5 Things You Might Know About Claremont McKenna College….and 5 Things You Might Not!

Posted in Colleges by kamiconsulting

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.

16Jul2013

5 Things You Might Know About Azusa Pacific University…and 5 Things You Might Not!

Posted in Colleges by kamiconsulting

Today, the KaMi Spotlight is on Azusa Pacific University (APU).

5 Things You Might Know:

• APU is a small, private Christian college divided into a West and East campus in Azusa, CA. The average class size is 19 students.

• Cost to attend with room and board is approximately $40,000 a year.

• Enrollment for 2012-2013 was around 5,500 undergrad students and approximately 10,000 total students.

• Will be in its 3rd year of transitioning to NCAA Div.2, with full membership anticipated for 2014-2015. (7 men’s sports and 10 women’s.)

• The second largest Christian University in the U.S., 1st largest on the West Coast.

5 Things You Might Not Know About APU:

•Approximately 2,300 students have an on-campus job, working 10-15 hours a week, around their class schedule.

• A trolley runs every 7 minutes, taking you back and forth between the East Campus and the West.

•Chapel is required 3x a week, along with 18 units of Biblical Studies.

• When you arrive at APU you will be given a Strengths Assessment that will help you in choosing a major (or help in confirming your choice- based on your results.)

• There is a greenhouse on the roof of the Segerstrom Science building. A BBQ is held monthly on the patio for the Science professors and students.

Azusa Pacific focuses on its 4 cornerstones of Christ, Scholarship, Service, and Community. It offers many opportunities to develop oneself in these ways. APU also is very clear on its beliefs: make sure to do your research at http://www.apu.edu/about/believe/ to decide if APU might be the right fit for you!

Walking through the Felix Event Center

A classroom at APU.

Turtles can be found in the courtyard of the Segerstrom Science Center.

One of the 4 dorms on campus.

This is an inside, hangout area in one of the dorms.

An example of a dorm room on campus.

A sneak peek of a class in session!

The Rose Garden is located in the only original building remaining on campus.

2Jul2013

5 Things You Might Know About Chapman University…….and 5 Things You Might Not!

Posted in Colleges by kamiconsulting

Today, the KaMi Spotlight is on Chapman University, located in Orange, CA.

5 Things You Might Know:

• Chapman is a small, private college nestled right in the middle of a quaint residential area. Many of the houses surrounding the campus are owned by the University, and are home to Professors and their families.

• Cost to attend with room and board is approximately $60,000 a year.

• Enrollment for 2012-2013 was around 5,000 undergrad students and approximately 7,000 total students.

• A NCAA Division 3 school in the SCIA Conference consisting of 12 Southern California private schools.

• The average class size is 20-25 students, and the most popular programs are Business, Communications, Psychology, and Film Production.

5 Things You Might Not Know About Chapman:

•The 4-story Library is actually 9 libraries in one, with 50 study rooms, and a Holocaust Memorial Library on the top floor.

• About 33% of the students participate in Greek Life, with 16 different Greek organizations, but there are no Greek houses on campus.

•Chapman displays the 2nd largest piece of the Berlin Wall (owned by an American university) in Liberty Plaza.

• Included in the cost of tuition is Interterm, an opportunity to take a course or study abroad during the month of January (between semesters). If you participate in Interterm all 4 years this equals a “free”, extra semester of college, and gives you a chance to experiment with classes outside of your major.

• 92% of freshmen live on campus, usually 3 to a room, and there is a gym and an outdoor pool just for students living in the dorms.

Chapman is a beautiful school filled with opportunities for advancement, education, and real world experience. We enjoyed our tour (AND the free lunch they provided at the end!)

Leatherby Libraries

Global Citizens Plaza, where each flag represents a student’s country, or a country where a Chapman student can go to study abroad.

We thought this was clever…a station to fix your bike!

Sand volleyball court right near the dorms!

The 4 pillars of Chapman – Spiritual, Social, Physical and Intellectual.

Attallah Piazza Center- a student hangout spot!

A piece of the Berlin Wall

Chapman’s Athletic Field

7Jun2013

5 Things You Might Know About Cal Baptist University……..and 5 Things You Might Not!

Posted in Colleges by kamiconsulting

Today, the KaMi Spotlight is on California Baptist University (CBU)

CBU Seal

5 Things You Might Know:

• Cost to attend ranges from around $28,432 for the commuter student and $36,172 for tuition with room and board.

• Besides offering financial assistance based on need, CBU offers grants and scholarships for academics, art, music, journalism, athletics, drama, and engineering. The academic scholarships start at $4,500 for a GPA of 3.3-3.74 and go up to $8,000 for a 4.0 and above. These scholarships are per year, as long as the minimum GPA is maintained.

• Enrollment for 2012-2013 is just around 4,000 undergrads but the school is envisioning an expansion to 8,080 by 2020.

• A Division 2 school currently transitioning from NAIA to NCAA in the Pac West.

• Over 100 majors with some of the most popular being Business, Education, Nursing, and Engineering.

5 Things You Might Not Know About CBU:

•70% of the students live on campus in Male or Female dorms, cottages, or on-campus apartments.

• Most general ed classes have around 28 students, but the average is 21 students per class, with the largest classrooms holding 70 students.

•The recreation center is brand new (just opened in January of 2013) and 3-stories. It offers rock-climbing, cardio equipment, racquetball courts, and workout rooms for classes. The basketball flooring is Grade 1 (NBA quality). On the roof of the building is a futsal field and turf track.

• There are no Greek organizations at CBU, but there is a big focus on community life. Clubs, recreational sports, and weekend excursions are available, and many participate. Specialty workshops are offered through the career center with topics such as “Business Dinner Etiquette (Which fork do you use??)”.

• 100% of the faculty are Christian and Chapel is required 15 times each semester for students who are encouraged to “live their purpose”.

Even though we visited CBU during the summer season, with very few students on campus, we really got a feel for the opportunities that students are given to connect to each other and their school.