Photo: Pitzer College. Retrieved from: www.pitzer.edu
Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college that places emphasis on academic excellence, especially in the social sciences, media studies, behavioural sciences and international studies. The open curriculum attracts many self-driven individuals who want to control which subjects to take and the classes to attend. Social activism is also strong in Pitzer, with many of the students getting involved in the community.
Pitzer is a small college but the resources available to students are many and varied. This college is a part of the Claremont Colleges consortium, which allow students to cross enrol and use the resources of all the member colleges such as Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd and Claremont McKenna. A student can complement his studies at Pitzer with an off-campus major in one of the other schools in the consortium.
Pitzer has always been selective when it comes to admissions. The college makes it easier for students that performed well during high school to get in. High school seniors with a 3.5 GPA and those that graduated in the top 10% of their class are not required to submit their scores in standardized tests.
Pitzer takes pride in the fact that most of their students go abroad to widen their academic horizons. The school operates a rainforest facility located in Costa Rica, and this facility is home to academic programs, specifically those in the science, language and international studies curricula. The study abroad programs include the countries, Botswana, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Nepal and South Korea. Exchange student programs are also run along with dozens of universities worldwide. The school’s motto is “Provida Futuri”, which means “Mindful of the Future.”
School History
Pitzer was originally an all-female institution founded in 1963. The school’s founder was businessman and Pomona College alumnus, Russell K. Pitzer. The first years of the college were momentous as students and faculty members established the groundwork for future years, including the creation of a curriculum and the establishment of the institution’s system of governance. Pitzer College turned co-educational during 1970.
Campus Life
Accepted students feel welcome immediately as soon as they get invited to the Orientation Adventure, an off-campus event organized by the staff of the Pitzer’s New Student Orientation program. Incoming students go on excursions with their peers and explore the Los Angeles area, as well as the greater Southern California area. This is a mandatory trip but most freshmen are eager to attend.
Most Pitzer College structures are done in contemporary architectural design, and most residences are beautifully decorated. Pitzer College reserves three residence halls for freshmen students only, and these are Atherton Hall, Pitzer Hall, and Sanborn Hall. All rooms are comfortable and spacious. Wifi internet access is also provided. A student can ask to contact his or her roommate so that they can talk about the appliances to bring. Room assignments arrive via mail a month or so before the opening of classes.
The Pitzer College community service programs provide students with the perfect opportunity to hone their leadership skills. Students can get involved in volunteer work and learn the value of learning about life outside of the classroom.
Financial Aid
A sizable percentage of Pitzer students apply for and receive financial aid in the form of loans, work study programs, scholarships and grants. The college uses data from submitted documents, Federal FAFSA and the CSS Profile to assess the financial need of a student. Over the years, the school has devoted its resources to providing more scholarships to financial aid applicants so that the students wouldn’t need to graduate with a high amount of debt.
Rankings
2017 College Rankings
