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Pepperdine University
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Pepperdine University - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Diversity

B
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 7%
Asian American 9%
Hispanic 10%
International 6%
Native American 1%
White 59%
Unknown 8%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 48%
Common States of Residence
  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Foreign countries
  • Texas
  • Washington
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 0%
18-19: 24%
20-21: 26%
22-24: 20%
25+: 30%
Female Faculty 36%
Male Faculty 64%
Faculty Diversity African American: 4%
Asian American: 4%
Hispanic: 5%
International: 1%
Native American: 0%
White: 87%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Some are willing to give Pepperdine credit for trying, with its international exchange program and so on, but most students agree that diversity is not a Pepperdine hallmark. There are noticeably few black students, although to say, as many do, that the African American student population is limited to the basketball team is probably to overstate Pepperdine’s diversity deficiency. The student body does get kudos for economic diversity—heiresses and scholarship kids are pretty equally represented. And gender-wise, both sexes are pretty prevalent on campus.

In all seriousness, though, diversity is a real problem in the sense that college applicants looking for a place to branch out culturally after high school will find Pepperdine disappointing. White, Christian Californians clearly dominate the campus scene, and behind them seems to be a glut of white folks from Colorado, Texas, and the Pacific Northwest. Not that there’s anything wrong with white folks or any of these fine locals, but Pepperdine could certainly use more ethnic and cultural variety.

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Pepperdine Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Pepperdine University

bls1918

'14

Broadcast Journalism

3.8
B+

Title

The diversity is quite normal for a school of this size. I would mainly say that there's definitely a majority of white students on campus, but we also have African Americans and Hispanics as well.

Jan 11, 2012

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Diversity at Pepperdine University

marie03

'14

Advertising

4.2
A-

While Not a Large Variety, Definitely a Melting Pot

There are not large groups of minorities on campus however there are more than you would find in a normal population sample of the United States. The same numbers of minorities that are found at USC cannot be found here, but Pepperdine has been getting much better on bringing diversity to its campus. Even more so, that diversity extends beyond ethnic groups. The best part is that the diverse groups of students seem to mesh well together and are integrated.

Jan 11, 2012

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Diversity at Pepperdine University

ct130

'12

Psychology & Counseling

3.8
B+

Christian Community

Pepperdine is a Christian Community and therefore is overall a friendly place to be. Even with that, I'd say about half of the students say they are Christian and the other are another religion or undecided. We also have many international students and many students from out of state so the student body is extremely diverse. In my suite of 8 only 3 girls, including myself were from California, none of us from Malibu.

Aug 04, 2011

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Page 1 of 7

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

Pepperdine encourages its students to explore new ideas and challenge traditional worldviews, but the university does little to foster a spirit of tolerance in regards to homosexuality. While students of varying sexual orientation can be found on campus, there is a general atmosphere of homophobia and fear of administrative retribution. Despite the allegedly high population of homosexual men on campus, they are not a visible student group, and most gay and lesbian students keep their parties “underground.”

Political Activity

Far from a hotbed of political activism, the Pepperdine campus is generally apathetic to the greater happenings of the world. Students call it the “Malibubble” for a good reason. Despite the faculty’s best attempts at inspiring some sort of political fervor in the student body, the typical student is far more interested in remedying world hunger than in the United States government. While the College Republicans put up a strong front during election years and tempt the quietly conservative student body with guest speakers, the Young Democrats and College Libertarians have little presence on campus.

Economic Status

The stereotypical Pepperdine student drives a BMW or a Porsche and never wears the same pair of designer jeans or high heels twice. However, people exaggerate the wealth and beauty of the Pepperdine student body because, even though many students are not rich or gorgeous, one tends to notice the dazzling blonde stepping out of a new Mercedes convertible, and not the backdrop of regular-looking and scholarship-funded college kids. Still, if you're looking for a preponderance of affluent students, look no further than Pepperdine.

Most Common Religions

The student body is spiritually homogenous; unsurprising considering the huge emphasis the university places on religion. The vast majority of Pepperdine students identify themselves as Christians, with the Church of Christ and Catholicism as the dominant denominations. Less than one percent of the student body is Jewish or Islamic, and in general the few non-Christians are atheist or agnostic.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Sample: African Alliance, Armenian Student Association, Asian Student Association, the Black Student Union, Cultural Italian American Organization, Hawaii Club, Latino Student Association, Pan-Chinese Student Union, Pepperdine Asian Student Association, Pepperdine International Club, Pepperdine University Hispanic Council

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at Pepperdine

Name: Jackie Fetzer

Hometown: Huntersville, NC

Major: English Writing and Rhetoric

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