD got in USD, UCSB and Pepperdine in California. Had a very good merit offer at Pepperdine and her cousins (also Jewish) just graduated. We are from Denver. We felt that the combo of very small classes, small school that is isolated from the city, and how comfortable they made us few as non-Christians in that environment was great. She met several professors during her 2 visits and the attention she received alongside the attention we all recevied while we were there, set them apart vs the others.
Is it better than the others? We dont know and we dont care. It was better for my daughter. Yes, most of her friends are Christians, but so what? That is the world that she will live in. She has a phenomenal group of friends, she is in a sorority and love the environment. It helps her dorm has a view of the ocean
Thank you for the feedback; Now I get what I was missing. I did read that smaller schools do have faculty that are more focused on mentorship. I figured out-of-state the cost for private school vs public school anywhere in California is the same. BTW - I'm non-Christian but didn't think Pepperdine was overly Christian.
Anonymous
02/07/2026 20:41
Subject: Colleges in Southern California