Occidental College Top Questions

Oxy doesn't havea college town feel, it's in a residentail neighborhood, the campus is very small. I think many people don't venture too far off campus, or only go to familiar places like hollywood, the beach, and old town pasadena. There is a lot to explore in Eagle Rock and highland park which is nice. It's small, that's for sure, but I like most things about it, probably one of the things I would change is that fact that there is a road running right through the middle of campus. We have some administrative issues, most visibly the fact that we've had four different presidents in the last 5 years, I would say that these issues are of concern to the students, but the professors remain fairly calm which helps keep life on campus pretty normal.

When I tell people I go to Occidental they usually haven't heard of it and I don't blame them. It is a very small school, smaller than my public highschool. I enjoyed my first year here but things a math professor said at my convocation are starting to make sense. Occidental...there are monsters living under your bed. What I mean to say is that Occidental appears at first glance to be a very liberal institution that cares about its' students and faculty but it is really everything but. The only good thing about this school is our faculty. They are amazing but our administration on the other hand.... There is a turn over in administrative positions every year. There have been 4 presidents since I entered Occidental. Our school is basically run by our board of trustees who are only concerned with money. I worked at Telefund for a semester and I was sickened by how focused it was on obtaining money from alumni, and parents. There was little focus on building rapport with these individuals. Diversity is a big issue on campus. Most people on campus are way too PC. This is suppose to be an environment where we can learn from one another but instead we spend most of the time criticizing one another. Our campus safety staff sucks. That may not be very eloquent but it's true. Most of the campus safety staff does not care about the students. I was a sober sister for an event on campus and campus safety provided little assistance. They were dead bodies. I cleaned up vomit, helped other students that were too drunk to be there while campus safety continued to let students that were too drunk to be there enter the dance. I have still not received an apology for thank you. There is this illusion on campus that the administration and students work hand in hand but after a few years here you will discover that the administration cares little about what the students think and is more focused on their own interests. For example, I was rush chair last spring. Rush has always been held at the organizations houses but a new policy was enforced right before we were to go on winter break that would require all rush activities to be held on camps. The students were not consulted to this change nor were our opinions taken into consideration. It turned out that the decision was made by our advisor. I am no longer part of Alpha. It saddens me but I hate being wrapped up in a corrupt system and thats what Occidental is, corrupt. I wish I had listened a little more closely at that speech my freshmen year where the professor warned us of Occidentals monsters but I laughed with everyone else. Now, here I am, a senior, about to graduate from a college that I dislike, will never give to, and hope to forget.

Occidental is a little bit of everything... emphasis on little. It's a small school, and that's the way I like it. There is a Greek life and there is a Geek life. Being in the theater department, have a very different and perhaps limited view of the school. The theater majors are literally split from the rest of campus because our building stands at the top of the hill, far away from all the other academics. Similarly and unfortunately, the department lacks the challenges and delights of diversity that the rest of the campus enjoys, largely I believe, because of the lack of a faculty member of color. But concerning the school at large, its location is brilliant but best taken advantage of with a car or with an eager bent for public transportation (a bike splits the difference nicely). The food in the cafeteria is far better than most places and every once in a while they make an effort to have extra healthy or organic options. The administration is a bit backwards-- the Board of Trustees has too much control over who stays and who goes, what happens and what doesn't happen. Our first female president spent only one semester in office before stepping down because of differences with the board. To my understanding, these were over such things as funding for study abroad and issues of tenure. In Ms. Prager's defense, she spent time while in office having private meetings with every professor on campus. She knew what the school needed, but the Board refused (and continues to refuse) to listen. The student government does not have enough power to challenge the administration and we are not unified enough as a student body to demand the power to change. Instead, small groups make their voices heard in the community-- a valuable and abundant opportunity at Oxy. Oh, and my experience with financial aid is that the are terrible.

I came from a small town and a high school of about 13,000 students. What I like about Oxy is that it is quite comparable to the size of high school, but at the same time it is in the second largest city in the country. There are so many venues at your fingertips, yet Oxy is my place I can retreat to in order to escape the hustle and bustle. So, it can get a little repetetive, seeing the same faces everyday and partying with the same people every weekend. That's not necessarily a bad thing tho. For me, I don't mind at all hanging out with and seeing the same people all the time. In actuality, I couldn't ask for a better group of friends!

If I were going to change something about Oxy I would change the size. Oxy is very small and it feels like you know everyone after your first year. The social scene is fairly repetative. A lot of people love the size of Oxy, but if you like to have a broader social scene and have new people to meet over your four years, Oxy may not be your school. There is a lot of school spirit at Oxy, but be warned that there is a very large football team for such a small school, and they often bring down the academic quality of the classroom. I think one of the best things about Oxy, other than academics, is its location. I love living in L.A. with access to the beach, museums, concerts, shopping, amazing food, and enless potential to explore. Oxy's administration is lacking, to say the least. Oxy has gone through three presidents in about 4 or 5 years so there never seems to be centralized leadership. Another bad thing about Oxy is registration. If you can get into the classes you want they are usually great, but it can be a battle zone trying to get them. Oxy has really good food for a college campus, and the campus is really beautiful. Something cool about Oxy is that Barack Obama went there! It is a very liberal community, and most students are interested in politics, and issues of social justice.

I have really enjoyed my time so far at Oxy - my classes have been great and I love the people there. My biggest complaint this year was definitely the living situation - most first years were placed in "forced triples" which is basically three people in a double sized room (small double at that). Overall, for such a small school there's a really great and diverse mix of people all trying to achieve something different from the rest. Eagle Rock itself isn't that great, but there are still a ton of restaurants and a few shops within a couple miles of campus. But both Pasadena and Glendale are only 15 mins away and each of those areas has a lot going on.

In my opinion the best thing about Occidental is the size itself. When a school is small like Oxy, it allows the professors to actually teach the students instead of leaving this to their grad students (odd how teachers being able to do their job actually elicits praise huh?) Not only are the teachers in a better environment in a small school, but not having tens of thousands of students means you can get to know most if not all of your classmates, and make connections that will last a lifetime. In addition to a great size in my opinion, Oxy also has a great reputation. Not only do many business leaders recognize the rigor and selectiveness of the college, but so do many people I meet in everyday conversation. For all this, if there is anything wrong with the school in my opinion it is that the administration, and most of the student body itself is far too obsessed with diversity. Although diversity is a good thing, having it shoved in your face day in and day out is easy to get tired of.

My favorite things about Occidental are the student body and the professor/student relationships. I have found the most wonderful people at Oxy-- my friends are all engaged in schoolwork, internships and sports but we all find time to spend together to explore LA or just hang out in each others' rooms. In terms of the professors, its the middle of the summer and I just sent two of my favorite professors e-mails to tell them about my summer or to send them links to articles/videos they might find interesting (they both responded the same day). During the last week of school one of my professors invited me to his house to have dinner with some other students. We sat in his living room and discussed life, politics, and issues related to Oxy. That was one night I'll never forget. A lot of people dismiss Eagle Rock (the neighborhood Oxy is in) because it doesn't look like Westwood or Palo Alto. I'll admit that I was a bit of a hater when I first got to Oxy but my opinion of Eagle ROck has completely changed. Every fall there is a HUGE music festival at the corner of Eagle Rock and Colorado. They block of 7 or 8 blocks and have bands playing on every corner. Thousands of people show up to listen to the music, eat at the foodstands and check out the scene. There are also a lot of great restaurants in Eagle Rock (my friends and I often eat at Auntie Em's or Spitz--you should look them up if you are going to visit). Although, if you do visit you should try eating in the marketplace (our dining hall). They do a really spectacular job. the food is often organic and always fresh. Some mornings I wake up, make my way down to the MP to find a parfait with fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. There are always two soups and special salads, made to order pasta and quesadillas...I visited 12 schools when applying to college and by far Oxy had the best food (one of the many reasons I chose Oxy...?). Some complaints...the administration has been a bit disorganized since I matriculated. They are still looking for a new and more permanant president and not doing a particularly good job of keeping the student body informed about the search. Other more minor complaints...the gym and outdoor pool don't open until noon on weekends and the marketplace (my favorite place to eat on campus) closes at 7:30 (although there are options on campus that are open later). One recent contrvercy was when Lupe Fiasco came to Oxy for an evening and only played two songs! I think we paid him $30,000 or something ridiculous like that. But more seriously, there are some avid discussions about race on campus. Oxy is the 3rd most diverse liberal arts college with 40 {4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of student identifying as racial or ethnic minority. Over the last few years there have been a lot of dialogues that become contravercial. I personally like the dialogue and have learned a lot.

occidental is a very small college, which is a good and a bad thing because of its size, it often feels like a high school gossip travels really fast the classes for the most part are really intimate and good, all the teachers know your name right away

I absolutely love Occidental. It has given me more opportunities to do explore the surrounding communtiy, to engage in interships around Los Angeles, and to delve into a deeper reflection of my own self. I find it to be an incredible school and I think that a lot of students do not take enough advantage of our possibilities.

Occidental is a small school with a close knit community. Yes, some people say it is too small but there are advantages and disadvantages to the size of school. Academically the small size is a great thing, giving each and every student the full attention they need. But, socially the small size can allow for gossip and drama.

Oxy cares 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} about the students who attend. It is a private school so you get what you pay for, an amazing faculty with students who expect to be treated well. I felt Oxy was too small for me but at the same time I realize that if it were any larger the personal attention would drop and then it wouldn't be the same school. Unfortunately, because it is so small, no one knows about it and that is a bummer. Hopefully as time passes it will become recognized but until then I can only hope that the people at various institutions that matter, will know and recognize it. Oxy has its own bubble and without a car, most of the students stay there. With 70{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} living on campus they try to provide fun things to do but it's nothing compared to the million other things to do in LA, so trying not to get sucked into the bubble is preferable if you attend Oxy. I grew up in a college town and Eagle Rock is nothing like it. It is a town, but if you want to get any real experiences you should branch out, really make a point of it. Occidental's administration is supposedly a bit of a mess but I have never had any personal problems with it, so no complaints there. School pride is definitely lacking, but it's what you make of it. My friends and I dressed up for football games but we were defintiely one of the few, but realize there are only about 1800 students to pull from for games. Other than that we have to have pride to stay at a school no one knows of to prove to others that it is amazing...

Occidental is a small, liberal arts school located in the fascinating city of Los Angeles. Occidental is ideally located at an arm's length from the well known West Hollywood, the up-and-coming Los Feliz, and the small city of Pasadena. Besides the surrounding communities, Occidental offers a diverse and unique on-campus experience. Often described as an urban oasis, the campus is pristine and ideal. Located on campus is a mailroom, two dining facilities, a new residence hall, a renovated gymnasium, as well as a non-denominational church. Although small in numbers, Oxy offers many opportunities for their students. The small numbers mean small class sizes leading to strong student-professor relationships. It is not uncommon for students to eat dinner with faculty or babysit their professor's children. With a strong science department, many chances for research are provided as well as a large academic support network.

Its a great place to get in diversity. Ultimatly college is what you make of it and if this school doesnt feel like it fits. It probably doesn't. Go somewhere else where you will be happier. I am happy here so I stay.

The campus is absolutely stunning. Many of the buildings, especially the old wing of the library are beautiful and create wonderful environments for completing school work. The fact that the library is open 24 hours a day is incredibly beneficial. As far as the school's reputation, anyone who has heard of it immediately comments on what an amazing school it is. Unfortunately, it seems like many people don't know what it is. Hopefully the school's plans to promote Occidental better will remedy this. One downside of the school being small is that their are fewer classes than you would find at large schools and they can be difficult to get into.

I am very glad I chose to go to Occidental. I have a great resume because of it (I was one of the people who decided to take advantage of all the internships and jobs in the area). I have learned a lot in my classes and there were numerous opportunities to get funding to do undergraduate research (i traveled to 3 continents for free!).

People are very focused on current issues and actively promote awareness of world and social issues. One thing that could be changed is the lack of consistant active participation in organizations or groups that work in social justice. Some students get involved, but the majority do not. People either know or do not know about Oxy. Those who do know about the school usually are impressed or enthusiastic about students who currently or have attended the school. I spent most of my time at the library, in my room, or with my friends at the dining facilities. It is a small school and very close knit community. Very accessible.

Occidental's administration is effed up, which makes everything else rather unstable by definition (we've had two presidents in the past 2.5 years). No one's ever heard of Oxy, although the school is ever-boasting about it's ranking on the "Top Liberal Arts Colleges" list. Eagle Rock is a nice place; it's close to Old Town Pasadena, Glendale, and Highland Park, although there's really nothing to do in Eagle Rock itself. The school is extremely small (1800).

Occidental is extremely liberal and quite diverse for a private college. The campus is BEAUTIFUL and a great location. The neighborhood is quiet and residential but very close to fun neighborhoods for food, shopping, etc. Because LA public transit sucks, it's a good idea to bring a car.

The best thing about Oxy is the size and caliber of students and professors it attracts. I was not a number to any of my professors. Two years after graduation, I still maintain contact with three of my profs/advisors. When you need letters of recommendation, your professors actually remember you and write personal letters instead of generic letters. The Undergraduate Research Centre is also one of Oxy's best assets. I worked for this Centre all 3 summers and gained experience doing full time research and presenting at conferences. At Oxy, you don't get stuck cleaning beakers while the grad students get all the exciting jobs. My first job at Oxy was a research scuba diver for the Vantuna Research Group. I highly doubt you would get the chance to walk on to a research diving team at a large university without a large amount of experience.

I love the size of Oxy. Its not too small, but small enough that you recognize people pretty much everywhere. The location is also good, right in the middle of LA so if you have or know someone who has a car you can always find something to do. I spend most of my time on campus either going to class, going to rehearsal, or hanging out with my friends. There is usually something to do on campus. If not though there are restaurants within walking distance and farmer's market on Fridays. If I could change one thing I would put the campus within walking distance of a beach. I don't have a car, so it can be difficult to get around.

The best thing about Occidental is its variety and its professors. In general, the professors at Oxy are incredibly helpful and focused on seeing their students succeed. All of my professors have known be by name, even in my large intro classes, such as Psych101. Also, the diversity within the student body racially, economically, ideologically, and geographically serves as a huge benefit to the campus culture. The schools size can sometimes be rather stifiling, especially in terms of the party scene-dont expect to go out on a Saturday and see anybody new- however, the small size really allows for personalized experiences that are tailored to fit you as a person, and academically the size allows each student to be noticed. The administration at Oxy is its achilles heel. The school has gotten rapidly more popular and more successful, and in a few years, I believe that the administration will be able to catch up to the school as a whole, but as of now, the bureaucracy is time-consuming and frequently frustrating. In terms of locations, Occidental does NOT have a college town vibe, however, it is located in Los Angeles proper and is minutes from Downtown LA, Pasadena, and Glendale. Also, the Eagle Rock neighborhood, in which Oxy is located has tons of great restaurants and little independant shops, and Echo Park, just southeast of campus is a great neighborhood for college students.

The school size is very small, which actually proves to be pretty nice. Most classes are fairly small and you get a lot of personal time with professors. There is a real sense of community at the school, although it does feel like we live in a bubble at times.

To me, the best thing about Oxy was, and always has been, the people. They are fun and outgoing people. At times, however, the campus tends to get catty. News travels fast around campus, and that is mostly due to the college's small size. Although growing in number, the size of Oxy makes it difficult to be anonymous, if that's what you're looking for. You will undoubtedly see about 30 people you know, or of whom you know, every time you walk through the quad. One thing about Oxy that I was not prepared for was that many people have never heard of it. It's sort of a disappointing feeling to be proud of your college and want to tell people that you go there and for them to not even know that it exists. A huge problem with Oxy at the moment is the administration. We have had four different presidents in the last four years, at that makes it very difficult to know who's in charge and the best ways by which to enact change. I think students are limited in their control over their own education, as well as in college policies. There are general assemblies for students to discuss their issues with the college, but I have never heard of a case where students bring up a problem that has been actively, quickly, and easily resolved by the administration.

I would change our sports facilities (which are actually in the works, so there you go). Our school is the perfect size and the perfect location since LA is right around the corner and Eagle Rock is amazing! Although not a lot of people always know about Occidental, it probably helps that Obama went here for a couple years as that has gained us some prestige and notoriety. While we don't seem to be able to keep President's too well, that doesn't seem to effect much of the student body as much. I love Oxy and wouldn't change my four years here at all!

Oxy's size can be a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you can meet someone on a Saturday night, and most likely, you will run into him the next morning at the Marketplace. If you had fun with him, it's great because you'll see him again and you can continue on from there. If you had an awkward encounter, you will not be able to escape seeing him again. I love the fact that there's kind of an "Oxy Bubble". Oxy residential, but is also right otside of L.A. proper, so there's tons to do both on campus and off. However, you have to make an effort to get off campus, or else the bubble can become suffocating.

I love the small size- you get to know all the teachers. The faculty is really diverse. I love oxy. There's definitely improvements to be made, but this is the school to be at.

Occidental is a small, prestigeous, liberal arts college. I know it sounds silly, but this says so much about Oxy. At Occidental, you get a rigorous, well-tempered inter disciplinary education in an intimate setting. When people hear that I go to Occidental, most people assume it is a dental school, or have never heard of it. For those that do know, they are usually impressed. Occidental is located in Eagle Rock, just within the boarder of the city of Los Angeles. Eagle Rock is a nice part of Los Angeles, California located in between the upscale Pasadena and Glendale. Occidental really is a sanctuary within the huge and diverse metropolis that is LA. Occidental has a great environment; a friendly, supportive atmosphere exudes from the students and faculty. The real power is that within this clam environment, Occidental has all the fuel and intimate interactions needed to empower you to stand out among your peers on a national level. Occidental consistently has an excellent record for students recieivng national awards (e.g. Fullbright and Goldwater) and sending students to fantastic graduate schools. Occidental's administration is perhaps its weakest link. There are so many excellent scholars that are Occidental degree holders, and professors with incredible CVs. Yet many times it seems that Occidentals professors and students achieve in spite of the administration that exemplifies many of the worst part of bureacracies. To that end, we have been through three presidents in the past half decade. Most recently, our president, Susan Prager resigned out of the blue this winter break after only 1 year and a half as President. Despite this one of the things that really attracted me was how much pride alumni have in their school. I have yet to meet one alumni who is not estatic about their time spent at Occidental, and proud of their degree.

My favorite thing about Oxy is how friendly and outgoing most of the students are. Size-wise, I like that it's small. After being here for two years, it perhaps feels like it's a little too small, but there are new students every year who you get to know. I do like that you get to know a lot of people really well and you see people you know all the time. I spend a lot of my time in my friend's dorm; they live in suites in one of the dormitories and it's nice to hang out in their common room doing homework or watching movies. There are a good amount of good restaurants around campus, and old town pasadena is pretty close and has some good shopping and restaurants. Traffic in LA makes it a little hard to get to the beach or some other locations, but if you go at the right time, there's tons of stuff to do around the area. The administration doesn't have the best reputation on campus. I think we're going through a transition period and it's taking a while for everybody to get settled. We've had a good amount of people resign in the last two or three years, but that doesn't really affect students on a day-to-day basis. I personally haven't been affected by the changes at all. There isn't a huge amount of school spirit, but everybody is really friendly and willing to meet new people, so I don't think it's much of a problem. The weather is fantastic and the campus is gorgeous. It's a really nice environment to be in.

The best thing about Oxy is the small size. There is some sense of community which doesn't exist at larger schools. Most people who aren't from Southern California have never heard of it. Our administration is kind of shaky. We can't seem to keep a president. There is always a lot of controversy surrounding race at our school. Oxy is obsessed with race.

Small, liberal arts, private school. Most people have not heard of it when mentioned. School might become recognized when people hear that 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama spent a year of undergraduate study here. Community is very close, very small school, everyone knows each other. I spend most of my time either in the classroom, at the baseball field, or studying in my room. Occidental is in the community of Eagle Rock, which is an up and coming community off the CA 2 Freeway between Glendale and Pasadena. Occidental's administration is good some areas, subpar in others. Professors are awesome, intelligent, and passionate about subjects they teach. Other administrators could be more helpful. Biggest controversy is the relationship between Board of Trustees and the recent Presidents. Newly elected President seems to be doing well. Not a lot of school pride, but alumni database is outstanding.

The size and closeness students feel with each other and their professors. The intellectual diversity and dialogues that I come across everyday are astounding. Occidental is an oasis in a seemingly desolate urban LA slum. Which actually isn't desolate at all, but teeming with character.

Overall, Oxy provides a tigh-knit community, but this is one of its key setbacks. In itssmallness,Oxy can be very suffocating, limiting and over-bearing at times--you see everyone everywhere. But this is where Academics really flourish because there is so much direct communication, etc. There's no college town, just freeways that take you places. Eagle Rock, the city surrounding Oxy,is okay but kind of limited as well. Activism is popular but often in a pseduo sense.

I feel that they school is a little too small. Everyone seems to know everyone, which can be nice at times, but it could be a little larger. Most people I talk to that do not attend Oxy have not heard of it. It seems to be more well-known back east then on the west coast. It woud be nicer if there were more things to do that were closer to campus. The surrounding area is not tha great/entertaining. Bu it is in southern California so there are plenty of activities close by. Overall, my experience has been good so far and I am enjoying myself a lot.

The best things about Oxy is the people and the location. The people are generally really friendly and interesting people who are enticing to get to know. And Oxy is near to many LA destinations like the beach. The worst thing about Oxy is the social scene can be not as exciting as other schools because of the small size and some nerdy kids. The best places on campus are the lawn in front of the cooler where they play music and stewie beach where people tan and play frisbie. Pasadena is really near by and that is where people mostly go to go out to dinner and to the movies. There is not that much school pride but people definitely show up to the games and wear oxy gear.

Occidental tries to pride itself on diversity. it is, but not as diverse as it could be. the one thing that connects us all, i think, is that every single Oxy student is passionate about something. we represent LOTS of different interests, but everyone loves what they do. that creates a great "collegiate atmosphere." when i tell people i go to Occidental College, they are usually perplexed: oxy doesn't have very good name-recognition. people ask, "is that a dental school?" UGH. NO IT IS NOT!! We are a small community of people who genuinely love to learn. And learn we do! The professors here--for the most part--are excellent. There are some, of course, that i don't think are that great at teaching, but usually the profs are great.

While attending Oxy, I have come to realize that one's college education is really what you make it. My best experience by far on this campus has been my participation in the Undrgraduate Research Program. While there are strengths to learning science in the classroom, to make it come alive one ought to find something that they are truly passionate about and find a professor to help you study your passion. The real world is not about test scores or even really all the terms and such you learned for class. The real world of science is about discovery, making mistakes, and studying some aspect of life that truly fascinates you.

People are friendly, the weather is perfect, you are in a major city but in a small community

I love attending a small college-I've had so many more opportunities within the theater major that you dont' necessarily get at larger schools. The big thing that always gets me about Oxy, too, is that everyone is very friendly. The entire campus has a welcoming atmosphere, that is for the most part very genuine. Sometimes, however, opportunities for extracurriculars can be limited due to lack of interest. But being in LA-you can usually find other places to do something similar off-campus. Try breaking out of the bubble! Lots of students get stuck on just doing things on campus. But there is a huge city with every kind of activity, food, arts event, anything-right there! Downtown is a 15-minute drive away. And Eagle Rock has awesome inexpensive dining options and partnership opportunites for volunteering with public schools.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk from any end of campus to the opposite corner. There are about 1800 students who, for the most part live either on-campus or within a mile radius from the school. There are many aspects of Oxy that remind me of my high school, such as the handholding the school provides to help guide their students through their four years, the wildfire gossip that bounces around, and the dances that are school-sponsored. Sometimes refered to as "the Oxy Bubble" for some of the annoyances that come with a small school, Oxy's a mix of positives and negatives. If those are aspects aren't your cup of tea, then Oxy might not be the best fit. Personally, the positives have greatly outweighed the negatives for my needs and desires in my undergraduate education. As tuition differences shrink between private and public colleges and universities, I'm grateful for the education and environment that Oxy has provided for me--things that I would undoubtedly not be able to experience or have at a bigger school. Oxy prides itself on the liberal arts education that they provide students, which really means that they have requirements that encourage you to explore fields that you wouldn't necessarily gravitate towards. Having a taste of many different fields--math, sciences, arts, humanities--has given me a better scope of fields and has helped me feel more comfortable talking about various topics. So in a nutshell, what's the best thing about Oxy? The diversity of courses you'll take, the diversity of people you'll meet, and the diversity of perspectives you'll gain. Oxy helps make you a more aware individual, which I think is as important (if not more) than the textbooks you'll read in class.

Occidental has been an amazing place for me, and as I've been here, I've only grown to love it more and more. I love the size of the school; I think that the idea that a school can be "too small" is a complete myth, and I feel its nearly impossible to ignore the advantages of a small professor/student ratio. For example, in the last two years here, I've taken 14 units of independent study. This enabled me to work closely with a professor and craft a senior project that I am proud of and really feel I can call my own.

The best thing about Occidental is the location - Southern California. It can't get much better than the sun and beach. Occidental is a small school, 1,800 students, for some it's too small but for me it's perfect. I don't think a big school is necessary in such a large city like LA. When I tell people that I attend Occidental, they think they are being original when saying "Is that an accident that you got into Occidental?" or my personal favorite, "That's a dental school right?" most people have never heard of Occidental but the name is slowly getting out there. I spend most of my time on campus either lounging pool side, unfortunately in the library, or sitting beneath the trees with some friends. Occidental is a beautiful campus so anywhere with grass, benches, or trees is usually where you will find students. Occidental is located in Eagle Rock which has some small restaurants within walking distance but most people go to either Old Town Pasadena (5-10 min. drive) to shop or eat and then there is always downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Santa Monica for the beach. Driving to these places always depends on traffic and in LA there is always traffic. There is so much to do here and you are sure to find people going off campus if you don't have a car.

The best thing about Occidental is the academic environment that is sooo welcoming and comfortable while at the same time being very motivated. In addition, the location is another great aspect. You are literally 15 minutes away from Downtown and Chinatown (on a good traffic day!) as well as 10 mintues from Glendale, Los Feliz, and Silverlake not to mention Pasadena which is right next door. There are so many things to do on campus, so there really is no excuse for being bored. As for the size, I love it. I transferred here from a school in upstate New York that had 6,000 students and while even that was small compared to a state school, for example, the intimacy and community of this school which is a third of the size is really noticeable. It isn't however, claustraphobic and I don't necessarily feel like I am back on a high school campus. I still see people may not have seen before yet I feel like everyone know's everyone else. There isn't any "college town" but to me that doesn't matter because Oxy is located so close to all the nearby cities that it is like all of those are our "college town." The administration, in the instances in which I have dealt with them have been more than helpful but I do know that there is some red tape in terms of registration for classes and how that has changed as of this year. Many complaints are concerning the order in which students register for classes and many students who have been here feel they were cheated out of better registration times since now Freshman get first choice. As long as you know what classes you want and you make an effort to talk to the professors of the classes that you really want to take, the difference in the registration times isn't that big of an issue, at least for me. Otherwise, although I know that the board of trustees and their conservative outlook has been a point of contention for many students and faculty, especially since our last president left so aburptly last semster because of her inability to work with them in a progressive fashion, there isn't much I have to say about the administration. I guess what I have to say about Occidental is that I love it and I have such a positive feeling about this school and the direction that it is going in. I love being classes with other students that want to be here and that say knowledgable things and know what they are talking about and why they have the opinions that they have. This was not always the case at my other school. I truly feel proud to say that I go to Occidental.

A small liberal arts campus in the outskirts of Los Angeles opens up worlds of possibilities. The campus is small and comfortable, and the location is perfect for working in and around Los Angeles. Oxy functions as a school where the atmosphere is small so that the teachers and students can create connections impossible at larger schools.

Oxy is a pretty great school- its quite small, so you have to be okay with that, the fact that there won't necessarily be really big parties going on every weekend. But then again, when you walk around campus, you will always see people you know and can say hi to.

Coming from a huge public school in Santa Monica, I was looking for a smaller place to figure out what my strengths and interests were that I wasn't able to develop in a huge school. Occidental is the perfect size for me. When I go to parties on the weekends I always see people I know, and not just people I have seen around but people that I have developed relationships with in the dorms or in classes. The best thing about Occidental is the people. There is such a huge variety but everyone really wants to be here. Every school has its problems and things that the student body complains about but there is no place I'd rather be than Oxy. I have made really great friends here and I can honestly say that I think my entire class will be excited to get together far after we graduate. While we are not a huge school pride school, school pride is never frowned upon. When there are football games or basketball games, everyone gets together to celebrate.

Most people haven't heard of Occidental which is incredibly FRUSTRATING!! They ask question like "Occidental? Is that a dental school?" or "Did you get in by 'occident'?" Haha funny... no. Once you can get over that, the school is amazing. The classes are small and typically discussion-based, and the professors are smart and accessible. Not to mention, while this may sound silly, the weather is a huge boost. There is always something going on in the quad during lunch and everyone is always in good spirits. The music in the quad during lunch hour is guaranteed to perk you up. Huge paper due tomorrow that you haven't started? Don't stress - go write it on Stewie Beach and soak up the sun.

The best part of Occidental College is the prestigious academic record. Getting a degree from Oxy is an accomplishment and almost every student that goes here is bound to do well in the future. I would change the lack of present diversity, the support for athletic programs, and the registration process. The small college atmosphere can get annoying sometimes, becuase seeing the same people all the time is not the business. Yet, we are located about fifteen minutes from almost everything, so it is up to the student to get off of campus if they are tired of the same people. At the same time, I do not think that I would have been able to get the personal experience with teachers that have the credentials my teachers do if I went to a larger college. When I tell people that I go to Occidental they ask if it is a dental school. I spend most of my time on campus in the quad or the football locker room. The most unusual thing about Oxy is that it is as small as most high schools. So far an experience that I will remember is my trip with the football team for the NCAA playoffs to Spokane, Washington. There will be plenty more in the future. I plan to go to Rome to study abroad, get a summer richter grant to study in Europe, and participate in the United Nations internship. The most frequent complaint about Oxy by the students is the registration process. Classes are so small and sometimes it is difficult to get the classes that you want.

I love the close, familiar environment that is a product of the small student body/campus and was upset when I heard that administration was thinking of increasing the student body size. I would love to see diversity become more of an open dialogue between students than the lecture at white students that it seems to be. There is a lot of school pride and I wish more people outside of SoCal knew about OXY, because it is an amazing school for a number of reasons.

Oxy promotes diversity but you will only experience that if you put yourself up for a challenge. Your major, your clubs, your extracurricular activities, your dorm....you choose to live in diversity or remain ignorant about. Oxy is challenging in every sense of the word. I have cried, I have been extremely upset, and I have a community that accepts me for who I am. You want diversity? You have to look for it and make it choice.