Brad

Chapman has a great campus that's not too big, but not too small. You can learn your way around pretty quick without getting bored of the place. Orange, the surrounding town, is charming and picturesque. Chapman's reputation is growing steadily. It's already considered one of the top film schools and just needs some alumni to hit it big to put it in the same league with USC and UCLA.

Classes at Chapman are more intimate than you'd find at bigger universities. It's not as easy to be anonymous. On the upside you'll have more access to teachers and generally learn more. Chapman students are smart and industrious without being stuffy. There's still room for some fun. Academic requirements are higher than you'll find at some other schools. So you'll have to take more general education classes at higher levels, but you'll get a better all around education.

Chapman was founded by Jesuits, so there's plenty of religious life on campus including a chapel. But I never felt uncomfortable not being religious. Religion doesn't find its way into the curriculum. Chapman students run the gamut of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, but I'd say the majority are white and middle to upper class. Students are politically aware and left leaning, as you'll find on most campuses, but there are conservative groups as well.

Greek life is popular on campus. There are various groups and clubs. Students are generally gregarious. Some dorms don't allow doors to remain open because of fire regulations, but students will knock on doors to introduce themselves. There are plenty of affordable restaurants in town. There are movies theaters nearby at The Block, an outdoor mall with all the usual trendy shops. And the school's only an hour away from LA.