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Occidental College

  • A
    Overall Grade
  • 4 Year
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • 445 reviews
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    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Academics
      A
    2. Value
      A
    3. Diversity
      A+
    4. Campus
      B+
    5. Athletics
      C+
    6. Party Scene
      B
    7. Professors
      A
    8. Location
      A-
    9. Dorms
      B-
    10. Campus Food
      A+
    11. Student Life
      B+
    12. Safety
      C
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    oxy.edu
    (323) 259-2500
    1600 Campus Rd
    Los Angeles, CA 90041
    About Occidental College...
    Athletic Division
    NCAA Division III (with football)
    Athletic Conference
    Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
    From Occidental College

    Occidental College fully integrates the liberal arts and sciences with the cultural and intellectual resources of a global city. Situated on a 120-acre residential campus in the heart of Los Angeles, our location serves as a springboard for putting theory into practice and ideas into action.

    Oxy is a place for talented, hard-working, curious students to explore their current passions—and discover new ones. They benefit from our small-classroom environment and demanding yet supportive faculty, who are dedicated to teaching and mentorship. Our distinctive interdisciplinary and global approach gives students the chance to explore new ideas and perspectives, and connect with the world.

    With more than 40 majors and minors, Oxy lays the groundwork for a compelling intellectual adventure. Our graduates are strategic thinkers and effective communicators. Occidental is reinventing the liberal arts and sciences for a new generation of problem solvers, creators and thinkers.

    Occidental College Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Admissions

    Application Deadline
    January 10
    Acceptance Rate
    42%
    SAT Range
    1280-1440
    ACT Range
    27-32
    Application Fee
    $65
    SAT/ACT
    Required
    High School GPA
    Considered but not required
    Accepts Common App
    Yes

    Cost

    Net Price
    $33,738/ year
    National
    $15,523
    Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
    Average Total Aid Awarded
    $35,704/ year
    National
    $7,535
    Students Receiving Financial Aid
    71%

    Academics

    Professors
    A
    Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
    Student Faculty Ratio
    9:1
    Evening Degree Programs
    No
    89%
    of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.27 responses
    71%
    of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.34 responses
    53%
    of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.34 responses

    Majors

    Most Popular Majors
    • Economics
      86 Graduates
    • International Relations
      59 Graduates
    • Biology
      39 Graduates
    • Environmental Science
      32 Graduates
    • Mathematics
      26 Graduates
    • Sociology
      26 Graduates
    • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
      25 Graduates
    • Political Science and Government
      24 Graduates
    • Psychology
      24 Graduates
    • Film and Video Studies
      22 Graduates

    Students

    Full-Time Enrollment
    1,952Undergrads
    Part-Time Undergrads
    20
    Undergrads Over 25
    1%
    Pell Grant
    20%
    Varsity Athletes
    21%
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
    Based on 16 responses
    Report
    • Passionate, with a lot of commitments
      38%
    • Involved
      25%
    • Always wants to be doing more
      13%
    • Homogenous
      6%
    • Liberal
      6%
    • Not very outgoing; smart in one particular field
      6%
    • Smart, passionate, drive, but shallow
      6%

    Campus Life

    Freshmen Live On-Campus
    100%
    Poll
    49%
    of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.35 responses
    Poll
    61%
    of students say varsity sporting events are attended, but not a huge part of campus life.41 responses
    Poll
    What one word or phrase best describes your school?
    Based on 17 responses
    Report
    • Liberal
      35%
    • Academic
      18%
    • A community of people who become family
      18%
    • Integrity
      18%
    • Demanding
      6%
    • There for you
      6%

      After College

      Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
      $50,600/ year
      National
      $33,028
      Graduation Rate
      84%
      National
      49%
      Employed 2 Years After Graduation
      89%
      National
      83%
      56%
      of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.18 responses
      Colleges like Occidental College
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      Occidental College Reviews

      445 reviews
      All Categories
      OXY is my dream school! The campus is beautiful, the students are smart and hard-working, and the community is super diverse - racially and socio-economically. The kids are so open minded and kind and welcoming and I made friends immediately. My classes are challenging and engaging and my professors are amazing! I love being in LA - the opportunities are endless for culture, food, arts, etc. Great research opportunities and internships available. Athletics are also great and our rankings are improving with each season. Facilities are quite nice and the food is top notch. Thank you, Oxy!
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      Oxy is my home away from home, even after just one semester. The small class sizes are incredible, as is the faculty. I met with every one of my professors personally several times throughout the semester and each was happy to speak to me, even if just to chat. The campus is stunning, too. Some days I wake up and almost have to pinch myself to believe I'm really there. Higher education has never looked or felt so good!
      Occidental College, while being a very small campus, is packed with activity. The students are energetic and they help run the many clubs and services that the school provides. The professors are very supportive and dedicate much of their time to helping students with their office hours. On top of that, the campus is beautiful and well-maintained. The food is delicious but also healthy. I would say the residence halls could use some improvement, as my dorm for my first year lacked air conditioning. Overall, I think Occidental College is a great school, and you get what you pay for with your tuition.