If you are a junior in high school right now, it’s definitely time to start thinking about your college visits – a perfect time to see what a school you might be considering is really like without solely relying on their website or brochure.  With all of the colleges out there, how do you begin to narrow your college search?  Check back with our blog frequently (or better yet-sign up below to get our blog sent straight to your email), as we will be posting things we have observed on our most recent college visits.

Today, the KaMi Spotlight is on Claremont McKenna College (CMC).

5 Things You Might Know:

• Claremont McKenna College, one of the 5 Claremont Colleges, is a private Liberal Studies college of approximately 1,300 students.

• Cost to attend with room and board is approximately $60,000 a year, but CMC meets 100% of demonstrated financial need.  [Check out the FAFSA 4caster at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and to determine your own financial need.]

• A Division 3 school with 21 sports (combined with Harvey Mudd and Scripps College and known as Claremont-Mudd-Scripps CMS)

• About 95% of the students live on campus.

• CMC shares a Health Center, Library, and Campus Safety System with the 4 other Claremont colleges, the 2 Claremont Graduate Universities, and the Claremont University Consortium.

5 Things You Might Not Know:

•The Kravis Center holds 5 research institutes- providing hands-on work experience to students.

• If you were to poll the students, you would probably find that CMC is the most politically balanced of the colleges. (Pitzer is probably the most Liberal.)

•The Athenaeum frequently hosts guest speakers during lunch and dinner time.  Parents are even welcome to attend if there is space available.

• The residential halls have lounge areas and laundry rooms; rooms are cleaned every 2 weeks.

• There are 7 dining halls amongst the Claremont Colleges; your meal plan allows you to eat at any school!

Claremont McKenna college has a very small-college feel, with big-college amenities and opportunities.

Inside the Athenaeum.

CMS (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) Athletics.

“Ponding” (getting thrown into a pond) is a tradition at CMC that goes way back! Once used to celebrate engagements, it’s now used for birthdays.

One of the biggest, grassy quads that we have seen!

This is the view you are met with to start your tour! The cube in the picture is a study center, open 24 hours.