Pepperdine University Top Questions

More or less. Almost everyone here is beautiful, and about half of them are rich.

I don't think I fit the Pepperdine stereotype, and I fit in very well at Pepperdine. So, no I don't think the stereotypes are particularly accurate. The school does have a rather elitist culture and if you're not okay with that, then you might not like it here, frankly.

No, there are some really rich kids there, it is Malibu, but I haven't run into any snotty ones yet and I've also met a lot of really great people who are working to pay for college or who are there on scholarship.

You're going to find people like that everywhere. I don't consider myself rich nor do I consider myself a snob. None of my friends are like that either. We don't really deserve that stereotype.

Not at all. Many Students have financiual aid and are going to Pepperdine on scholarships. Yes there are rich students but not everyone is! Also Pepperdine is a pretty liberal christian University and doesn't force feed you the gospel.

There are many wealthy students on campus, but there are definitely a lot of students who are not - many are only able to attend Pepperdine because of how many scholarships they have. Not all Pepperdine students are Christians, though most are, but there is a mix of both conservatives and liberals - and everything in between. People generally dress well, and everyone is intelligent, and most people have participated in or regularly do volunteer work.

to a certain extent..but the majority is varied and interesting

Pepperdine- very true Students- It's diverse. Not entirely accurate.

The stereotypes are accurate to a point. While there are religious people and the school has a religious tone, it is not overbearing and can easily be ignored or embraced. There are rich kids, some are in fact loaded, but it doesn't really matter either way.

Pretty much. As with all things there is a middle ground, but in some ways you have to search to find them, and once you do you need to be prepared for the fact that you will not be the most popular kid in school, yes, we have the "popular" kids.

No, many students are Liberals on campus and they are at the school on loans, scholarships, and grants.

Somewhat. It's an expensive school so it naturally attracts the upper class but with great finical aid a lot of scholarships and anything is possible.

Pepperdine is a Christian university, and we do have certain rules we have to follow. Freshmen year while living in the dorms, you will have a curfew of 2 am to be out of the opposite sex's dorms. But other than that you do not have a curfew of what time you have to be back at your dorm, that would be ridiculous. You do have to go to convocation once a week, but it really isn't that bad. You can choose which programs you want to go to, and you are never forced to go to church. They actually bring in some pretty interesting speakers. As for the students, we take school seriously but we know how to have a good time as well. Of course there are going to be some stuck up kids with a lot of money, but you can't really find a school without that.

somewhat accurate, but exaggerated

The stereotype about the students being very religious is accurate. Students take pride in their religion and feel that pepperdine will help them get closer to being a spiritual christian. The students, however, are not stubborn and arrogant. Students are generally warm and friendly and are almost always looking to make a new friend. Pepperdine is a dry campus, but this does not mean it does not tolerate fun. The campus has enough student activites to keep the active student interested and the studious student focused. I have never been bored at Pepperdine.

yes, to the extremes.

Most are pretty accurate but most people are great.

for the most part

Absolutely. I once heard a blonde-type ask an australian "Where is Australia?" I burst out laughing, undoubtedly making a horrible impression---but seriously, how could I help myself? The college republicans motto is "We have the money." However, like any school, there are plenty of people outside the stereotypes, the just might be harder to find.

Both definitely exist, but they're in the minority.

You can find sheltered, naive, conservative, and religious (or any combination of the above) people anywhere. Pepperdine is no exception to this rule, but for the most part, I have experienced a general open-mindedness and willingness to listen and empathize with all sorts of concerns. For the most part, I would say that the stereotypes can be found, if you're looking for the negative.

Some of these are accurate to an extent, but I feel like you'd find those stereotypes anywhere. It's just that they're a little more prevelant at Pepperdine, but there are a lot of people that will surprise you once you get to know them if you ignore the stereotypes

Most stereotypes begin with a fragment of the truth, and these are no exception. I know several students who have famous parents, and, when walking through the student parking lots, don't be surprised if you see more BMW's than Toyota's (if you're lucky, you may spot a Maserati). Some people make it to the beach more than others, but certainly not every day.

Well, you see a lot of girls with big sun glasses, Uggs, and designer or sorority bags. Probably for the most part these stereotypes are accurate, but of course there are many many people who do not fit these stereotypes. For example, Pepperdine has a pretty large gay population.

Not at all. The truth is that people here come from all sorts of different backgrounds and are no more judgemental, if not less, than people at any other school. While many do come from affluent families, they are extremely nice people. Overall, the student body realizes that it is blessed to go to such an amazing school and be a part of the wonderful community at Pepperdine, and we want to share our blessings with others.

Not really, there are defiantly people who fit these stereotypes but there are defiantly a large number of people who DON'T fit the steroetypes.

basically, yes!

For the most part, the stereotype about wealth is true. The typical Pepperdine student has a lot of money, and they want you to know they have a lot of money. This means wearing designer clothes and accessories (both men and women), driving the newest car, and simply acting like their bank accounts could never hit zero. There are some people here who do not act like that, but there aren't many. The stereotype about men being surfers is not very accurate. Yes, a lot of people who go to Pepperdine surf, but you don't see them acting like it. Girls, on the other hand, fit their stereotype perfectly. Just about every girl you see is going to be amazingly good-looking, but not very bright.

We are definately not all rich. There is not a ton of diversity but we are not all white. I always thought Pepperdine students would be all smart and I have had all levels in my classes. We don't all surf and we don't always blow off class to go to the beach. There are a ton of expensive cars but there are lots of average cars too. I have a VW!

These are not accurate stereotypes. Sure, there are definitely parties, but they're mostly off campus or otherwise they're hidden pretty well. If you want to party, it is possible to find that group. And I'd say that only a handful of the girls fit the Malibu Barbie image. ALL of the girls in my dorm are so sweet, and I absolutely love my roommate. Everyone is so genuine and caring, and I could not have asked for a better group of dorm-mates!

Seek and ye shall find. Pepperdine is a dry campus. You will have a mixture of wealthy and poor at any university. There is an abundance of wildlife to enjoy around the dorms and on the side of the roads. There are excellent surfing classes.

The stereotypes are somewhat accurate. For a college campus, Pepperdine is fairly conservative and with the cost of tuition most of the students are well off financially. The cars you see when you take a walk through the parking lot can be quite the sight. That said, there are plenty of middle class type students that are here on scholarship as well.

mostly

absolutely not. i am a middle class mexican!

Pepperdine continues to raise its tution prices, but at the same time they offer a lot of scholarships to students who cannot afford the hig tuition. This actually allows a more diverse socio-economic student body than the stereo type allows, but its not entirely inaccurate. As a private school in southern California, you kind of expect to have your fair share of kids from upperclass backgrounds. The image of snobby rich church kids, though, is more inaccurate. Although there are occasional exceptions, even the kids who come from wealthly families are very welcoming. About a third of the students are very conservative relgiously by nature, but few are judgemental with their beliefs. Like most stereotypes, the noticable extremes are kind of taken to be the norms.

About 40{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the time.

On the by and large, very much so. There are some exceptions, however.