Pitzer College

1050 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711

http://www.pitzer.edu/

School Description

Provided by Pitzer College

Pitzer College produces engaged socially responsible citizens of the world through an academically rigorous, interdisciplinary liberal arts education emphasizing social justice, intercultural understanding and environmental sensitivity. The meaningful participation of students, faculty and staff in college governance and academic program design is a Pitzer core value. Our community thrives within the mutually supportive framework of The Claremont Colleges, which provide an unsurpassed breadth of academic, athletic and social opportunities.

Pitzer College celebrates cultural diversity and intercultural understanding. Students of ethnically diverse backgrounds come from all parts of the United States, as well as from nearly 20 other countries. In addition to learning from one another, students are encouraged to participate in one of Pitzer's External Studies programs. Finally, Pitzer challenges students to develop a set of courses that will examine some issue from the perspective of at least two cultures and two disciplines. Intercultural and interdisciplinary learning are highly valued at Pitzer. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these programs as well as many other Claremont resources that enrich and strengthen their appreciation of global diversity.

Pitzer College currently enrolls approximately 1,000 students in more than 40 fields of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. Some of the more popular concentrations include psychology, sociology, political studies, media studies, environmental studies and art.

Pitzer students select an adviser in their sophomore year, and a substantial part of the junior and senior years is devoted to the major program. Students may choose existing majors at the other Claremont Colleges if the fields are not offered as majors at Pitzer. Students may also design special majors in consultation with their advisers.

We are located at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, Claremont enjoys an excellent climate year round. Mountain skiing and hiking, desert and ocean sports are within an hour’s drive.

Los Angeles, one of the largest and most electrifying cities in the world, is easily reached via commuter rail. Nearby airports include Ontario International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and John Wayne (Orange County) International Airport.

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Pitzer College

From Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Pitzer College is a highly selective, private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, a college town approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer College is one of seven institutions of higher learning known as The Claremont Colleges and coordinated through the Claremont University Consortium. The school has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences, behavioral sciences, international programs, and Media Studies.

As one of the Claremont Colleges, consortium resources (libraries, dining halls, etc.) are shared and students from Pitzer College are encouraged to take classes at the other four Claremont Colleges as well as at Pitzer. Likewise, students from the other Claremont Colleges are permitted to take classes at Pitzer. Together the Claremont Colleges provide the resources and opportunities of a larger university while enabling the specialization and intimacy afforded by the individual colleges.

History

Pitzer was founded in 1963 as a women's teaching college by Russell K. Pitzer (1878-1978), a California citrus magnate, philanthropist, and Pomona College alumnus. In April 1963, poet and visionary John W. Atherton was hired as Pitzer's first president, and over the next seventeen months he recruited students, faculty, and trustees and constructed Scott and Sanborn Halls just in time for the fall 1964 semester. During the College's first year, students and faculty created the curriculum and the school's system of governance. The College graduated its first class of students in 1967 and became co-educational three years later. That first academic term began with ten professors and 153 students from sixteen states and five countries.

Pitzer College Presidents

  • John W. Atherton, founding president (1963-1970)
  • Robert H. Atwell, second President, (1970-1978)
  • Frank L. Ellsworth, third president and life trustee (1979-1991)
  • Marilyn C. Massey, fourth president (1992-2002)
  • Laura Skandera Trombley, current president (2002-present)

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Read the full entry on Wikipedia

Quick Facts

Chance of Admission:
Location:
Southwest
Setting:
Large Town Setting
Type:
Private
Size:
Small (Under 2,000 Undergrad)
Mascot:
Sagehens

Students & Campus Life

Undergraduate Enrollment:
942
On Campus Housing:
Available
Full Time Students:
100%
Athletic Programs:
Available
> More Students & Campus Life

Expenses

Average Tuition:
$ 33,012
Students Receiving Aid:
45%
> More Expenses & Financial Aid

Admissions

Application Fee:
$ 60
Selectivity:
Highly Selective
> More Admissions

Degree Programs at Pitzer College

Bachelor's Level Programs

  • Agriculture and Natural Resources

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    • Natural Resources and Conservation See more schools with programs in Natural Resources and Conservation
      • Environmental Science
        A program that focuses on the application of biological, chemical, and physical principles to the study of the physical environment and the solution of environmental problems, including subjects such as abating or controlling environmental pollution and degradation; the interaction between human society and the natural environment; and natural resources management. Includes instruction in biology, chemistry, physics, geosciences, climatology, statistics, and mathematical modeling.
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      • Environmental Studies.
        A program that focuses on environment-related issues using scientific, social scientific, or humanistic approaches or a combination. Includes instruction in the basic principles of ecology and environmental science and related subjects such as policy, politics, law, economics, social aspects, planning, pollution control, natural resources, and the interactions of human beings and nature.
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  • Arts & Humanities

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    • English Language and Literature See more schools with programs in English Language and Literature
      • Creative Writing
        A program that focuses on the process and techniques of original composition in various literary forms such as the short story, poetry, the novel, and others. Includes instruction in technical and editorial skills, criticism, and the marketing of finished manuscripts.
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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.
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    • Film and Theater See more schools with programs in Film and Theater
      • 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.
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    • Foreign Languages See more schools with programs in Foreign Languages
      • Classics and Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
        This general program focuses on the literary culture of the ancient Graeco-Roman world and the Greek and Latin languages and literatures and their development prior to the fall of the Roman Empire.
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      • Comparative Literature
        A program that focuses on two or more literary traditions in the original languages or in translation. Includes instruction in comparative linguistics; applicable foreign languages; English/French language and literature; literary criticism; and applications to genre, period, national, and textual studies as well as literary forms such as poetry, prose, and drama.
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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.
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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.
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      • German Language and Literature
        A program that focuses on the German language and related dialects as used in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, neighboring European countries containing German-speaking minorities, and elsewhere. Includes instruction in German philology; Old, Middle, and High German; Plattdeutsch and other regional dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings.
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      • Linguistics
        A program that focuses on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective. Includes instruction in subjects such as psycholinguistics, behavioral linguistics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, mathematical and computational linguistics, grammatical theory and theoretical linguistics, philosophical linguistics, philology and historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, phonetics, phonemics, dialectology, semantics, functional grammar and linguistics, language typology, lexicography, morphology and syntax, orthography, stylistics, structuralism, rhetoric, and applications to artificial intelligence.
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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.
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    • History See more schools with programs in History
      • 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.
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    • Music See more schools with programs in Music
      • 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.
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    • Performing Arts See more schools with programs in Performing Arts
      • General Dance
        A general program that prepares individuals to express ideas, feelings, and/or inner visions through the performance of one or more of the dance disciplines, including but not limited to ballet, modern, jazz, ethnic, and folk dance, and that focuses on the study and analysis of dance as a cultural phenomenon. Includes instruction in technique, choreography, Laban notation, dance history and criticism, and dance production.
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    • Philosophy See more schools with programs in Philosophy
      • 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.
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      • Other Philosophy
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    • Religion/Religious Studies See more schools with programs in Religion/Religious Studies
      • 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.
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    • Visual Arts See more schools with programs in Visual Arts
      • 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.
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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.
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      • Fine Arts and Art Studies
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  • Business

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    • Business/Managerial Economics
      Learn to apply the power of economics principles to the analysis of the organization and operation of business enterprises. Students complete courses in monetary theory, banking and financial systems, theory of competition, pricing theory, wage and salary/incentive theory, analysis of markets, and applications of econometrics and quantitative methods to the study of particular businesses and business problems.
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    • Management See more schools with programs in Management
      • Organizational Behavior Studies
        A program that focuses on the scientific study of the behavior and motivations of individuals functioning in organized groups, and its application to business and industrial settings. Includes instruction in organization theory, industrial and organizational psychology, social psychology, sociology of organizations, reinforcement and incentive theory, employee relations strategies, organizational power and influence, organization stratification and hierarchy, leadership styles, and applications of operations research and other methodologies to organizational analysis.
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  • Communication & Media

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    • Mass Communication/ Media Studies
      A program that focuses on the analysis and criticism of media institutions and media texts, how people experience and understand media content, and the roles of media in producing and transforming culture. Includes instruction in communications regulation, law, and policy; media history; media aesthetics, interpretation, and criticism; the social and cultural effects of mass media; cultural studies; the economics of media industries; visual and media literacy; and the psychology and behavioral aspects of media messages, interpretation, and utilization.
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    • Other Journalism
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  • Interdisciplinary Studies

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    • International/Global Studies
      A program that focuses on global and international issues from the perspective of the social sciences, social services, and related fields.
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    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies
      Any instructional program that is derived from two or more distinct programs to provide a cross-cutting focus on a subject concentration that is not subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field.
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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.
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    • Science, Technology and Society
      A program that focuses on the contemporary social and public policy ramifications of science and technology, the interrelationship of science and engineering with the public policy process, and the social and ethical dimensions of scientific and technological enterprises.
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  • Life Science

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    • Biology See more schools with programs in Biology
      • Biological and Biomedical 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.
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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.
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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.
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  • Natural Sciences

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    • Chemistry See more schools with programs in Chemistry
      • 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.
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    • Physics See more schools with programs in Physics
      • 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.
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  • Social Sciences

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    • Anthropology See more schools with programs in Anthropology
      • 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.
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    • Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies See more schools with programs in Area, Ethnic, Cultural, and Gender Studies
      • African-American/Black Studies
        African-American Studies focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of the African-Americans. The program focuses on the African-Americans of the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean but also including reference to Latin American African-Americans.
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      • American/United States Studies/Civilization
        This program studies the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the United States and its Pre-Columbian and colonial predecessors, including the flow of immigrants from other societies.
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      • Area Studies
        This major includes a number of programs in Area and/or Cultural Studies.
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      • Asian Studies/Civilization
        This four year program focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of the peoples of the Asian Continent. Asian Studies programs include the study of Asian diasporas overseas.
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      • Asian-American Studies
        Students enrolled in this four year program study the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of Asian population groups in the United States and Canada, from the colonial period to the present.
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      • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican- American/Chicano Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic American immigrant populations within the U.S. and Canada, including Mexican-American Studies, Cuban American Studies, Puerto Rican Studies, and others.
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      • Latin American Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of one or more of the Hispanic peoples of the North and South American Continents outside Canada and the United States, including the study of the Pre-Columbian period and the flow of immigrants from other societies.
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      • Other Ethnic, Cultural Minority, and Gender Studies
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      • Women’s Studies
        A program that focuses on the history, sociology, politics, culture, and economics of women, and the development of modern feminism in relation to the roles played by women in different periods and locations in North America and the world. Programs may focus on literature, philosophy, and the arts as much as on social studies and policy.
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    • Economics See more schools with programs in Economics
      • 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.
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      • Other Economics
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    • International Relations and Affairs See more schools with programs in International Relations and Affairs
      • 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.
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    • Psychology See more schools with programs in Psychology
      • 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.
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      • Other Psychology
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    • Sociology See more schools with programs in Sociology
      • 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.
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Students

General

Full-Time vs. Part-Time
Full-Time 100%
Part-Time 0%
Men vs. Women
Women 69%
Men 31%
Race/Ethnicity
Caucasian 45%
Other 27%
Hispanic 13%
Asian 10%
African-American 5%

Geography

In State vs. Out-of-State
Out-of-State 50%
In-State 50%
Top States for Incoming Freshman
California 50%
New York 6%
Washington 4%
Texas 4%
Illinois 4%
Percent of Students International: 2%

Housing

On-Campus Housing Available: Yes
Percent of Students Living On-Campus: 70%
Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: No

Athletics

Member of: NAA, NCAA
Sports Include: Football (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf)
Basketball (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf)
Baseball (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf)
Track (Southern California Intercoll Ath Conf)
Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) Expenses  
Published Tuition and Fees:
$ 33,012    
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 29,520    
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads:
$ 3,492    
Financial Aid Avg. Amount Received % of Students Receiving Aid  
Federal Grants:
$ 5,241 13%  
State and Local Grants:
$ 7,198 12%  
Institutional Grants:
$ 18,351 42%  
Student Loans:
$ 3,298 32%  
Any Aid:
  45%  

Selectivity (Undergraduate Only)

Acceptance Rate: 39% (Highly Selective)
Test Scores  
SAT Scores:  
% of Students Submitting SAT Scores: 56%
Bottom 25th Percentile: Verbal: 570, Math: 550
Top 75th Percentile: Verbal: 680, Math: 650

Application Requirements (Undergraduate Only)

Application Fee: $ 60.00
High School Diploma or Equivalent: Recommended
High School GPA: Required
High School Rank: Not Required
High School Record: Required
Recommendations: Required
TOEFL: Required
Test Scores: Not Required

College Advice

Yahoo

Question: PITZER college?

i really am interested in pitzer tell me.. what is its reputation like? is it as good school a school as the other claremont colleges, say pomona or mckenna? how are the dorms? students? thanks for any info you can provide
35 months ago

Best Answer

It is a good school by itself, but not as good as mckenna, pomona, or Harvey Mudd. Thats actually not too important though, because if you go to pitzer you can still take classes at the other colleges. The dorms at all of the claremont schools are all very good. And the food at all the claremont schools is great.

Photos

  • The Grove House
    The Grove House [source]
  • Interhueman, 1997; Acrylic, 31’ x 33’. Exterior of Y Tower, Mead Hall (dormitory). Created by Paul Botello with students, faculty and staff in May 1997.
    Interhueman, 1997; Acrylic, 31’ x 33’. Exterior of Y Tower, Mead Hall (dormitory). Created by Paul Botello with students, faculty and staff in May 1997. [source]
  • Pitzer's Academic Quad
    Pitzer's Academic Quad [source]
  • W.H. Keck Joint Science Center
    W.H. Keck Joint Science Center [source]
  • Pitzer College Logo
    Pitzer College Logo [source]
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Pitzer College
Claremont, CA 91711
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