Overview
A Beautiful, Comfortable Campus and Proximity to Cultural Amenities Allows Students to Call Pitzer Home
Located at the base of the beautiful and scenic San Gabriel Mountains, Claremont, California, features an enviable climate that allows for outdoor activities year-round and a very short drive to tall peaks, Southern California beaches, and the thriving city of Los Angeles, which is easily reached via commuter rail.
Outdoor activities and athletic pursuits are popular at Pitzer College, and hiking, mountain biking, camping, backpacking, skiing, swimming, and a wide variety of other outdoor activities and adventures are easily achieved right in students' "backyard." The campus' proximity to L.A. means that students have easy access to a cosmopolitan, urban setting that offers the requisite cultural and entertainment options that make college life enjoyable.
On campus, Pitzer students are encouraged to engage in the college community as a means of developing interpersonal relationships and achieving personal growth. The top-notch residence halls at Pitzer College come with all amenities included and hall directors and resident assistants are available to students at all times to assist with the smooth operation of each residence hall and to address any student concerns.
A Rigorous Focus on Scholarly and Experiential Learning Make Pitzer an Academic Force
At the core of the Pitzer College mission is a dedication to a liberal arts education and the rigorous pursuit of knowledge. As such, all students at Pitzer are required to choose a major area of study, and must complete various prerequisite and elective courses to that end. Among the most popular areas of study at the college are psychology, sociology, political studies, media studies, environmental studies, and art.
Eschewing an overly rigid educational approach, the Claremont institution offers students a variety of options in their selected majors. Combined majors, for instance, allow a student to combine study in two or more fields, with modifications of the standard requirements of each major allowed with the approval of a faculty adviser. Special majors are also popular at Pitzer College, and permit students to create their own area of study in concert with their academic adviser and with approval by the Pitzer Curriculum Committee. Those students with a penchant for academic pursuits, and who meet the rigorous standards set forth by Pitzer, will be awarded Honors in their field of study upon graduation.
While the classroom is the standard setting for the educational experience at Pitzer, there is also a strong emphasis on experiential learning, especially by means of the college's study abroad program. While many universities and colleges tout such programs, well over half of the students at Pitzer engage in the study abroad program, an indication of the truly global nature of the California school's education.
Pitzer Students Achieve Personal Growth and Learning Through Student Organizations, Activities, Clubs, and Athletics
The Pitzer College experience goes well beyond academic learning, and encourages students to become active in the college community and engage in the vast array of organizations, groups, clubs, and activities that are available through the college.
Pitzer features a flourishing NCAA Division III athletic program, competing in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and offering athletic teams in soccer, basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball, track and field, golf, tennis, swimming and diving. and water polo. Club sports are also very popular on campus and include rugby, lacrosse, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, crew, and cycling.
Activities on campus are by no means limited to athletics, however, as the vast number of organizations attest. Student organizations range greatly and include political clubs, honor societies, music groups, theatre troupes, student government organizations, and many others that make up the active on-campus life for Pitzer students.
Serving Students and Alumni with a National Recognition for Excellence
Year after year, Pitzer College is recognized among a wide variety of publications for excellence in higher education. In recent years, Pitzer has been named one of the most selective liberal arts schools in the country, an "up and coming" school to watch, one of the nation's best colleges, and possessed of one of the best study abroad programs in the country.
In 2008, the college had more Fulbright Fellowships per capita than any other college or university in the country, a strong indication of the dedication to academics and learning exhibited at Pitzer. Students take great pride in the reputation that has been earned and is enjoyed by the Claremont, California, school, while alumni continuously find that their Pitzer education provides them with a host of opportunities in the world beyond college.
