Established in 1887, Occidental College is one of the best private liberal arts and science colleges in LA, California, USA. International students account for 7% of the total student population with students hailing from more than 56 countries including China, India, Singapore, Botswana, Brazil, and Germany.
Occidental College offers more than 45 major and minor programs and is best known for Biology, International Relations, Psychology, Sociology, and Economics. It is the only provider of a residential academic semester program at the United Nations. Occidental College ranks in the top 50 national liberal arts colleges in the U.S. according to the latest U.S. News and World Report. Also, it is one of the top 100 colleges in the U.S. as per THE World University Rankings.
Occidental College Ranking
The ranking of Occidental College by various ranking agencies are:
U.S. News & World Report
- #40 in National Liberal Arts Colleges
- #43 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
- #59 in Best Value Teaching
- #73 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- =100th in U.S. College Rankings
Niche Best Colleges
- #18 of 564 in Best Colleges for Kinesiology and Physical Therapy in America
- #21 of 394 in Best Colleges for International Relations in America
- #31 of 1,674 in Most Liberal Colleges in America
Highlights
| University Type | Private |
| Mode of Programs | Full Time; Part-Time |
| Most Popular Majors | Economics; International Relations and Affairs; Biological Sciences; Diplomacy & World Affairs |
| Admission Acceptance Rate (Fall) | 36.6% |
| Student-Faculty Ratio | 9 to 1 |
| Academic Calendar | Semester |
| Intake Terms | Fall; Spring |
| In-State Cost of Attendance | 36,410 USD |
| Out-of-State Cost of Attendance | 65,402 USD |
| Annual Endowment (2018) | 61.4 million USD |
| Admission Helpdesk | ucinfo@applyucsupport.net (800)207-1710 |
Occidental College Programs
- Occidental College awards Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degrees in over 45 minors, majors, and concentrations available from arts, humanities, and sciences.
- The most popular majors are Economics, Biology, Diplomacy & World Affairs, Sociology, Psychology, Mathematics, and Urban and Environmental Policy.
- The college also offers pre-law and pre-health advising.
- Apart from the pre-specified majors’ course guidelines, students get an opportunity to self-design their courses and make their academic journey uniquely interesting.
- Internships, Independent research, and other experiential learning programs are also available to students.
- Occidental College organizes international study and research trips for students including international students. Some notable trips and internships under the program include United Nations internships, Washington trips, internships, Richter research abroad, and volunteering in political campaigns.
- Unique programs provided by the college include the campaign semester and the U.N. program.
- Occidental students move to New York every fall to participate in internships at United Nations agencies, NGO’s and country missions under the Kahane program.
Occidental College Campus
- The 120 acres of Occidental College’s campus has over 60 buildings including academic buildings, administrative buildings, residence halls, and sports facilities.
- There are over 115 clubs, organizations, and teams. Students can join to learn leadership skills.
- The college has reported that 81% of the total student population stays on campus, all four years of their program.
Occidental College Residence
- There are over 16 residence halls, community housing halls, and apartments on-campus at Occidental College.
- The college requires all students to live on-campus during the first three years of their program. The college reports that over 50% of the seniors chose to live on-campus housing during their last year.
- There are 5 meal plans for students to choose from where one is given balances on their plan to use over the semester.
Occidental College Application Process
Occidental College has an acceptance rate of 37%, therefore, the admissions can get very competitive. For securing a place in the institution, one must take care of the following points before proceeding with the application -
- Application Portal: UG: Common App; PG: University application portal
- Application Fee: UG: 65 USD; PG: 60 USD
- Student Class Profile -
- Average Class Size: 18
- Percentage of International Students: 7%
- Standardized Test Scores: SAT Mathematics: 690; SAT EBRW: 690; ACT: 30;
- GPA: UG: 3.69; PG: 3.0 and higher
- Supporting Documents:
- A valid passport
- Statement of Purpose
- 2 to 3 Letter of Recommendation
- Oxy's Required Short Answer Questions
- GPA of 3.76 or above
- TOEFL or IELTS to demonstrate English Language Proficiency. (Optional for fall)
- Visa for international students
- Financial documents to prove the availability of funds
- Resume if the program requires prior work experience
- Application Deadline –
-
Early Decision 1: November 15
Early Decision 2: January 1
Regular Decision: February 1
-
Occidental College Cost of Attendance
The following table gives the estimated average annual cost of attendance.
| Types of Expenses | Cost |
| Tuition | 55,890 USD |
| Room and Board | 16,034 USD |
| Required Fees | 596 USD |
| Books and Supplies | 1,240 USD |
| Transport | 1,050 USD |
| Personal and Misc. Expenses | 1,700 USD |
| Occidental Student Health Insurance Program Premium Cost | 2,594 USD |
| Total | 79,194 USD |
Occidental College Scholarships
- International students have access to merit-based scholarships and a limited amount of need-based scholarships.
- To be eligible for need-based scholarships, international students must show outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements and also fill out the International Student Financial Aid Application form.
- Financial aid is awarded to two international students every year.
- A student who wishes to apply for any scholarship should read the policies and procedures very carefully and submit the application for financial aid with the admission application.
- Oxy's need-based financial aid grant is based on the following three components:
- Student's academic year budget (cost of attendance)
- Student and family resources (expected family contribution)
- Student's financial aid eligibility (need)
- A small number of new students who have achieved the maximum degree and maintain this achievement at Oxy earn Merit scholarships. Students completing their application are immediately reviewed for merit scholarships; a special application procedure is not necessary.
Occidental College Alumni Network
The benefits and services available to Occidental graduates are given below:
- Career and networking support
- Access to athletic facilities, library, and other campus facilities using Alumni Access Card
- Exclusive retail discounts and finance and insurance programs
Some notable alumni of Occidental College are as follows:
- Barack Obama - President
- Ben Affleck - Oscar-winning director, writer, and actor
- Gabriela Cowperthwaite - Documentary filmmaker
- Jack Kemp - Congressman and NFL quarterback
Occidental College Placements
- The average salary of Occidental College alumni according to Payscale was 68,740 USD.
- The early-career salary of college graduates with less than 5 years of experience is 56,800 USD.
- Around 94% of graduates were either fully employed, enrolled in graduate school, or pursuing both.
- Some of the top graduate schools attended by Occidental graduates include Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, etc.
- Occidental College conducts more than 200 events annually on career education seminars, alumni speech, on-campus recruitment, and career development events at its campus.
FAQs
Ques. What is the acceptance rate of Occidental College?
Ans.Occidental College is very selective while accepting students for its admissions. The acceptance rate in fall was 37% only.
Ques. Does Occidental College provide on-campus living facilities to students?
Ans.Yes. Occidental College is a residential college where around 81% of total students live on-campus.
Ques. What is the SAT or ACT score required for Occidental College admissions?
Ans.The average SAT score between 1300 to 1480 or an ACT score between 28 to 32 is required for Occidental College admissions.
Ques. Does Occidental College provide scholarship or financial aid to its admitted students?
Ans.Yes. About 56% of total full-time undergraduate students receive some kind of financial aid in the form of merit-scholarships, need-based grants and scholarships, student loans and work-study programs.
Ques. What is the total student enrollment at Occidental College?
Ans.The total undergraduate student enrolment at Occidental College is 2055.
Ques. Is Occidental College a good school in the U.S.?
Ans.Occidental College has been ranked by reputed websites/institutions like Forbes, US News, Times Higher Education, and Niche in top lists. It is quite a good liberal arts & science college in the U.S. that ranks #40 in national liberal arts colleges in the U.S. News and World Report.
Ques. What are some top majors available at Occidental College?
Ans.Some top majors offered by Occidental College are Economics, Biological Sciences, International Relations, Sociology, Mathematics, Psychology, etc.
Ques. What is the tuition at Occidental College?
Ans.The tuition at Occidental College is 55,980 USD.
Ques. Does Occidental College offer merit scholarships?
Ans.Yes. Occidental College offers a limited number of merit scholarships to high achieving students who continue to maintain academic success at the college.
Ques. What is the gender diversity at Occidental College?
Ans. About 42% of the total student population is male and the rest of them are female.
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Occidental College Scholarships
| Name | Scholarship Per Student | Level of Study | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VueVille Future Technology Scholarship | Scholarship per student$1,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Josephine de Karman Fellowship | Scholarship per student$25,000 | Level Of StudyDoctorate | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Aga khan Foundation Scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Axol Science Scholarship | Scholarship per student$2,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeCompany-Sponsored | |
| QS Leadership Scholarship | Scholarship per student$10,000 | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Chuan Ai Lu Engstrom Memorial Scholarship | Scholarship per student$1,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based |
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Occidental College Admissions
Application Portal: https://www.oxy.edu/admission-aid/applying/application-requirements
Early Action Deadlines
Important Date: November1 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)Regular Decision Deadlines
Important Date: January15 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)
Occidental College Exam Scores
| Exams | Avg. Score | Min Score | Max. Score | %Submitted' |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | ||||
| SAT | 1360 | 1280 | 1440 | 55 |
| Check Detailed Score | ||||
| Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 685 | 650 | 720 | - |
| Mathematics | 675 | 630 | 720 | - |
| ACT | 30 | 27 | 32 | 56 |
| Check Detailed Score | ||||
| English | 32 | 29 | 34 | - |
| Mathematics | 29 | 26 | 31 | - |
Attendance Cost
The table shows average yearly cost of attendance for international students. Amount may vary with the course opted, nature of accommodation, and personal spending habits of a candidate.Check Program wise Fees
Occidental College Accreditations
Faculty
| Total Faculty | Full Time | Part Time | Graduate Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3880 | 2704 | 1176 | - |
Occidental College Campus Location
Nearby This Campus
- Bus Station
- Airport
- Book Store
- Shopping Mall
Bus Station
Book Store
Airport
Shopping Mall
● All distance are measured radially. Actual distance may vary
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