Photo: Whittier College
The Golden State has some of the most prestigious and selective colleges in the US. With both public and private colleges, the state is known for its Master Plan for Higher Education, developed in 1960, which aimed at putting a coherent educational system in place with the purpose of fostering excellence and guaranteeing educational access for all. California has both strong liberal arts colleges and excellent research institutes of varying student sizes from around 2,000 to more than 35,000 students.
Whittier College is a moderately selective college which offers its students over 50 majors and professional programs, the most popular among them being biology, biological science and general criminal justice. Students are encouraged to get involved in Community activities and also in developing their skills and abilities. Highlights of certain programs like the Whittier Scholars Program and Whittier Leadership Program can be found on our site.
American Jewish University is committed to giving students of all faiths a higher education, yet it still has a strong background in Judaism. In this college, importance is given to leadership, culture, and ethics along with academics. Students are encouraged to serve their community both professionally and privately. There are several majors to choose from, the popular ones being business/marketing, psychology and social sciences.
California Lutheran University, although founded in 1959 by Evangelical Lutherans, is non-sectarian. This is a small, private liberal arts college whose aim is to educate leaders for a global society, who are strong in character and judgment and are committed to service and justice. It is a moderately selective college. The student to faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
Claremont McKenna College is a particularly prestigious college, and one of the most selective colleges in the country. Claremont McKenna is a member of The Claremont Colleges Consortium along with Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer, and this allows cross-registration with other Claremont Colleges.
Harvey Mudd College has an engineering curriculum grounded in liberal arts, and is one of the top undergraduate engineering colleges in the country. This college stresses high potential for innovation and leadership among students, and is a highly selective college. Its strong academics are supported by close relationships between professors and students, exemplified by a 9 to 1 student to faculty ratio.
Pitzer College is a small college with ample resources. This college places great emphasis on academic excellence, and is highly selective with less than 20 percent of the applicants admitted.
Pomona College is one of the top Liberal Arts Colleges in the US, and highly selective. Its academic prestige and high level of student satisfaction is often raved about by admissions professionals.
Scripps College, the last of the five colleges in the Claremont Colleges Consortium, is a well-known progressive liberal arts college for women and among the best women’s colleges in the country. It is a fairly selective school, and the cost of this institution is high, but financial aid packages are generous, with over half the student body receiving need-based financial aid.
Soka University of America is a private college offering students a challenging liberal arts education along with professional and vocational programs. This is a moderately selective school, and it has a student to faculty ratio of 9 to 1.
University of Redlands has a unique institutional structure, with five schools on campus. Of these, the school of music is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music, and the College of Arts and Sciences offers 40 majors with a student/faculty ratio of 11:1.
Westmont College is a relatively new college, offering its students science-based degree programs supported by a liberal arts academic structure. This college has accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges as well as the California State Board of Education. It is a moderately selective college.
For a student looking for a good liberal arts college in California, the state offers wonderful choices. With promising work opportunities to the student after graduation in many areas, California is the place to look for a good liberal arts school to graduate from.
