Uni in the USA: A British Guide to American Universities and Colleges > All New: Colleges and Universities Added in 2009 > Pepperdine (new review!)
Malibu, California
Undergrads: 3,150
Grads: 2,900
How many Pepperdine students does it take to change a light bulb?
2 – one to change it and one to give the sermon.
***
Pepperdine is a Christian college and has clearly been blessed by God for it. Perched on a prime stretch of the Malibu hills overlooking awe-inspiring beaches and ocean with a near-perfect climate, it would be hard not to be a believer at this school. Academics are top-notch, and the students are friendly and happy. Even Richard Dawkins would be reluctant to say no.
The Campus
Rated on consecutive years as having the most beautiful campus in the country, no easy feat when you consider the competition, Pepperdine really is something special. A sharp climb into the hills off the world-famous Pacific Coast Highway, where people come from miles simply to drive and admire the landscape, Pepperdine provides searing views over the Pacific Ocean and the spectacular beaches below. This really is California at its best and most stereotypical, with excellent surfing opportunities and well-tanned, healthy students sun-bathing or taking exercise à la Baywatch.
The campus is not too big, with building works scheduled to finish in August ’09 set to make things even more agreeable. There are great facilities, both sporting and academic, including one of the most exquisite baseball diamonds in the world where you can hit your home-runs into the ocean.
The dorms, where 95% of freshmen and a large chunk of the rest have accommodation, would be considered well above average in normal circumstances, but with the view and the location they are transformed into priceless real estate, which students can use at bargain rates.
The Pepperdine Student
The stereotypes are manifold. Mostly it’s the rich preppy crowd, complete with the “Barbie girls”, jocks, frat-boys, Texans and typical Southern Californians. These folk are complemented by clever kids who attend the school on a scholarship or heavy financial aid. The attitudes at the school are shaped by the Christian aspect – meaning that students say they are “excited by life”, have happy, outgoing personalities and are generally optimistic. Unfortunately the wealth of most students means things can lean towards the superficial, with importance attached to designer labels and make of car, for example. Politics are conservative here, and experimental or radically-minded students are the exception rather than the norm.
Despite being in the minority, unconventional personalities can have a great time at Pepperdine. There are a fair number of non-Christians, gays & lesbians, and international students, all of who seem to rub along happily enough within the student body. Do be prepared for mandatory chapel every week.
Hitting the Books
Academics are excellent at Pepperdine. The university follows a liberal arts program with the traditional focus on the Core Curriculum (which includes courses on religion) in the early years. Professors are high quality, challenging and personally involved with the students in small class sizes and one-to-one meetings out of class. Professors are also conservative in the main, staying true to the Christian aspect, and every now and again you may come across one that “needs to be fired”, as one student put it. The post graduate business and law schools are the most famous departments, with nation-wide reputations.
Students describe the work-load as “not too grueling”, “heavy, but not more than you’d expect for university,” and “more than at a state school”, and the commitment to study among the students is strong.
A major positive aspect of the school is the study abroad program. Over half the students spend at least a semester in a foreign country, the second highest proportion of any university in the US. Students almost always return from these experiences reinvigorated and, dare we say it, more open-minded in their attitudes.
Social Life
On campus, the zero-tolerance regulations against drugs and alcohol mean a quiet social life, and the nearby town of Malibu is small. Social gatherings are “not in your face”, as one student put it, “…you have to go look for them”. Nevertheless, opportunities for beach- and hill-type activities abound, and it is popular for students to drive into Los Angeles or Santa Monica to get the desired injection of clubs and party scene.
There are lots of extra-curricular choices. Sports are not big, but there are nationally-acclaimed teams in volleyball, water-polo and baseball. Wilderness activities are popular, including hiking or mountain-biking in the beautiful surrounding hills. Pepperdine also has a great Peace-Corps team, and lots of opportunities to get involved in community service schemes.
Getting In
Pepperdine is very selective – some compare it to the uber-cutthroat University of Southern California and the like in terms of application success rates. Likewise, fees are high and aimed at the wealthy. Although there is no needs-based financial aid for international applicants, Pepperdine maintains its academic caliber by providing plenty of aid for the less-well-off but intelligent, so do consider scholarship opportunities.