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Occidental College - SAT Scores, Costs and Admissions Data

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Occidental College Student Center

Occidental College Student Center

Geographer / Wikimedia Commons

Tell Us About Your Occidental College Experience:

Have you visited or attended Occidental College? If so, please share your experience.

Occidental College Description:

Occidental College is a private liberal arts college located on a 120-acre campus in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, about eight miles from downtown. The location has a suburban feel with lots of coffee houses, restaurants, galleries and stores. Occidental College is highly selective with about 90% of students coming from the top 25% of their high school class. The college prides itself on the diversity of it student body and its academic excellence. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, Occidental College was awarded a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Popular majors include biology, economics, psychology and English; academics are supported by a 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio and an average class size of 16. In athletics, the Occidental Tigers compete in the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The college fields ten men's and eleven women's varsity sports teams.

Admissions Data (2011):

Enrollment (2010):

  • Total Enrollment: 2,102 (2,089 undergraduates)
  • Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female
  • 100% Full-time

Costs (2011 - 12):

  • Tuition and Fees: $42,871
  • Books: $1,180 (why so much?)
  • Room and Board: $11,990
  • Other Expenses: $2,302
  • Total Cost: $58,343

Occidental College Financial Aid (2009 - 10):

  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 82%
  • Occidental College Scholarships (Cappex.com)
  • Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of Aid
    • Grants: 78%
    • Loans: 43%
  • Average Amount of Aid
    • Grants: $23,913
    • Loans: $6,646

Most Popular Majors:

Art, Biology, Drama, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, History, International Relations, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology

Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates:

  • First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 91%
  • Transfer Out Rate: 11%
  • 4-Year Graduation Rate: 78%
  • 6-Year Graduation Rate: 85%

Data Source:

National Center for Educational Statistics

Occidental College Mission Statement:

mission statement from http://www.oxy.edu/x2990.xml

"The mission of Occidental College is to provide a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality—one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world. The distinctive interdisciplinary and multicultural focus of the College’s academic program seeks to foster both the fulfillment of individual aspirations and a deeply rooted commitment to the public good.

This mission is anchored by four cornerstones: excellence, equity, community and service. These building blocks, in one form or another, have long been the basis for the College’s commitment to providing responsible leaders and citizens for our democratic society. Choosing them to support the future helps to ensure that the College remains true to its mission while adapting to a changing world."

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