Pepperdine University
Reviews

Dumb People Wrote The Other Posts

It is not that bad. Yeah, the campus is dry, but thats why people whine about now seeing anyone on campus, because people don't stay on campus to party. I go out almost every night and "have fun". Trust me, it is fun. Greek life is pretty much the only way though, especially if you are a guy, otherwise, you will have a kick ass time.

We gots errythang

You will find all sorts of people here at Pepperdine. I would certainly say that Pepperdinians are a bit more attractive than your average group of 18-24 year-olds. There are a few stereotypical "I-am-rich-and-only-shop-at-Burberry-or-Louis-Vutton" types, but there are so many different kinds of people here that it is impossible to contain a large portion of the student body in one label. No matter who you are, you will find your own niche, just give it time.

Off Campus and in LA

It's a dry campus, so all the parties are off campus. The off campus parties are fun, but you can also go clubing in LA. There is a wide range of clubs to go to that sometimes offer 18 and over nights. Tuesday is a big party night because no one has class Wednesday morning do to convocation at 10am. If you skip that, you won't have class until at least 11. Other than that, weekends are big.

Very Strict Policies

completely dry campus. Harsh punishments for most policies as well.

Top Athletic Teams, but Little School Spirit

Pepperdine has an oustanding record in the athletic department in regards to Mens Tennis, Volleyball, and Water Polo--many students come specifically to Pepperdine to engage in these sports. The only thing lacking is a cohesive school spirit, which attests to some students' mixed feelings of Pepperdine not being a total "college".

To Drive or Not to Drive...Thats No a Brainer

BRING A CAR or make friends with cars. Seriously not much to do on weekends when you live on a gorgeous mountain top

Theres a car sharing service but there not reliable because there are about 5 cars available for rental and about 70% of the people that live on campus are registered users

A Good Challenge

Coming to Pepperdine, you know youre standing next to the best of the best from schools from all over the nation and very frequently, with international students from all over the world. Everyone here coming from high school had at least a 3.0 and more often than not, many a 3.5 and above. This automatically starts the playing field at a really high point. You may have been a straight A student in high school but so is everyone else. You have to work harder now to get that A. An A in high school is equivalent to a C at Pepperdine. The teachers expect more because they know what you are capable of.

BUT DONT LET THIS SCARE YOU!!!

Take advantage of your resources. The writing center, free student tutors, teachers, friends, they are all there to help you. Since class sizes are so small, you really get to know them on a more personal level. TAKE ALL THE HELP YOU CAN GET!! PEPPERDINES A WONDERFUL SCHOOL and YOU WONT REGRET COMING HERE!!!

Pretty Good Weather

It is not always sunny in California. There are days when you feel like you're going to melt, and there are weeks when it won't stop raining. The other days are perfect.

The Education Is Worth It!

The professors here know what they're talking about! If you have question on anything, don't hesitate to raise your hand! Sometimes the classes move fast, but there is plenty of help wherever you need it. It's easy to get behind, though. It is also very easy to get to know your professors. They actually WANT to get to know you! They'd rather know you a little better than just your name and face in class.

Girls and Guys of Pepperdine

The girls on campus are extremely nice and beautiful. They are willing to get to know anyone and everyone. Most girls are involved in Greek-Life. The guys on campus are all really cool and love to party. They are for the most part all active in sports and are also active in Greek-Life.

Community Unmatched by Any Other School

The community and people at Pepperdine are truly what make it great. Pepperdine is filled with solid people who love to be involved so the typical student is well-rounded and has a great story. I love that the school is big enough where I feel like I know everyone, but small enough that I don't actually know everyone and am constantly meeting new people.

Love Every Minute of It

Pepperdine has been the perfect fit for me. The community here and the people who surround you are absolutely amazing and it's great to have a solid group of friends who have their heads in the right place. The school is conducive to building strong relationships and academics, but also just enjoying life in the beauty of Malibu.

Great Academics

The teachers are very approachable and knowledgeable on their course subject. You can tell they actually care and are there to help you. The curriculum is very diverse for the school size and they have amazing science, theater, and business programs. The work gets fairly difficult especially when you get into your major related classes, but even though they are tough they are really good. Pepperdine has a great study abroad program and really encourages every student to go abroad at least once in their time at Pepperdine. The small class sizes and attentive teachers make Pepperdine an amazing school. I actually like going to the classes

I completely disagree with the review below me

I actually don't know a single sorority girl who isn't involved in at least one another activity. In fact, during rush, a sorority (not my own), did something to show what other activities their sisters were involved in and every single girl was in at least one. I can't speak to the fraternity members, but I know sorority members at least are very involved. Perhaps girls might be involved in fewer activities since a sorority can be a big time commitment, but to say that they aren't involved in anything besides Greek life is false in 90% of the cases I've come across.

I would say Greek life here is moderately competitive. Rarely are girls dropped completely from rush, but girls definitely drop out if they don't get the houses they want. Disappointments happen, for sure, but usually girls end up happy, even if they aren't where they originally would have thought they'd end up.

Greek life is not absolutely essential for a good social life, but it's a great way to meet people. Even if you don't plan on pledging, it's commonly advised that freshman at least try rushing to meet some people at the beginning of the year. With 7 sororities, it's easy for lots of very different girls to all find their niches. Roughly 1/3 of Pepperdine is Greek, so it's fairly common but not an overwhelming majority.

Going Greek for me was the best decision I could have made, despite me not being a "typical sorority girl" by any stretch of the imagination. I also don't fit the stereotype of my specific sorority, but I absolutely love it, which goes to show how inaccurate the stereotypes usually are. Greek life here definitely isn't typical, but many enjoy it despite or even because of its differences

It's Malibu, You Get What You Expect

Weather is beautiful in Southern California 90% of the time. The other 10% it rains or is windy and students don't know how to respond. Everyone freaks out and hibernates for those days. It's kind of entertaining.

Work Hard, Learn a Lot, Too Many Ges

All classes here at Pepperdine are taken seriously. You get a great education and really have to work for it. Be ready to cram for you mid-terms and stay up to write those twenty page papers but if you have a major you care about, those courses will be worth it. But be aware, you're going too have to take a crapload of worthless GEs such as 3 religion courses and 3 Humanities courses, none of which you will like or give a shit about. Those teachers grade hard though so memorize your Bibles and Renaissance Art.

The Right Fit for the Right Student

Pepperdine is not the right place for everyone, but it can be the perfect place for the right student. It's a faith-based school--they advertise this everywhere, so students seriously considering Pepperdine need to be comfortable with asking vocational questions and being exposed to Christian ideas and values. It's not a party school--prepare for learning and adventure--sober. The study abroad opportunities are second-to-none, and the people are the nicest, most helpful, and selfless in all of Southern California.

Palatial Dorms

After living off campus post-graduation, you will find nothing cleaner and more spacious with ocean views.

Fine Dining

Off campus dining is absolutely fantastic but it certainly comes at a price. Location is a key factor here -- eating in Malibu is a long drive for many, and a drive well worth it for some. For students going to Pepperdine, eating at these Malibu restaurants is a weekly experience -- one that can cut deeply into the college budget. For the nicer restaurants around town (and there are quite a few of them) expect to spend more than $20 per person easily. You are getting what you pay for, however, and eating off-campus at any Malibu restaurant will increase your distaste for any fast food restaurant in the area.

New Facilities

New lecture hall and a complete revamp of central campus has really invigorated much of the aesthetic quality here at Pepperdine. With the constant and continual sunshine, the campus looks and feels gorgeous. While this is nevertheless a school and will always feel like one, it's easy during the summer sessions to pretend that one is at a country club rather than a university. That is, until it's time for class.

Psychology Classes

Class size is very small, allowing students to get individual attention and be mentored by professors. There is a wide variety of psychology courses offered, which was helpful in my case because I decided to major in psychology. The professors are always available to the students for additional help. The psychology major also mandates that students volunteer in a public community mental health setting. I was able to volunteer at a juvenile detention camp, which sparked my interest in psychology in the criminal justice system.

Wi-Fi is... interesting

It's spotty. Half of the suites in freshman halls have the wifi hub mounted on their walls, and those get excellent reception, though its a bit of a gambit in other ones. We get very little reception in the common areas of the halls, but generally people don't work out there any way. Access in classrooms is excellent.

Also I've noticed a strange phenomenon. My roommate has a Macbook Pro and I have a PC (which is much better, for obvious reasons cough 600 dollars less, does the same thing, cough). So whenever I'm using the Wi-Fi, its plenty fast, but whenever we're both on it, his is about 4 times faster than mine. We say that he is "jacking all the tubes," which is not as gay as it sounds. Bottom line, if you're a PC user, bring an ethernet cable. You'll be fine.

Beautiful Weather

Sunny and cool with a view of the Pacific

Wow! What a great place to have...

Wow! What a great place to have gone to college. I received an excellent education and lived the best four years of my life here. Malibu and Pepperdine will always have special places in my heart. It is not the typical college experience, and that is what I loved about it. The only negative of the school is the Christian affiliation, which influences the strictness, the dry-campus, and the lack of Greek houses on campus. Do not go to Pepperdine if you are looking for the animal house party experience because it's not here. They are serious about their rules. Students have parties, but they are few and far between for fear of punishment. If you're looking for a small school with caring professors in an absolutely beautiful spot, then Pepperdine just might be the right place for you. I had a blast there and cried when I left (and I'm a dude).

The secret to living off campus is...

The secret to living off campus is finding one of the houses that gets passed down. I lived in a house in the Point Dume neighborhood with five guys that was footsteps away from the beach and about 10 minutes from campus (it no longer exists---the owner tore it down to build his dream mansion). There are more houses out there. The best way to go is with 4-5 people and get a real estate agent or an upperclassman in the know. If you want a one bedroom guest house to a mansion overlooking Point Dume, you'll have no problem doing that either. Rent is expensive, but so are Pepperdine dorm rooms. Get the dorm experience freshman year without getting in trouble for curfew or alcohol, and then move out. However, I'd rather live on campus than through the canyon. Malibu is too cool of a place to live anywhere else while going to Pepperdine.