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Pepperdine University
- Local Atmosphere

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Pepperdine University - Local Atmosphere - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.46

Local Atmosphere

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

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Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. The Chumash Indian word malibu means "noisy waters" (better than that other sleepy California town, Lompoc, whose name means "stagnant waters").
  2. It hosts the annual Malibu International Film Festival, as well as the annual Malibu Chili Cook-Off. Pepperdine's frats and sororities often join in the latter competition.
  3. A mysterious surfer organization known as "Malibu Locals Only," or MLO, protects its home turf by picking fights with non-Malibu surfing citizens and by spray-painting its three ominous initials onto cement surfaces.
  4. Baywatch was filmed on Malibu's voluptuous golden beaches.
  5. On several nights between March and August, at high tide, the Southern California coastline becomes besieged by "grunion runs," the bizarre spawning ritual of thousands of little translucent fishes called grunion. These grunion runs—the timing of which is based on the moon cycle and can be predicted long in advance—make for very interesting marine biology field trips.
Notable Natives You name it! Everyone who is anyone in the entertainment industry has at least one home in Malibu.
Local Slang
  • The 'Bu: Abbreviated form of Malibu
  • Chill: Used as an adjective or a verb, as in "I was chillin' with this really chill girl."
  • Plus the hippest and latest surfer culture expressions—nothing you haven't heard on MTV:
Points of Interest
  • Disneyland
  • Hollywood
  • Magic Mountain
  • Santa Monica Pier
  • Universal Studios

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Differences in opinions regarding Malibu probably tells more about the priorities and prior experiences of students than they do about the town itself. To some, Malibu is an irritating 20-minute drive from anything interesting to see or do. To others, it’s a mere 20-minute drive from fabulous Santa Monica or a thrilling half-hour jaunt away from LA. Some scoff at the trappings of wealth and celebrity that Malibu so quaintly celebrates, while others head down the hill to Starbucks to sit and watch for movie stars. Everyone can agree, though, that Malibu is a truly unique place to go to college—surreal, really—and a genuine experience.

The ’Bu is a sleepy little enclave for the fabulously wealthy into which Pepperdine University has rather awkwardly asserted itself. It’s no place for a college student, especially one on a budget, to have a particularly wild time after dusk. On the upside, it is an undeniably beautiful environment for study, reflection, or any sport involving wetsuit-clad human beings trying to tame a vast, violent body of saltwater.
 

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Pepperdine Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at Pepperdine University

pepuni12

Political Science and Government '16

5.0
A+

The View

Regardless of the high quality of school, Pepperdine offers one of the best possible things college students seek: a great local area. The only downside to living in Malibu is that the cost of living is high. Shopping is hard to do on a tight budget. However, the view of the ocean is always free.

May 13, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Pepperdine University

ishmaeldiaw

International Business '16

4.6
A

Atmosphere

Have you seen the campus? Everyone is so friendly, its unbelievable. If you are looking for a university where you can stay focused and relaxed and keep your studies your first priority, Pepperdine is the school for you.

May 01, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at Pepperdine University

Adatch

Public Policy, Administration, and Social Work '07

3.5
B

Always Something to Do

With Pepperdine University so close to the beach or Santa Monica, there is always something fun and exciting to do.

Mar 23, 2012

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User rating for Pepperdine University - Local Atmosphere is 4.6 out of 5 based on 35 user reviews.

Photos of Pepperdine University's Local Atmosphere

College Students:
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Pepperdine University - PepperdinePepperdine
Photo by Anniedi89
Pepperdine You can't beat this sunset.
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Photo by Anniedi89
Pepperdine University - Hiking with the fellasHiking with the fellas
Photo by alexcox88
Hiking with the fellas There are hiking opportunities all around Pepperdine's campus thanks to the Santa Monica mountains!
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Pepperdine University - Watch out for deer!Watch out for deer!
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Watch out for deer! A deer roams the Rho parking lot.
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Photo by ct130

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • 3rd Street Promenade
  • Malibu Colony Plaza
  • Thousand Oaks Mall and Shops
Major Sports Teams
  • Anaheim Ducks: hockey
  • Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: baseball
  • Los Angeles Clippers: basketball
  • Los Angeles Dodgers: baseball
  • Los Angeles Kings: hockey
  • Los Angeles Lakers: basketball
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Los Angeles: CA: 20 minutes
  • San Francisco: CA: 6 hours
Did You Know? Don't be surprised if you find yourself jogging around Pepperdine's track with Pamela Anderson or if you see Dick Van Dyke dancing with his grocery cart at a Ralph's grocery store.

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

AMC Santa Monica 7
1310 3rd Street
Santa Monica
(310) 289-4262

Edwards Grand Palace Stadium 6
4767 Commons Way
Calabasas
(818) 223-0223

Malibu Cinemas
3822 Cross Creek Road
Malibu
(310) 456-6990

Become a Contributing Author Learn more »

Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Jackie Fetzer
Hometown
Huntersville, NC
Major
English Writing and Rhetoric

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
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