Westmont College
955 La Paz Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
School Description
Provided by Westmont CollegeThe mission of Westmont College is to provide a high quality undergraduate liberal arts program in a residential campus community that assists college men and women toward a balance of rigorous intellectual competence, healthy personal development, and strong Christian commitments.
In its annual college rankings, U.S. News & World Report lists Westmont in the top tier, among the best 111 liberal arts colleges in the nation. The selective institutions in this group include nine other California institutions (Pomona, Claremont-McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps, Occidental, Mills, Thomas Aquinas and Pitzer). The Templeton Foundation consistently recognizes Westmont as one of the top 100 colleges committed to character development.
Westmont offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees in 26 liberal arts majors, 11 pre-professional programs, an elementary and secondary credential program, and up to 12 units for internships and practica. Majors include: alternative, art, biology, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, economics and business, engineering/physics, English, English-modern languages, French, history, kinesiology, liberal studies, mathematics, music, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, religious studies, social science, sociology and anthropology, Spanish, and theater arts.
Students are actively involved in the life of the community as volunteers, employees, and interns for a wide variety of businesses and organizations. They serve more than 30 student-run ministies on and off campus. During spring break, several hundred students travel to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Ensenada to join local churches, organizations, and ministries in their service to these communities.
Westmont College sits on a hill. You have to be fit to walk around the campus! As you drive up to the campus you pass massive Montecito mansions. You are in the realm of the elite. Once at the campus you find yourself in a wooded area with majestic lawns and formal gardens. Stairs and little winding trails are everywhere- nothing is linear. The lawn with rose garden and statues just east of Kerrwood Hall is my favorite spot. Students sit here beneath the huge pine trees to study and I can't think of a better way to spend an hour.
Kerrwood Hall is a regal building. Walk through the pretty ironwork gate and check out the Spanish fountain. The formal garden is bounded by tall trees and a herb garden. It's a peaceful spot to sit and commune with nature. The dining hall nearby is raised up on a hill and the outdoor seating is lovely. Check out the white dome of the observatory.
Westmont College
From Wikipedia, The Free EncyclopediaWestmont College, founded in 1937, is an interdenominational Christian liberal arts college in Santa Barbara, California.
History
Ruth Kerr, owner of the Kerr Mason Jar Company, established the school as the Bible Missionary Institute (1937), later renamed the Western Bible College (1939). During these early years, Ruth and the other founders decided that a liberal arts curriculum was the best direction for the school. In 1940 Dr. Wallace Emerson, the first president, renamed the school Westmont College, envisioning a Christian liberal arts college that would take its place among the best in the nation.
By 1944, Westmont College had outgrown its facilities in downtown Los Angeles. After a failed attempt to move the campus to Altadena in early 1945 the desperate search for a new campus led Mrs. Kerr and the trustees to the former Dwight Murphy estate in Montecito with its . Westmont purchased this property and moved to the Santa Barbara area in the Fall of 1945.
Set in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains, Westmont’s wooded and scenic acres provide an environment for a residential college. The campus includes buildings and land from two former estates and the historic Deane School for Boys. The grounds still feature the pathways, stone bridges, and garden atmosphere typical of Montecito, a suburb of Santa Barbara.
While Westmont has sought to preserve and use the original structures, it has also built new facilities, including Voskuyl Library, the restored Westmont Art Center, the A. Nelson Science Building, the Murchison Gymnasium Complex, and the Ruth Kerr Memorial Student Center. In 2008 Westmont broke ground for the construction of the Winter Hall for Science and Mathematics and the Adams Center for the Visual Arts.
In 2006, Westmont received a gift of $75 million from an anonymous donor, the second largest gift ever to a national liberal arts college at the time.
Westmont emphasizes the intellectual, social, and spiritual growth of students. With approximately 1300 undergraduate students, Westmont attempts to provide a rigorous academic program along with a personalized, residential Christian undergraduate experience.
Quick Facts
- Location:
- Southwest
- Setting:
- Large Town Setting
- Type:
- Private
- Size:
- Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Students & Campus Life
- Undergraduate Enrollment:
- 1,331
- On Campus Housing:
- Available
- Full Time Students:
- 100%
- Athletic Programs:
- Available
Degree Programs at Westmont College
Bachelor's Level Programs
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Arts & Humanities
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English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
A general program that focuses on the English language, including its history, structure and related communications skills; and the literature and culture of English-speaking peoples.See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
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Film and Theater
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Film and Theater
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Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions.See more schools with programs in Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
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Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts
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Foreign Languages
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Foreign Languages
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Foreign Languages and Literatures
A general program that focuses on one or more modern foreign languages that is not specific as to the name of the language(s) studied; that is otherwise undifferentiated; or that introduces students to language studies at the basic/elementary level.See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages and Literatures
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French Language and Literature
A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in French philology, Metropolitan French, Canadian French, African and Caribbean Creoles, French regional dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.See more schools with programs in French Language and Literature
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Spanish Language and Literature
A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in Spanish philology, Modern Castillan, various Latin American dialects, regional Spanish dialects, and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings.See more schools with programs in Spanish Language and Literature
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Foreign Languages and Literatures
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General Studies
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General Studies
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Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
A program that is a structured combination of the arts, biological and physical sciences, social sciences, and humanities, emphasizing breadth of study. Includes instruction in independently designed, individualized, or regular programs.See more schools with programs in Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
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Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
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History
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History
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History
A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration.See more schools with programs in History
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History
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Music
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Music
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General Music
A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media.See more schools with programs in General Music
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General Music
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Philosophy
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Philosophy
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General Philosophy
A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines.See more schools with programs in General Philosophy
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General Philosophy
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Religion/Religious Studies
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Religion/Religious Studies
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General Religion/Religious Studies
A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.See more schools with programs in General Religion/Religious Studies
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General Religion/Religious Studies
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Visual Arts
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Visual Arts
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Art History, Criticism and Conservation
Students of Art History study of the historical development of art as a social and intellectual phenomenon. Art History programs include the analysis of works of art, and art conservation, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes.See more schools with programs in Art History, Criticism and Conservation
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Art/Art Studies
Art and Art Studies is a general, introductory program that focuses on the study and appreciation of the visual arts. Students of these two or four year programs receive instruction in art, photography, and other visual communications media.See more schools with programs in Art/Art Studies
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Art History, Criticism and Conservation
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English Language and Literature
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English Language and Literature
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Communication & Media
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Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
A program that focuses on the scientific, humanistic, and critical study of human communication in a variety of formats, media, and contexts. Includes instruction in the theory and practice of interpersonal, group, organizational, professional, and intercultural communication; speaking and listening; verbal and nonverbal interaction; rhetorical theory and criticism; performance studies; argumentation and persuasion; technologically mediated communication; popular culture; and various contextual applications.See more schools with programs in Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
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Communication Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric
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Engineering
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Engineering Physics
A program with a general focus on the general application of mathematical and scientific principles of physics to the analysis and evaluation of engineering problems. Includes instruction in high- and low-temperature phenomena, computational physics, superconductivity, applied thermodynamics, molecular and particle physics applications, and space science research.See more schools with programs in Engineering Physics
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Engineering Physics
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Fitness, Recreation and Leisure Studies
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Physical Fitness
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Physical Fitness
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Kinesiology and Exercise Science
A scientific program that focuses on the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and biophysics of human movement, and applications to exercise and therapeutic rehabilitation. Includes instruction in biomechanics, motor behavior, motor development and coordination, motor neurophysiology, performance research, rehabilitative therapies, the development of diagnostic and rehabilitative methods and equipment, and related analytical methods and procedures in applied exercise and therapeutic rehabilitation .See more schools with programs in Kinesiology and Exercise Science
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Kinesiology and Exercise Science
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Physical Fitness
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Physical Fitness
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Interdisciplinary Studies
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Neuroscience
A program that focuses on the interdisciplinary scientific study of the molecular, structural, physiologic, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of the brain and nervous system. Includes instruction in molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain science, anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, molecular and biochemical bases of information processing, behavioral neuroscience, biology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and applications to the clinical sciences and biomedical engineering.See more schools with programs in Neuroscience
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Neuroscience
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Life Science
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Biology
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Biology
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Biology/Biological Sciences
Students in this program study general biology at an introductory level. This major provides students with a broad overview of biology and includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations.See more schools with programs in Biology/Biological Sciences
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Biology/Biological Sciences
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Biology
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Biology
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Mathematics and Statistics
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General Mathematics
A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations.See more schools with programs in General Mathematics
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General Mathematics
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Natural Sciences
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Chemistry
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Chemistry
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General Chemistry
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena.See more schools with programs in General Chemistry
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General Chemistry
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Physics
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Physics
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General Physics
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods.See more schools with programs in General Physics
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General Physics
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Chemistry
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Chemistry
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Social Sciences
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General Social Sciences
A program that focuses on the general study of human social behavior and social institutions using any of the methodologies common to the social sciences and/or history, or an undifferentiated program of study in the social sciences.See more schools with programs in General Social Sciences
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Anthropology
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Anthropology
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General Anthropology
A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs.See more schools with programs in General Anthropology
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General Anthropology
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Economics
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Economics
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General Economics
A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues.See more schools with programs in General Economics
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General Economics
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International Relations and Affairs
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International Relations and Affairs
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General Political Science and Government
A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies 0f specific political institutions and processes.See more schools with programs in General Political Science and Government
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General Political Science and Government
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Psychology
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Psychology
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General Psychology
A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods.See more schools with programs in General Psychology
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General Psychology
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Sociology
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Sociology
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Sociology
A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems.See more schools with programs in Sociology
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Sociology
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General Social Sciences
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Technology
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Software Development
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Software Development
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Computer and Information Sciences
A general program that focuses on computing, computer science, and information science and systems as part of a broad and/or interdisciplinary program. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services.See more schools with programs in Computer and Information Sciences
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Computer and Information Sciences
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Software Development
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Software Development
Students
General
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Full-Time vs. Part-Time
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Men vs. Women
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Race/Ethnicity
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Geography
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In State vs. Out-of-State
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 0% |
Housing
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 77% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
Athletics
| Member of: | NAA, NAIA |
| Sports Include: |
Basketball (Golden State Athletic Conference) Baseball (Golden State Athletic Conference) Track (Golden State Athletic Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | Expenses | ||
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 27,806 | ||
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 27,076 | ||
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 730 | ||
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,777 | 12% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 7,021 | 21% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 8,017 | 85% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 5,271 | 57% | |
Any Aid: |
90% |
Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)
| Acceptance Rate: | 74% (Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 90% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 550, Math: 550 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 660, Math: 660 |
| ACT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting ACT Scores: | 33% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Composite: 24, Verbal: 23, Math: 24 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Composite: 28, Verbal: 29, Math: 28 |
Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)
| Application Fee: | $ 50.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Recommended |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Recommended |
| TOEFL: | Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice |
Question: Is Westmont College strict?I am on my college search and fell in love with Westmont when I took a tour about a month ago. I have heard some rumors about there being a curfew and that turned me off a little bit. I'm going to be an adult and I want to be able to go out at night without fear of missing curfew. I also have heard that chapel is mandatory. I wanted to hear people's opinions about this. Do you feel pressured to go because you're required? I love Westmont because of the community aspect of it, but I want to experience college to the full extent. Help!! Oh and if you have any opinions on other small schools let me know!!17 months ago
Best AnswerThey tel you it is much more strict only because they must in order to attract parents of students etc., ikts not as bad as they say |
Question: HELP!! Has someone ever gone/went to Westmont college in Santa Barbara,CA?I'm doing an AVID project and I need help Can you please describe the feeling of the campus, rural, urban, ethnic populations, etc. N other intresting facts about the college?21 months ago
Best AnswerI am a current sophomore at Westmont. It is a great school. It is very small only 1200 students, this means small classes, it is easy to meet people since it is so small. It is a Christian college therefor you must attend chapel Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays however you are allowed to miss 12 chapels each semester. The campus is beautiful! It is a liberal arts college so you have to take alot of general ed courses in alot of different subjects, this just means more knowledge. It is not uncommon to have a class dinner or dessert at a prof's house, most live walking distance from the campus. It is built on the original estate of Ruth Kerr founder of the college. Technically it is located in Montecito which is a very nice neighborhood where the elite such as Oprah and the inventor of the Texas Instrument calculators live.The ethnic population is small but growing. It is in a rural area but it is only a few minutes from downtown Santa Barbara. Check out the website it has alot of great info |
