Top Five Schools in California

Stanford University

Stanford University is a private university that was founded in 1891 in Stanford, California. The campus sits 37 miles southeast of San Francisco and is home to 6,422 undergraduate students. Stanford University is one of the most distinguished institutions in the world and has received numerous accolades for its academic progress. Currently, Stanford is ranked fourth on U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges list. Another aspect of Stanford that is often recognized is the opportunities students have to study abroad and in Washington, D.C.

California Institute of Technology

Currently ranked sixth on U.S. News and World Report's guide to America's Best Colleges, California Institute of Technology has long been recognized as a world leader in education and research. The university was founded in 1891 and has grown to enroll only 864 undergraduate students. Though it continues to maintain its small size, Cal Tech is an institution with a big impact. Cal Tech currently operates and maintains NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is actively engaged in many other research endeavors related to the natural sciences and engineering.

University of Southern California

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is the state's oldest private research institution. Its campus sits in the University Park Neighborhood in Los Angeles, and the college's diversity closely mirrors that of the surrounding urban community. USC enrolls 16,729 undergraduate students and is ranked 27th in U.S. News and World Report's Guide to America's Best Undergraduate Colleges. One of the aspects that makes USC unique is its film school, which lies in the heart of the entertainment industry and is widely considered the top-rated film school in the nation.

University of California-Berkeley

The University of California-Berkeley was founded in 1868, making it the oldest of the ten institutions within the University of California System. Commonly referred to as simply Berkeley, the institution offers its 23,863 undergraduate students more than 300 different academic programs taught by revered professors, many of whom are Nobel Laureates or have received other distinguished designations. Berkeley has many top-rated academic programs and is currently ranked #21 by U.S. News and World Report. The academic rigor of the university results in an intensely selective admissions process for incoming freshmen and freshwomen.

University of California-Los Angeles

The University of California-Los Angeles is currently the largest university in the state of California, with an undergraduate enrollment of 24,432 students. The university was established as part of the University of California System in 1919 after a brief tenure as a normal school. UCLA's reputation as a leader in education and research is well established, and the institution was named one of the 25 New Ivies by Kaplan. Among its many distinguished academic programs are the life sciences and medical departments, which are world leaders in stem cell and other medical research. UCLA is currently ranked #25 by U.S. News and World Report.

California College Rankings

• National Universities
• National Liberal Arts Colleges
• Regional Universities - West
• Regional Liberal Arts Colleges - West
• Best Business Programs
• Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs
• Best Engineering Departments (at school's whose highest degree is a Ph.D.)
• Best Engineering Departments (at school's whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's)

These rankings should be used as just one part of the college selection process. They give a rough overall indicator of a school's quality, but they do not tell what may be the most suitable for you. 

National Universities

• Top 120 (National ranking in parentheses)
• Stanford University (5)
• California Institute of Technology (7)
• UC Berkeley (20)
• UCLA (25)
• USC (30)
• UCSD (32)
• UC Irvine (40)
• UCSB (45)
• UC Davis (48)
• Pepperdine U. (55)
• UC Santa Cruz (68)
• UC Riverside (85)
• University of the Pacific (104)
• University of San Diego (104)
• University of San Francisco (115)
  
• Third Tier (alphabetical)
• University of LaVerne
• Fourth Tier (alphabetical)
• Biola University
• San Diego State U.
• Alliant International U.
• Top 50 Public National Universities (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (1)
• UCLA (3)
• UCSD (7)
• UC Davis (14)
• UCSB (12)
• UC Irvine (10)
• UC Santa Cruz (28)
• UC Riverside (38)
• Lowest Acceptance Rate (acceptance rate in parentheses)
• Stanford (13%)
• Caltech (21%)
• Highest Graduation Rate (rate in parentheses)
• Stanford (93%)

 National Liberal Arts Colleges

• Top 110 (National ranking in parentheses)
• Pomona College (6)
• Claremont McKenna College (10)
• Harvey Mudd (18)
  
• Scripps College (27)
• Occidental College (41)
• Mills College (73)
  
• Pitzer College (53)
• Thomas Aquinas College (88)
• Westmont College (104)
• Third Tier
  
• Whittier College
• Fourth Tier (alphabetical)
• CSU Monterey Bay
• Christian Heritage College
  
• National Hispanic University
• University of Judaism
  

 Master's Universities - West

• Top 23 (Regional ranking in parentheses)
• Santa Clara U. (2)
• Loyola Marymount U. (3)
• Cal Poly SLO (5)
• University of Redlands (7)
• St. Mary's College of California (9)
• Chapman U. (11)
• California Lutheran U. (16)
• Mount St. Mary's College (16)
• Azusa Pacific University (22)
• Point Loma Nazarene University (24)
• CSU Long Beach (26)
• Cal Poly Pomona (31)
• CSU Chico (31)
• Fresno Pacific U. (31)
• CSU Fullerton (34)
• Sonoma State (34)
• Humboldt State U. (37)
• Dominican University of California (41)
• Notre Dame de Namur University (43)
• CSU Sacramento (46)
• CSU Stanislaus (46)
• San Jose State U. (46)
• CSU Fresno (49)
• Concordia University (49)
• CSU Bakersfield (52)
• CSU San Bernardino (55)
• San Francisco State U. (57)
• CSU Los Angeles (62)
• Woodbury U (62)
  
• Third T ier (alphabetical)
• California Baptist University
  
• CSU East Bay
  
• CSU Northridge
• CSU San Marcos
  
• Holy Names University
  
• LaSierra U..
• Simpson University
  
• Fourth Tier (alphabetical)
• CSU Dominguez Hills
• Hope International U.
• New College of Californai
  
• Top Regional Public Schools - West (ranking in parentheses)
• Cal Poly (SLO) (1)
• CSU Long Beach (3)
• Cal Poly Pomona (4)
• CSU Chico (4)
• CSU Fullerton (6)
• Sonoma State U. (6)
• Humboldt State U. (8)
• CSU Sacramento (10)
• CSU Stanislaus (10)
• San Jose State U. (10)

Comprehensive Colleges - Bachelor's - West

• Top 20 (Regional ranking in parentheses)
• Master's College and Seminary (6)
• Vanguard U. of Southern Cal. (10)
• Pacific Union College (15)
• Third Tier (alphabetical)
• Bethany College
• Cogswell Polytechnical College
• Menlo College
• Patten College
  
• Fourth Tier (alphabetical)
• Humphrey's College
  

 Best Business Programs

• Best Programs (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (3)
• USC (9)
• Top 5 Best Departments - Finance (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (4)
• Top 5 Best Departments - International Business (National ranking in parentheses)
• USC (5)
• Top 5 Best Departments - Entrepreneurship (National ranking in parentheses)
• USC (3)
• Top 5 Best Departments - General Management (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (3)
• Top 5 Best Departments - Marketing (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (4)
• Top 5 Best Departments - Real Estate (National ranking in parentheses)
• UC Berkeley (2)

 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs

• Best Programs for schools granting Ph.D's (National ranking in parentheses)
• Stanford (2)
• UC Berkeley (2)
• Cal Tech (4)
• UCLA (22)
• UCSD (22)
• UC Davis (27)
• USC (31)
• UCSB (36)
• UC Irvine (49)
• Best Programs for schools granting up to Bachelor's/Master's (National ranking in parentheses)
• Harvey Mudd (2)
• Cal Poly SLO (4)
• Cal Poly Pomona (14)
• Loyola Marymount (14)
• SJSU (14)
• Santa Clara U (14)
  
• U. of San Diego (32)
• CSULA (32)
• CSU Long Beach (45)
  
• CSU Sacramento (45)

 Best Engineering Departments (at school's whose highest degree is a Ph.D.)

• Aerospace
• CalTech (4)
• Agricultural
• UC Davis (5)
  
• Biomedical
• UCSD (3)
• Chemical
• UC Berkeley (2)
• Stanford (5)
  
• Civil
• UC Berkeley (1)
• Computer
• Stanford (2)
• UC Berkeley (3)
• Electrical
• Stanford (2)
• UC Berkeley (3)
• Engineering Science/Physics
• CalTech (2)
• UC Berkeley (2)
  
• Environmental
• Stanford (1)
• UC Berkeley (4)
• Industrial Manufacturing
• UC Berkeley (4)
• Materials
• Stanford (3)
• Mechanical
• Stanford (2)
• UC Berkeley (3)

 Best Engineering Departments (at school's whose highest degree is a bachelor's or master's)

• Civil
• Cal Poly SLO (4)
• Computer
• Cal Poly SLO (2)
• Harvey Mudd College (3)
  
• Electrical
• Harvey Mudd College (3)
• Cal Poly SLO (4)
• Industrial Manufacturing
• Cal Poly SLO (2)
• Mechanical
• Harvey Mudd College (2)
• Cal Poly SLO (4)

• Humboldt State University
• California State University Chico
• Sonoma State University
• University of California at Berkeley
• San Francisco State University
• University of San Francisco
• California State University Hayward
• Stanford University
• University of California at Davis
• California State University Sacramento
• San Jose State University
• Santa Clara University
• University of California at Santa Cruz
• California State University Monterey Bay
• University of the Pacific
• University of California at Merced
• California State University Fresno

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• University of California at Santa Barbara
• California State University at Channel Islands
• California Institute of the Arts
• California State University Northridge
• Pepperdine University
• University of California at Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• California State University Los Angeles
• Harvey Mudd College and the Claremont Colleges
• California Institute of Technology
• California State Polytechnic University Pomona
• California State University Dominguez Hills
• California State University Long Beach
• California State University Fullerton
• Chapman University
• University of California at Irvine
• University of Redlands
• University of California at Riverside
• San Diego State University
• University of California at San Diego

 Humboldt State University

"Walking campus tours are available at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM Monday through Friday, as well as Saturdays at noon. Tours begin from the Student Business Services Building lobby, last about an hour, and are immediately followed by a tour of our on-campus residence halls which leaves from the Library front steps. Reservations are requested but are not required. Comfortable shoes are highly recommended. If you like, you can also request to meet with an Admissions Counselor, sit in on a class, and meet with a faculty member in your program during your visit to Humboldt State. Please give us two week’s notice to make these arrangements.

Virtual tour
Videos
Getting to Humboldt State
Campus maps
About Humboldt
Fast Facts
 

 California State University Chico

Directions
Photo tour
Quick Facts
 

 Sonoma State University

Tours

"Thanks for deciding to book a tour and visit SSU! We recommend at least two weeks advance notice for tour reservations so that we can confirm your tour date in writing. Tours are given during the semester on Monday through Saturday. Click here to meet your Student Outreach Sonoma (“SOS”) Tour Guides, or call them at 707.664.3029 if you have questions."

Campus maps, directions, and visitor information
About SSU

 University of California at Berkeley

UC Berkeley, usually called "Cal," is the flagship of the UC system. Founded in 1868, it is the oldest and second largest of the campuses in terms of population, with over 31,000 students. It is among the most prestigious universities in the world and is the highest-rated public university in America. Its distinguished faculty members have won numerous awards, including 17 Nobel Prizes. It is one of the top research institutions in the country and has been rated among the top public research universities in the country. Its discoveries in physics and computer science are legendary. Because of its stature, it is the most difficult UC campus to get into and reputedly the most demanding. 36,829 applied; 9,792 admitted. The average weighted GPA of incoming freshmen is 4.21, 3.94 unweighted. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1200-1450. (See here for the freshman profile.)  It has a rigorous selection process. (See here for admit rates.)  Cal is an urban school, located on 1,232 acres at the edge of the city of Berkeley. However, it backs up into the Berkeley Hills, which includes parklands and undeveloped open space. As with other Bay Area colleges, finding student housing is one of the biggest challenges. Unlike other UC's, Cal is on the semester system. Fees are  $6,413 per year. (See here for undergraduate student budgets.) The on-campus residence halls can house 5000 students. Room and board cost $12,554 per year. For recreation, Cal has an extensive sports program, which includes nationally-ranked intercollegiate athletics. Games against Stanford are big events.

Tour info

Free Campus Tour Schedule

Free campus tours are held daily, seven days a week. The 90-minute walking tours are led by trained student guides who are knowledgeable about the Berkeley campus and student life at Cal. No reservations are required for fewer than ten people.

Monday through Friday, tours are at 10:00 a.m. Weekday tours leave from the Visitor Center at 101 University Hall, 2200 University Ave, located at the corner of University Avenue and Oxford Street. Monday through Friday only, tours are followed by a 30-minute admissions presentation for prospective freshman applicants who have not yet applied to the University.

Saturday tours are at 10 a.m.

Sunday tours are at 1 p.m.

Cal Day
Online Tour
Campus map and directions
Virtual reality panoramas
 

 San Francisco State University

Tour info

Student Guided Campus Tours
At San Francisco State, taking a guided campus tour is the best way to get acquainted with our university.  Guided campus tours are conducted during the week throughout the year.  The schedule, which varies from semester to semester, will be posted at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester. However, if you would like to visit the campus on a day or time other than what is scheduled, you are welcome to take our Self Guided Campus Tour map/brochure.

What does it include?  The individual/family guided campus tour for prospective students and their family members is a free walking tour on pathways outside of buildings that takes approximately 1 hour.  It is conducted by one of our trained tour guides who welcomes the opportunity to share their University experience as an undergraduate student.  The campus tour encompasses the main part of the campus and does not including housing.  If you wish to visit the on-campus housing facilities and/or if you wish to learn more about a specific major, you will need to contact the housing office and/or the major department office prior to your visit to make arrangements. (E-mail addresses and phone numbers of SFSU departments are available at www.sfsu.edu/atoz.)

Do I need a reservation?  No.  However, we will collect one ticket per prospective student at check-in.  We do not need prior knowledge that you're coming.  Phone reservations are not required and are not taken.  

Where do I obtain a check-in ticket?  What days and times are available?  Click on the desired month to see the schedule/check-in ticket: Feb 2006 | Mar 2006 | Apr 2006 | May 2006   
June to August 2006 - Campus tours will resume in mid-June.  Please check back during the week of the 12th for the latest updates.

Self Guided Campus Tours
If you would like to visit the campus on a day or time other than what is scheduled, you are welcome to take our Self Guided Campus Tour brochure. 

During normal business hours, you can pick up the brochure in the lobby of the Administration building (opposite of the elevators), in the lobby of the Student Services building, or outside Room 106 of the Student Services building.

Or the Self Guided Campus Tour brochure can be faxed to you before you come. Please send us a request by email to outreach@sfsu.edu or by fax to 415-338-0903 at least 15 working days before your planned visit.  Be sure to include your fax number in your request.

Directions to SFSU
Campus map
Clickable map of campus buildings
"What Makes Us Great"
Quick Facts
Photo Tour

University of San Francisco

Tours

Directions
Campus map
 

 California State University East Bay

Formerly Cal State Hayward, CSU East Bay changed its name because it has 2 campuses in the East Bay. The largest is located in the Hayward Hills, on a 342-acre campus overlooking the central East Bay cities, with views of the Bay. At its back and sides are the East Bay Hills, including parklands of the East Bay Regional Parks District. The university has 12,535 students, of which 7,423 are full-time undergraduates. The university also maintains a 395-acre campus in Concord for upper division and graduate students. The university offers 46 bachelor's degree majors, 65 minors, and 26 master's degrees in four schools. Its master's program in multimedia was the first in the nation. Its highly-respected business school is one of the largest in the Bay Area. Its most popular majors are business administration, liberal studies, and comuter science. The university's selectivity is typical for a CSU. 4,665 applied; 2,177 admitted. The average high school GPA is 3.14. SAT 25/75 percentile: 620-1122. Many students commute to campus, with a free shuttle service to the Hayward BART station. On-campus housing is available. Fees are $2,916 per year. Rooms are $6,759 (no meals).  

Tours
"Visit our Hayward Hills or Concord campus on your own or with a group. With at least two weeks notice, we can arrange specially planned tours. You can truly get a feeling of campus life at Cal State East Bay with our tours. Tours can include meeting current students and participating in that day's student activities. Visit Campus Maps to find the best way for you to get to campus.

Tours are available Monday through Friday. Call the Enrollment Services at (510) 885-2556 for Hayward appointments, or to visit our Concord campus, call (925)602-6700."

Virtual Tour
Campus maps and directinons
 

 Stanford University

The San Francisco Bay Area is lucky to have two world-class universities. One is UC Berkeley. The other is Cal's cross-Bay archrival, Stanford University. Ironically, Stanford's founding was inspired by tragedy. In 1884, Leland Stanford Jr., the 16-year old son of California Governor and railroad baron Leland Stanford Sr. and his wife Jane, died while travelling in Europe from typhoid fever. His grief-stricken parents decided to create a university in his memory. In 1891, Stanford University opened its doors. (See here for more on Stanford's history.)  Since then, it has developed and grown into one of the world's great universities. Stanford has been consistently ranked among the top 5 universities in the country, and is the top university in the West. It ranks with the great Ivy League universities on the East Coast. Unlike them, however, it has a nationally-ranked sports program that has produced superstars like John Elway and Tiger Woods. Stanford's achievements in science and technology have often been credited as giving birth to the Silicon Valley. Its alumni include industry moguls such as Bill Hewlett and David Packard. Even though it is an enormous campus in terms of area, it is small in terms of the student population, with an undergraduate population of less than 6,506. The student-faculty ratio is only 6:1, so classes are small. The university owns over 8100 acres of land in the Palo Alto area, much of which is still undeveloped open space. The campus itself has more than 678 major buildings. It has many research laboratories, including the famous Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Even though Stanford is located in one of the most expensive and tightest housing markets in the country, housing for undergraduates is not a problem, as 92% of them live on campus. Stanford is one of the most difficult schools to get into in the country. Only the best students apply, but even then, only about 8% of the applicants will wind up in the freshman class. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.9. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1370-1550.  Admission: 20,192 applied; 2,426 admitted; 1,632 enrolled. It attracts some of the brightest students from all over the country and the world, as well as children of the rich and famous (including children of the President). Stanford is one of the most expensive colleges in the country, with the tuition at over $31,200 and room and board at $9,932 per year. For talented and highly-motivated students it is worth it, not only for the quality of education, but for the valuable contacts they can make there. A large number of corporate founders in the Silicon Valley met each other while at Stanford.

Tour info.

We offer the following tours for campus visitors. For more detailed information about the tours, please contact Visitor Information Services at (650) 723-2560 or by email at visitorinfo@stanford.edu.

If you are planning to visit during a holiday period or academic break, please consult our schedule of services to ensure the tour you are interested in will be offered at the time of your visit.

• Public Walking Tours
• Prospective Undergraduate Tours
• Golf Cart Tours
• Residence Hall Tours
• Private and Group Tours
• Hoover Tower Observation Platform
• Online Tours

 University of California at Davis

UC Davis is the third largest UC campus in terms of population, with about 29,637 students, of which 22,735 are undergraduates. It is the largest in terms of land area, with 5,200 acres. It is located in the Sacramento Valley just 15 miles west of sacramento and 72 miles northeast of San Francisco. Being in an agricultural area, it is renowned for its agricultural research and technology. It was founded as a state agricultural school in 1905 as a farming extension to UC Berkeley. (See here for more on its history.) Because it is a large, flat campus, bicycles are the favored mode of transportation. The city of Davis has the most bicycles per capital in the nation. Davis has three undergraduate colleges with more than 150 majors, the most of any UC campus. It also has 70 graduate programs and four professional schools in law, management, medicine, and veterinary medicine. 20% of the students live on campus.  University-owned student housing consists of residence halls, which can house 4500 undergraduate students, and several apartment complexes. 31,292 applied; 17,291 admitted; 4,786 enrolled. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.74. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1040-1280. (See here for the freshman profile.) The most popular majors are biological sciences, psychology, and engineering. Costs are $7,495 for fees, $10,791 for room and board.

Visiting UC Davis

VISITOR SERVICES proudly offers campus maps, information and directions to campus guests from two visitor center locations at UC Davis, as well as the Campus Tour Program for prospective students making college decisions.

The UC Davis Campus Tour Program:

The Campus Tour Program offers a variety of guided tour types, self-guided tour options, the on-line virtual tour, campus tour video and limited classroom visitation registration. Visitor Services is determined to meet the propective students' and general visitors' needs in providing a true sense of what UC Davis has to offer in the way of education, employment and community.

Week Day Family Walking Tours are offered most week days (except on observed holidays) at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm with at least a one week advance registration. Registration is available until filled and capacity is based on tour guide availability. All guides are students and availability often depends on students' class schedules. Walking tours are 90 minutes in length. Please visit the on-line tour registration system to register for a campus tour.

Weekend Family Walking Tours are offered at 11:30 am most Saturdays and Sundays with at least a one week advance registration. Registration is available until filled and capacity is based on tour guide availability. All guides are students. Walking tours are 90 minutes in length. Please visit the on-line tour registration system to register for a campus tour.

Engineering Tours are offered to prospective students and their families on selected days of the week throughout the year when engineering students are available to conduct guided tours. Engineering tours are 90 minutes in length. Engineering tours are available until filled and space is limited to 12 people per tour. Please visit the on-line tour registration system for specific Engineering Tour availability.

Biological Sciences Tours are offered to prospective students and their families on selected days of the week throughout the year when division of biological sciences students are available to conduct guided tours. Biological Sciences Tours are 90 minutes in length. Biological Sciences tours are available until filled and space is limited to 12 people per tour. Please visit the on-line tour registration system for specific Biological Sciences Tour availability.

Large Group Walking and Tram Tours are offered based on tour guide and/or tram driver availability. Walking tours are 90 minutes in length and tram tours are 45 minutes in length. Both of these tour types are available to group sizes of greater than 18 and less than 44. For Large group walking tour and tram tour availability, please call (530) 752-0539 and speak with a Visitor Services representative. We will be happy to check tour guide driver and/or tour guide availability for you.

Self-Guided Walking Tour Brochures are available too. If all guided tour options are full or unavailable during the time you wish to visit UC Davis, we encourage consideration of the Self-Guided Walking Tour brochure. This brochure includes student and academic statistics, images of campus, information about student organizations, sports and housing, a color map of campus, a directional tour route indicator and the original tour script that student guides memorize to conduct guided tours. The brochures are always available at the Walter A. Buehler Alumni & Visitors Center. If you visit us after operating hours the brochures will be available outside the front doors. The Self-Guided Walking Tour Brochure is a very inclusive, comprehensive piece of literature that answers most questions about UC Davis. However, just in case that is not enough, the Walter A. Buehler Alumni & Visitors Center lobby service counter is staffed by a UC Davis student Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Please feel free to stop in and visit with the UC Davis student on duty to answer any of your student life questions.

The Campus Tour Video Tape "Look Into Your Future" is available for purchase. This 16 minute award winning video overview presentation of UC Davis covers undergraduate and graduate academic areas, faculty interviews, student interviews; information about student opportunities, organizations and activities; sports, student housing, etc. This video won an International "Award of Distinction". The videos are available for purchase from Visitor Services for $5.00, plus $3.85 for shipping and handling anywhere in the United States. To order your "Look Into Your Future" video tape, send a personal check or money order payable to UC Regents in the amount of $8.85 to:

Visitor Services, University of California at Davis, Alumni Center, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616

Don't forget to include your return address of where to ship the video.

Classroom Lecture Visitation is available for prospective students and parents to observe a lecture in progress. A selected number of classes have been approved and added to this program by faculty. The seating is very limited and is offered to families and small groups of 1 to 5 in size.

Thank you for your interest in UC Davis and we look forward to serving you.

Visitor Services

California State University Sacramento

Group Tour Inquiries - These are one-hour walking tours of the campus designed for groups of prospective high school and college age students. For elementary and middleschool students, we recommend the self-guided tour option below. To schedule a group tour, please email your request to: mcraek@csus.edu

Directions
Campus map
 

 San Jose State University

SJSU was founded in 1857 and is the oldest of the CSU campuses. In fact, it is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast. (See here for SJSU's history.)  It is a large urban college, located on 154 acres right in the heart of downtown San Jose, with 29.975 students, of which 16,100 are full-time undergraduates.   Being downtown provides easy access to the city's downtown theaters, restaurants, museums, hotels, offices, parks, convention center, and main library. Because of its location in the Silicon Valley, its computer science and engineering classes are very popular. Graduates have become technical professionals all around the Valley. The area around SJSU has improved in recent years, with new hotels, museums, and theaters having been built. The huge new King Library is shared between San Jose State and the San Jose Public Library. It is not too difficult for good students to get into. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.17, SAT 25/75 percentile: 870-1140. 15,079 applied; 9,935 admitted; 2,393 enrolled. Fees are 2,958 per year. On-campus housing is available. Room and board costs $8,136. Campus Village is a new housing facility  that opened in fall of 2005. SJSU is next to the VTA Light Rail line, so commuting from farther away from campus is possible. SJSU is more of a commuter college than a residential one, though many students live in rented housing in the area.

Group
Group tours are offered Monday-Friday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Group tours consist of 15 or more people. Requests must be scheduled by the first of the month for the next month. Online Registration is required for all campus tours and an email confirmation will be sent to all registrants to confirm the date and time of the campus tour requested.

All campus tours start at the Welcome Center at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library on the corner of Fourth and San Fernando Streets. Campus Tours are approximately forty-five 45 minutes. All campus tours are led by SJSU Student Ambassadors. "

Virtual Tour
Directions to SJSU
Campus map
 

 Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University is the oldest institution of higher learning in California. Its beginnings can be traced back to the founding of Mission Santa Clara de Asis in 1777, the eighth of the California missions. The university was established in 1851 by the Jesuits, based around the mission property. It is a relatively small college, sitting on 104 acres, with a full-time undergraduate population of 4,316. The student-faculty ratio is a low 12:1. The average class size is 27. Even though it is a Catholic college, about 40% of the students are not Catholic. 8,904 applied; 5,419 admitted; 1,198 enrolled. The average high school GPA of incoming freshmen was 3.54. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1110-1300. It is a highly regarded institution, rated the number two western regional college. It has a wide variety of majors. Being in the heart of the Silicon Valley, its engineering and technology programs are popular, and its graduates are in high demand in industry. A number of high-ranking corporate executives have graduated from SCU. Its MBA program attracts many current Silicon Valley professionals looking to expand their business skills. Tuition is $28,899 per year. Room and board costs $10,032 per year. (See here for housing information.) 61% of the undergraduate students receive financial aid. The university's facilities include Mission Santa Clara, the de Saisset Museum of art and history, and the Center of Performing Arts.

Visiting Santa Clara:

Campus Tours and Information Sessions

The Undergraduate Admission office hosts an information session and student-led campus tour daily, Monday through Friday and on most Saturdays. For more information, take a look at our campus visit schedule, or you can make a reservation through SCUConnect.

If you will be bringing more than ten people for a campus visit, please reserve a group tour.

Admission Appointments

We do not offer interviews, however individual conversations with admission counselors are available on a drop-in basis. They are offered to prospective freshmen who have questions not otherwise answered in the information session or on our Web site. Although this is not a requirement for the application process, we feel this is another good way for our counselors to get to know you.

Santa Clara no longer offers individual appointments for transfer students. In lieu of these appointments, we will offer a transfer-oriented information session twise monthly. Please refer to the campus visit schedule for more information.

Class Visits

Overnight Visits

The Undergraduate Admissions Office does not formally arrange overnight visits for individual students. We do, however, offer a number of special programs for admitted students that include an overnight component.

Planning Your Visit

To help you plan your visit to Santa Clara, we provide information about parking, directions to campus, local transportation, a campus map, and a list of hotels near SCU.

Virtual tour
Directions to campus
Campus map
 

 University of California at Santa Cruz

UCSC is second smallest of the general UC campuses in terms of population, with 12,983 full-time undergraduate students, but the second largest in terms of area, at 2,950 acres. However, it is almost an invisible campus. It is difficult to see the campus buildings because they are hidden among the towering redwood trees. In fact, the buildings are designed so that they are lower than the tree lines. The heavily-forested campus environment seems very much like a state park. Indeed, it is surrounded by state and local parks. UCSC has one of  the most beautiful natural settings among all the colleges in the state. It is situated on hilly land on the lower slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Most of the upper campus is located in redwood forests, divided by deep, shady ravines. The lower parts of the campus are on open grass-covered hills with views of Monterey Bay. Nearby parks include Wilder Ranch State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Natural Bridges State Park, and the Pogonip Open Space Preserve. UCSC has been one of the most innovative of the UC campuses in terms of teaching methods. It is the only UC campus where grades are optional. Students receive written evaluations from their instructors, which can be useful as letters of references for job and graduate school applications. The campus is divided into nine residential colleges. All undergraduates, regardless of whether they live on campus or off, are affiliated with one of these colleges. Each has its own academic requirements.  The scenic settings and million-dollar views from the on-campus housing at UCSC make them seem like luxury resorts. However, off-campus housing is in short supply in the growth-restricted city of Santa Cruz. Finding outside housing is one of the most challenging tasks at UCSC. UCSC has had a reputation of being a "hippie school." While it still appeals to artists with Bohemian sensibilities, its reputation as an academic school and research institution has been growing. It is the closest UC campus to Silicon Valley, and its technology-related programs have increased. Planning is under way for the UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Center at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View. UCSC runs several research facilities, including the Long Marine Lab in Santa Cruz, the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, and the developing Monterey Bay Education, Science, and Technology Center on the former Fort Ord site.. UCSC is moderately selective. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.56. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1050-1280.  23,003 applied; 17,342 admitted; 2,996 enrolled. (See here for the freshman profile.) Fees are $6,913. Room and board is $9,110.

Tour info.

Virtual tour
Directions
Maps
 

 California State University Monterey Bay

CSUMB is a new campus. It opened its doors to students in 1995.  It is so new that many people do not realize it exists. For a CSU, it is a huge campus in terms of area. Its boundaries encompass about 1500 acres. Despite its size, it occupies only a small fraction of the giant former Fort Ord Army Base. So far, only a small part of it has been developed into active campus buildings. Its property includes large numbers of buildings that were part of the army base complex. Its current operating buildings were converted from the former army buildings, though future facilities may be built from scratch. Its upper classmen housing areas, which look like suburban neighborhoods, were once officer's quarters, and so are much more luxurious than the typical student housing. Its current enrollment is only 3,373, mostly undergraduates, but its future enrollment is predicted to grow to 25,000. It is a rapidly-growing school, so going there is somewhat like joining a fast-growing startup company. There are great opportunities for innovation, and the students are much more empowered than at other larger and more established schools. The classes are small, and the equipment is new. Particularly notable are their state-of-the-art computer arts and multimedia facilities, which are among the best in the state. Its goal is to become THE multimedia center for the CSU system. One important sign of its non-tradtional approach to education is its inter-disciplinary majors, in place of more traditional ones. For instance, its Teledramatic Arts and Technology program combines theater arts with broadcast and computer technology. Telecommunications, Multimedia, and Applied Computing  combines business computer, telecommunications, multimedia, and instructional technology. Its Earth Systems Science & Policy combines the physical and biological sciences with economics and policy. Its location near the ocean makes it ideal for marine studies. It is the closest CSU campus to the Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, which it shares with other CSUs. The campus is located just north of the resort city of Monterey, so recreational opportunities are abundant. Because it is near some of the best golf courses in the world, it has an excellent golf team. There are huge areas of open space on the Fort Ord site for hiking and biking. Despite its suburban location, the university puts special emphasis on community service. Its service-learning practices are becoming a model for the Cal State system. It has no impacted programs, so it is easy to get into for anyone meeting the CSU requirements, and it is easy to get the classes you need. Classes are very small for a CSU, comparable to a private university. It doesn't have the broad spectrum of programs or huge research laboratories of other universities, but it does have an intimate, innovative, non-intimidating atmosphere that may appeal to many students. It has some of the advantages of a small private university, but at the low cost of a CSU. CSUMB isn't for everyone, but it is worth a look to see if it meets your needs. Average incoming freshman GPA is 3.08, SAT 25/75 percentile: 880-1135. 3,023 applied; 2,508 admitted; 565 enrolled. Fees: $2,761/year. Room & board: $8,254. See here for information on on-campus housing.

Tour info.

Guided Campus Tours

Student-led tours of the CSUMB campus can easily be arranged but require that you reserve space at least two weeks in advance. We make every attempt to accommodate your needs. If you would like an alternative time or desire special assistance on your tour, please contact us. 

We conduct individual guided tours (maximum 10) Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and Saturday at 10 a.m. For groups over 10, the same tour times are possible. However, alternate times may also be possible. All tour times are subject to change. Please check our Academic Calendar to see if our campus will be closed on any given day.

To request a tour, please call 831-582-3738 or choose one of the forms below.

• Individual Tours (maximum 10)
• Groups (over 10)

Self-Guided Tours

The Self-Guided Tour includes a drive that will take you past most of the major campus buildings, and a walk of the residential quad.

The tour booklet is available in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file.

Virtual tour
Directions and campus map

 University of the Pacific

Tour info.

Our student and staff tour guides give lively and entertaining tours of the main campus in Stockton. Tours are available throughout the year, last for one hour and can be scheduled on weekdays and most Saturdays.

Late August, 2005 to March 18, 2006

Monday through Friday: Tours start at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm
Saturday Tours are available by appointment at 11:00 am

March 20, 2006 to April 22, 2006

Monday through Friday: Tours start at 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, and 3:00 pm
Saturday Tours are available by appointment at 11:00 am

April 24 to Mid May, 2006

Monday through Friday: Tours start at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm
Saturday Tours are available by appointment at 11:00 am

Mid-May, 2006 to Mid-August 2006

Monday through Thursday: Tours start at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm
Fridays: There is one tour at 10:00 am
Saturday Tours are available begining in August

All tours begin in the lobby of Knoles Hall.

Contact the Office of Admission at (209) 946-2211 to arrange a tour, group information session, or individual counselor session. Overnight stays and classroom visits are available September 20–December 5 and January 20–May 5.

Online tour of the campus
Maps and directions
Why Choose Pacific? 

University of California Merced

UC Merced guided tours are available by reservation. Tours consist of a 45 minute walking tour led by a student tour guide. Due to safety concerns, guests are not permitted to enter construction zones. To make a reservation, contact the Office of Admissions/Relations with Schools & Colleges at (209) 381-7880 or toll free in California at (866) 270-7301.

Tour Schedule

Monday through Friday at 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m.

Saturdays at 11:00 a.m.

Location

Tours start at the Kolligian Library located at 5200 N. Lake Rd., Merced, CA. 95340. Visitors should check in at the Students First Center located in the first floor of the Library-Gold Wing.

Virtual Tour
Campus map

 California State University Fresno

Monday through Friday, after touring the campus, students may also visit their academic department of choice.  Department tours can be scheduled by calling in advance for an appointment.

To visit the Fresno State campus, call University Outreach Services at 559.278.2048 or email a tour request - please make sure to leave your full name and phone number when emailing us."

Campus maps

• Humboldt State University
• California State University Chico
• Sonoma State University
• University of California at Berkeley
• San Francisco State University
• University of San Francisco
• California State University Hayward
• Stanford University
• University of California at Davis
• California State University Sacramento
• San Jose State University
• Santa Clara University
• University of California at Santa Cruz
• California State University Monterey Bay
• University of the Pacific
• University of California at Merced
• California State University Fresno

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• University of California at Santa Barbara
• California State University at Channel Islands
• California Institute of the Arts
• California State University Northridge
• Pepperdine University
• University of California at Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• California State University Los Angeles
• Harvey Mudd College and the Claremont Colleges
• California Institute of Technology
• California State Polytechnic University Pomona
• California State University Dominguez Hills
• California State University Long Beach
• California State University Fullerton
• Chapman University
• University of California at Irvine
• University of Redlands
• University of California at Riverside
• San Diego State University
• University of California at San Diego

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly is a medium-sized campus in terms of student population, with 18,475 students, of which 15,827 are full-time undergraduates. However, it is large in terms of area, with over 6000 acres, and even bigger in terms of reputation. It is located in the small city of San Luis Obispo, surrounded by foothills and mountains, a few miles inland from the coast. Founded in 1901, the university is celebrating its centennial in 2001. Cal Poly is one of the most highly-regarded campuses of the California State Universities. It is the top-rated regional public university in the west. Some of its undergraduate programs are as demanding as the UC's. It is also one of the most difficult of the CSU's to get into, with a highly competitive admissions process. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.73. SAT 25/75 percentile:1120-1320. This is more typical of UC applicants. 23,691 applied; 10,551 admitted; 3,372 enrolled.  It is not a school for those who do not know what they want to major in. Cal Poly discourages switching majors. Students must be focused and dedicated. The school's philosophy is "learn by doing," so students get involved in hands-on, real-life projects. Classes emphasize lab and field work.  This makes their graduates in high demand by employers looking for new hires who can hit the ground running. Considering the quality of education provided, Cal Poly is one of the state's best higher educational bargains (see here for cost of attendance). Annual fees are $3,974, and room and board are $7,939. Cal Poly has a number of housing options. Because it is next to such a small city, most students are from out of town, so the residential population is relatively high for a CSU.

Tour info.

Cal Poly offers one campus tour (register below) and an admissions presentation every weekday (Monday - Friday), except for holidays when the campus is closed. To see a list of campus holidays, please click here. Those interested in either option, please meet at the information desk in the University Union at the appropriate time.

For all tours please wear appropriate walking shoes and a hat is suggested. Please plan on arriving 30 minutes prior to the beginning of your tour due to parking.

11:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.        Campus walking tour
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.            Admissions presentations for all Freshmen and Transfer prospective students.

Please note: Tours are led by current Cal Poly students and provide a general overview of the campus and a first-hand student perspective on campus and residential life. There are no tours offered on Saturdays or Sundays. Cal Poly does not make arrangements for individual or customized campus tours.

Special Spring Break Tours - Expanded campus tour information for the weeks of April 10-14 and April 17-20. Meet in the University Union, Chumash Auditorium (Bldg. 65).

*Special Spring Break Engineering Tours - The College of Engineering will be offering one tour each weekday (with the exception of F 4/21) during the two week time period of April 10 th - April 20 th , 2006 at 2:30 p.m. Meet by the information desk in the University Union (Bldg.65).

*Special Spring Break Housing Tours - Housing and Residential Life will be offering one tour each weekday (with the exception of F 4/21) during the two week time period of April 10 th- April 20th, 2006 at 1:00 pm. Meet in front of the Administration Building (Bldg. 1).

During the 2005-2006 academic year (see specific dates below), the College of Engineering will be offering in-depth tours led by current Cal Poly engineering students through some of the engineering labs on Mondays and Fridays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. Please note: Engineering tours during the weeks of April 10-14 and April 17-20 will only be at 2:30. Those interested should meet at the Information Desk in the University Union Building .

Winter 2006 Engineering Tour Dates:
F 1/6, M 1/9, F 1/13, F 1/20, M 1/23, F 1/27, M 1/30, F 2/3,
M 2/6, F 2/10, M 2/13, M 2/20, F 2/24, M 2/27, F 3/3, M 3/6, F 3/10.

Spring 2006 Engineering Tour Dates:
M 3/27, M 4/3, F 4/7, M 4/10*, T 4/11*, W 4/12*, Th 4/13*, F 4/14*, M 4/17*, T 4/18*, W 4/19*, Th 4/20*, M 4/24, F 4/28, M 5/1, F 5/5, M 5/8, F 5/12, M 5/15, F 5/19, M 5/22, F 5/26, F 6/2.

Campus maps and directions
Online virtual tour
 

 University of California at Santa Barbara

(Note: UCSB is my alma mater, so this may be slightly biased.)
UCSB is the best college in California. OK, this is a slight exaggeration, but it does have a lot of strong points. Once known as a party and protest school in the 60's and 70's, its academic reputation in recent years has been skyrocketing. Long-known for its strength in the natural sciences, particularly marine biology, it is rapidly becoming world-renowned in the physical sciences. Five of its faculty have won Nobel Prizes.in physics, chemistry, engineering, and economics. It has eight national research centers and institutes, including the prestigious Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics. The quality of its scientific research has earned it top-10 rankings, including first place in physics and materials. It has been ranked second only to UC Berkeley among public universities in research excellence and productivity. One of the most appealing aspects of the university, however, is its location. It has the most scenic location of all the UC campuses. It is located on a coastal mesa on 989 acres surrounded on 3 sides by water. The steep wall of the Santa Ynez Mountains lies just to the north. The Channel Islands lie to the south across the Santa Barbara Channel. The nearby wealthy coastal resort city of Santa Barbara is often considered one of America's most beautiful cities. There are miles of uncrowded beaches around and near the campus and hundreds of miles of hiking trails in the mountains. A survey among college students once ranked UCSB second only to Stanford for campus beauty among California campuses, and tenth nationawide. The downside of UCSB's rising reputation and appeal has been the increasingly competitive nature of admissions to the university. Once it was one of the easiest UC's to get into, but no longer. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.76, with a SAT 25/75 percentile of 1070/1300. 36,963 applied; 19,589 admitted; 3,895 enrolled. (See here for the freshman profile.) The university has over 21,000 students, with 17,529 full-time undergraduates, making it a mid-size UC campus. Because most of its students come from outside the Santa Barbara area, it is primarily a residential, rather than a commuter school. Being far from parental oversight is probably one reason for the popularity of parties and protests. Most of the students live in campus dorms or in off-campus apartments in the funky college town of Isla Vista next door. UCSB's partying traditions haven't died, but in-between the partying and the beach-going, the students have to study hard. Because of its location and year-round mild weather, outdoor recreational activities are very popular at UCSB. Besides outdoor sports, they include swimming, surfing, fishing, boating, scuba diving, horseback riding, hiking, biking, rock climbing, and camping. Because of Santa Barbara's wealth, it has a large number of museums and cultural amenities for a city of its size. UCSB may not be for everyone, but if you want to go to a school with near-perfect weather, in one of the country's most beautiful locations, with top-notch researchers, and illustrious alumni, check it out.

UCSB has been running summer pre-college programs for high school students for around forty years. Students can choose among some 80 college-level classes in the Early Start Program or work beside researchers in the Research Mentorship Program. Students live in one of the college dorms with other high school students. Recreational activities are provided. These programs not only provide college credit and a chance to experience college life, but they look very good on college applications. The only problem is that students can find it hard to go back to high school after tasting college. 

Visitor Center

No reservations are required for campus tours and admissions presentations, unless you are bringing a group of 10 or more. (For groups of 10 or more, please register online.)

Campus Tours

Walk with a current student or UCSB alumnus on an hour-long campus tour. Stops include our largest lecture hall, the library, a residence hall and the University Center. Get a student perspective of campus and residential life. Tours run Monday through Friday (except major holidays) 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM starting at the Visitor Center. Campus tours are offered on Saturdays in the months of October and April at 12 pm only. If you would like to visit on another Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, you may take a Self-Guided Tour Map and tour the campus on your own (available online at www.admissions.ucsb.edu/PublicationsAndVideos.asp and in print outside of the Visitor Center).

California State University at Channel Islands

Cal State Channel Islands started as a Ventura County satellite campus of Cal State Northridge. It opened as the newest CSU campus in 2002. It has 2,575 students and 205 faculty. It offers 18 majors so far. It is located on the site of the former Camarillo State Hospital. The campus will eventually hold 15,000 students. It has room to grow. The site includes 634 acres, with more than 1.6 million square feet of developed buildings left over from the huge hospital complex.  The core of the campus occupies 100 acres. The old hopital building are being converted to university facilities. The campus consists of mission-style buildings in a beautiful tree-shaded setting surrounded by broad lawns, steep hills and rugged mountains, a winding creek, and fertile farmlands. The ocean is just a few miles away. On-campus housing is available. Room and board is $9500 per year. Fees are $1490 per semester.

Campus Tours
"Campus tours are offered by our team of student Navigators Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.  Weekend tours are available at noon on the first Saturday of every month, excluding holiday weekends.  By visiting the University, prospective students will have an opportunity to view the campus and familiarize themselves with the various resources the University has to offer. Each tour is led by a Cal State Channel Islands student. Tours must be arranged by appointment. Call 805-437-2724 for more information.

Information brochures about CSU Channel Islands are sent by request. Please feel free to contact us by phone at (805) 437-CSCI or toll free 1-888-44-CSUCI or by email at prospective.student@csuci.edu.  You may also view the brochure online by clicking here "

Maps and directions to CSUCI
Video tour of the campus
Viewbook

 California Institute of the Arts

Cal Arts is located in the small city of Valencia, near the Magic Mountain amusement park and about a half hour's drive from LA and Hollywood. It was founded in 1961 with the help of two famous entertainment industry moguls: Walt and Roy Disney. It is regarded as one of the best schools in the country for the visual and performing arts. Its Master of Fine Arts program has been ranked tops in California and sixth in the nation.  It is a relatively small school, with 1201 students, of which 812 are full-time undergraduates, in a 60-acre hilltop campus overlooking the Santa Clarita Valley. The student:faculty ratio is a very low 7:1. It has some impressive facilities: "The campus includes the artistic/academic building; the Eli and Edythe Broad graduate art studios; several annexes that house facilities for art, critical studies, film/video and theater; a residence hall; and student apartments. The artistic/academic complex, a five-level, multiwinged building of 500,000 square feet, contains classrooms; art studios; electronic music studios; dance spaces; rehearsal rooms; theaters; costume, scenery and machine shops; galleries; photo labs; editing rooms; sound and video stages; library; cafeteria and offices." Courses are available in art, critical studies, dance, film/video, music, and theatre. Admission requirements are set by the individual schools, but generally include an audition or portfolio review. 2,975 applied; 923 admitted; 138 enrolled. Tuition is $29,300, but other fees add several hundred dollars (see here for tuition and fees). Books and supply costs can range into the $1000-$2000 range, depending on the major. Room and board is $7,697.

Visting Cal Arts

Information Sessions and Campus Tours

Information sessions are held in the mornings on Mondays and Fridays during the academic year for each of the following schools: Art, Music, Film/Video (including animation) or Theater. Space is limited, so please call ahead for a reservation. During the academic year, there is a one-hour tour at noon, Monday through Friday. If you are interested in the School of Dance and the MFA Writing Program, please call our office for an individual appointment. Always call the Office of Admissions to be sure there will be a session and/or tour on the day you plan to visit.

Office hours vary when classes are not in session and during the summer months. It is always best to call before your visit.

 California State University Northridge

CSUN is one of the larger CSU campuses, with 33,243 students, of which 18,703 are full-time undergraduates, and about 3,700 faculty and staff on a 353-acre campus in the suburban San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. It is the third largest public university in LA County, after UCLA and CUSLB. Northridge was the epicenter of the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the most expensive earthquake in U.S. history. While most of the campus buildings survived, and there were no injuries on campus, one parking structure collapsed, three buildings were damaged beyond repair, and many buildings required repair or seismic retrofitting. Extensive renovation and new construction has made this one of the most modern university campuses in the country. As befitting a university of its size, CSUN offers a complete range of majors. It has nine colleges, offering 60 bachelor's degrees, 45 master's degrees, and 28 educational credentials.  It is not too difficult for good students to get into. The average incoming freshman GPA is 3.1. SAT 25/75 percentile: 707-1020. 10,600 applied; 8,788 admitted; 3,298 enrolled. The cost of attendance is typical for a CSU. Fees are $2,996 per year. Room and board are around $8,880 per year. (See here for on-campus housing information.)

Tour info

Take A Tour

To schedule an escorted tour, call (818) 677-2879 or email us at tours@csun.edu at least two weeks before your intended visit. Your name will be added to our guest parking list, and you will by mail a confirmation letter and a map of the campus.

Tours last about one hour and are walking. An University Ambassador will guide you and…

• Show you state-of-the-art buildings that house our classes
• Answer your questions about transitioning to our University, student life
& financial aid
• Explain how to get more specific information

You can also arrange to tour the residence halls and learn about their costs and special features.

• Walk-in tours (no reservation required) take place on Fridays only beginning at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, noon, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm

Group Tours (for 10 or more guests) are available with three weeks notice in advance. These tours include a special presentation tailored to your group and its interests.

Tours are also available during our winter and summer intersession on a limited basis, please call our office for details.

(Click here to view a self guided tour)

Campus map
 

 Pepperdine University

Visit Options:
Walking Tour for Prospective Students
 
Prospective students and their families are invited to take a walking tour of the undergraduate campus. The 60-minute tour is led by a current student and provides an overview of academic and campus life. This is also a good opportunity for visitors to ask questions related to Pepperdine University.

Tours are conducted weekdays, Monday through Friday. Tour schedules are subject to change and availability may be limited during certain times of the year. Be sure to consult the Seasonal Tour Schedule* and the Seaver Academic Calendar before making travel arrangements.

Reservations are strongly encouraged and can be made either online or by phone. Tour size is limited to ensure as much individual attention as possible.

Parties with 10 or more students must schedule a group tour. Group tours are offered only to high school and college students weekdays at select times.

Schedule a Tour by Phone

Please contact the Office of Admission.

 University of California at Los Angeles

UCLA is the largest of the UC campuses in terms of population, at some 36,000 students, with 24,005 full-time undergraduates. It is the most popular university in the country in terms of the number of applications. It is the second only to UC Berkeley in terms of its ranking among national public universities in California. It is also, along with UC Berkeley, one of  the most difficult UC's to get into. Admissions are very selective. Almost half of the 4.0 applicants were turned down. The average high school GPA was 4.11. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1180-1410. 42,227 applied; 11,361 admitted; 4,422 enrolled. (See here for the freshman profile.) The student:faculty ratio is 18:1. Certain departments have additional admission requirements. For instance, the Department of Design requires the submission of a portfolio and essay. UCLA has many departments and research institutes. It is one of the top public research universities in the country. The huge UCLA Medical Center, one of the largest and most highly-ranked medical centers in the world, is on the south side of the campus. Because of the presence of these medical facilities, UCLA is very strong in the health sciences. The university has a nationally-ranked athletics program, with many sports superstars among its alumni. UCLA is located on 419 acres of hilly land near the northwest corner of the Los Angeles basin. The Santa Monica beaches are just a few miles to the west. The luxurious hillside estates of Bel Air and Beverly Hills are just to the north. The huge new J. Paul Getty Museum at the hilltop Getty Center is just across the freeway to the west. Movie stars live next door and can often be seen on campus. The campus is also a popular spot for filming movies and students are often used as extras. Nearby movie theaters often host previews and premiers of new films. The university also has a highly-regarded upper division film, TV and digital media program. The department's alumni includes Carol Burnett, Francis Ford Coppola, and Tim Robbins. The university has a wide variety of housing. Freshmen who are not commuters are required to stay in on-campus housing. Housing is guaranteed for the first 2 years. After that, you're on your own. On-campus housing ranges from small three-person dorm rooms to double rooms with a private bath. Prices vary accordingly. The university also owns apartment buildings adjacent to the campus. They are fully furnished studio to three bedroom apartments. Costs are $6,485 for fees, $11,928 for room and board.

Tour info.
Prospective students and their parents are invited to take our campus tour, which lasts approximately 90 minutes and is led by a UCLA student guide. It's a walking tour, so we suggest you wear comfortable shoes.

Reservations are required for all tours. Non-English speaking groups will need to bring interpreters. We recommend that you make your tour reservation at least 2-3 weeks in advance.

For individuals or small groups (9 or fewer)

• Make a reservation

 University of Southern California

USC is to UCLA as Stanford is to Cal. USC is UCLA's hottest cross-town rival in both athletics and academics. USC is big for a private college, with 33,000 students - 17,000 undergraduates and 16,000 graduates and professionals. Founded in 1880, it is the oldest and largest private research university in the West. It is actually the largest private employer in the city of LA. It is located right in the heart of LA, just southwest of the downtown skyscrapers, and adjacent to Exposition Park. The latter contains the LA Coliseum and the county's great science museums. USC is a relatively compact campus for its population, covering only 155 acres. It has many huge, tall buildings packed close together. Some of the buildings are named after celebrities who have endowed the university. It is not an easy school to get into. SAT 25/75 percentile: 1260-1440. 32,634 applied, 8,418 admitted, 2,741 enrolled. However, being a private school, it has more flexible admissions standards than the public universities. They try to have a diverse student body, so they are looking for special talents beyond just grades and test scores. Many of its schools are ranked among the top in the nation. Being in LA, they are particularly strong in areas related to the entertainment industry. Their Cinema and TV school, endowed by famous celebrities such as alumnus George Lucas, is rated number one in the U.S. (and one of the hardest to get into). The university is associated with County-USC Hospital, which is a few miles away, one of the largest research hospitals in the country. It has strong programs in health fields, including dentistry and pharmacology. The university has a wide variety of majors and minors. Undeclared majors and the switching of majors are not discouraged. Taking minors is encouraged. Even custom majors are allowed. The university has a special honor, called the Renaissance Scholars, that honors students who graduate with two majors or a major and two minors in widely separated fields of study. Because of its downtown LA location, the university plays a big role in providing service to the surrounding community. Because of that, USC was named Time Magazine's College of the Year in 2000. USC's location in the heart of LA causes concerns for people worried about urban crime, but USC itself and the immediate neighborhood are very safe. USC makes the point that most people will end up working in or near a big city eventually, so it makes sense to learn how to live in the city and how to take advantage of its resources, which is what you can learn at USC. Being a private school, USC is not cheap. Tuition and mandatory fees are $32,008 a year. On-campus room and board are $9,610 a year. Like Stanford, one of the prime benefits of going to a school like USC is not just in the quality of education, but in the network of contacts made that can be invaluable in a career after college. USC has a large and active alumni association, with many distinguished members.

Tour info.

Meet USC

This half-day campus visit program is designed for prospective freshmen and their family members. It includes a group information session with an admission counselor, a student-led walking tour, and, whenever possible, a meeting with an academic department representative.

Sessions are offered throughout the year and are generally available on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and on Fridays at 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Due to occasional conflicts with other on-campus programs, Meet USC may not always be available. Reservations are required for Meet USC. Before making travel arrangements, please call (213) 740-6616 to check the program's schedule and to make reservations.

Campus Tours

50-minute walking tours are offered throughout the year, Monday through Friday, at 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

Campus tours leave from the Admission Center. Due to large scheduled groups, tours may not be available every hour. Reservations are required for campus tours. Before making travel arrangements, please call (213) 740-6605 to check tour availability and to make reservations.

USC images
Directions and maps
USC at a Glance
History
Did you know?

 California State University Los Angeles

Campus tours available Mon.-Fri., by appointment. Call (323) 343-3175

Directions
Campus map
Photo album

 Harvey Mudd College and the Claremont Colleges

Visitor info.
Visitors are welcome throughout the year, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday and on Saturday mornings in the Fall. Tours usually last for an hour. Tour times vary during (as well as just before or just after) student breaks. Please be sure to call for specific tour times no matter when you're visiting.

FALL, WINTER, SPRING TOURS

Directions
Campus Map

 The other Claremont Colleges are also excellent schools, among the best, but most selective in the nation. Each has their own specialty and focus. The Claremont Colleges consist of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate schools. They are next to each other and share some programs, services, and facilities, but operate independently. Students from one college can take classes in the others.  Pomona College is the oldest and founding member, founded in 1887. It is a coeducational liberal arts college 1,532 undergraduate students, considered one of the best in the west. The average class size is very small, with a student/faculty ratio of 8:1. Scripps College, founded in 1926, is a small but prestigious residential women's college of 887 undergraduate students. It has a low student/faculty ratio of 11:1. Claremont McKenna, founded in 1946, is a coeducational liberal arts college of 1,319 undergraduate students, and a student/faculty ratio of only 9:1. It was originally a men's college, dedicated to training young men for business and government leadership. Pitzer College is the youngest, founded in 1963. It is a coeducational liberal arts college with an emphasis on the social and behavioral sciences. It has 963 undergradaute students, with a student/faculty ratio of 11:1.

Tour and info links:
Visiting Pomona College
Scripps College visitor info
Visiting Claremont McKenna College
Visiting Pitzer College
 

 California Institute of Technology

California State Polytechnic University Pomona

There are 2 Cal Polys in the CSU system. One is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The other is Cal Poly Pomona. It is located in the City of Pomona near the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, 35 miles southeast of dowtown Los Angeles. Nearby is the LA County Fairgrounds, Bonelli Regional Park, and Raging Waters. (See here for popular attractions on the campus.) The Cal Polys have a reputation for excellence. Cal Poly Pomona is ranked among the top 4 western regional colleges.  Like its sister Cal Poly campus, Pomona's philosophy is "learn by doing." Students learn both theory and practice, gaining real-world experience to help them get a head start in their future careers. This makes Cal Poly graduates highly-regarded by potential employers.  It is a large campus area-wise, with 1400 acres. It sits on land deeded to the state by cereal magnate W.K.Kellogg, who had a mansion and horse-breeding range here. (See here for a history of the campus.) It has 19,885 students, of which 14,126 are full-time undergraduates. It has 1,012 total faculty. The student:faculty ratio is 23:1. It has 65 undergraduate programs, 20 graduate programs, 13 teaching certification programs in 7 colleges and 1 professional school. It offers some unique programs, such as agriculture and biotechnology. It is particularly well-known for its engineering and computer science programs. The programs are intense, focused, and rigorous. This school is not for students who do not know what they want to major in or who want to dabble in many areas. It is difficult to get into. It has half the acceptance rate of SLO. 12,631 applied; 2,188 admitted; 1,950 enrolled. The SAT 25/75 percentile: 900-1150.  The average incoming high school GPA is 3.30.  Costs are $3,012 for fees. Room and board is $7,506. (See here for housing information.)

Visitor Information
Individual Prospective Student Tours


Engineering Open House will be held on Saturday, February 25.  Campus Tours will be provided.  Make your reservations at 909-869- 2471or go to http://coewebdata.engineering.csupomona.edu/OpenHouse/RSVP_Login.html.  For more information you can visit the College of Engineering Website at http://www.csupomona.edu/~engineering/.

Transfer Day will be held on Friday, March 10. Campus Tours will be provided.  Please call 909-869-3262 to reserve a space.  RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED; SPACE IS LIMITED.  For more information visit http://dsa.csupomona.edu/admissions/transferday.asp.

To make sure we keep tour groups to a personable size, we require reservations.  To receive your tour confirmation by e-mail or fax, the Visitor Center must receive your request two days in advance.  To receive your tour confirmation by mail, the Visitor Center must receive your request at least two weeks in advance.  All confirmations include directions to the university, a campus map, parking information and directions to the Visitor Center, which is located in the Bronco Student Center.

If you, or others, coming with you have special needs, please let us know in advance.

To schedule a tour, please fill out the on-line reservation form and an e-mail confirmation of your visit will soon follow.

Individual Prospective Student On-Line Reservation Form

Maps and driving directions
Why Cal Poly Pomona?

 California State University Dominguez Hills

Campus Visitation Program

Please review the following options and contact our office or register online with your choice. Upon the receipt of your registration you will receive a confirmation packet in the mail that includes directions to the campus, lodging information and a campus map. We take great pride in our campus visitation program and want you to know that it is organized and conducted exclusively by the professional Outreach Officers and well trained tour guides. We guarantee that you will leave the campus informed and impressed with our programs, facilities, and location. If you have questions and need more information to plan your visit, please do not hesitate to email info@csudh.edu or telephone the Visitors Information Center at 310-243-3696. If you are a teacher or counselor interested in a group visit and need additional advice on planning your visit please telephone 310-243-3673 or email at campustours@csudh.edu. We look forward to your forthcoming visit.

Option 1 - Individual Tours - Individual tours are available for small groups of 1 to 5 people and are conducted by a student tour guide using a six passenger electric cart. This is a tour only option and does not include any type of presentation by a professional staff member. Our tour guides are employed by the Office of Outreach and Information Services and complete a rigorous training program. They will be able to answer your questions and discuss programs, services, campus life, housing, clubs and organizations, and many other aspects of the university. The tour takes approximately 40 minutes and will end at the Visitors Information Center where you can pick up additional information or ask additional questions.

Option 2 - Toro Preview Session - Toro Preview Sessions are designed for small groups of 20 people. The first part of the session includes an overview of California State University, Dominguez Hills presented by a professional Outreach Officer and includes application procedures, admissions requirements, programs of study, extracurricular activities, cost information, financial aid, services, athletics, and enrollment information. Time is allotted for questions during this session and program literature is available. The second half of the session includes a walking tour (optional) of the campus conducted by one of our tour guides. The duration of the presentation is 60 minutes and the duration of the walking tour is 45 minutes.

Option 3 - Group Visitation Sessions - The Group Visitation Sessions are for groups of 25 to 200 and includes an overview of California State University, Dominguez Hills presented by a professional Outreach Officer and includes application procedures, admissions requirements, programs of study, extracurricular activities, cost information, financial aid, services, athletics, and enrollment information. Time is allotted for questions during the session and all students will receive printed material. The second half of the session includes a walking tour of the campus conducted by one or more of our tour guides. The duration of the presentation is 40 minutes and the duration of the tour is 45 minutes.

Option 4 - "A Day at Dominguez" Open House Program - This is one of the biggest events on campus each year and is an excellent opportunity for prospective high school students (8th-12th grades), transfer students, graduate students, international students, parents and counselors to explore every aspect of our university. You will meet representatives from academic departments, clubs and organizations, and student service areas. Informative parent and student workshops will be offered on a variety of important topics.  Tours of the main campus and University Housing will be conducted on a continuous basis. Don't miss this special day at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Call or register online today at 310-243-3696 or at info@csudh.edu for "A Day at Dominguez",
Saturday, April 22, 2006

Directions
Campus map
 

 California State University Long Beach

Tour info

Individual/Family Tours

Scheduling a Individual/Family TourWe recommend that reservations be made a few weeks in advance, space is limited and tours fill quickly. To make a reservation, please call (562) 985-5358. Please note that housing tours are not part of the general tour. Visit Housing & Residential Life or call 562-985-4187 for more information.

Campus maps and directions
 

 California State University Fullerton

Tour info.

Daily campus tours

Our daily campus tours for prospective students and their families and friends are approximately an hour and a fifteen minutes long and cover the core of the university campus (unfortunately, the core of campus does not include the residence halls). Daily tours meet in the Alumni Lounge of the Titan Student Union 15 minutes prior to the start of the tour.  Space is limited to 20 people per daily tour group so please call 714.278.3120 beforehand for space availability and to make a reservation.  Once your reservation is made a confirmation card will be sent to you. 

Please note: Tours are not conducted on days the university campus is closed.

Tour schedule:

Parking, campus map, and driving directions

Fact Sheet

 Chapman University

Tour info.

We offer Campus and Residence Hall tours Monday thru Friday. Tours are offered in the morning at 11:00 am and in the afternoon at 2:00 pm.  All tours take approximately 90 minutes. Please call for summer hours.

The Campus tour offers a look at the beautiful academic portion of our campus, including the recently completed Leatherby Libraries, Oliphant Hall, and Fish Interfaith Center.

The Residence Hall portion of the tour covers everything regarding Student Life on campus, including our six residence halls and a look into a room in Henley Hall and the New Hall.

To schedule a campus and residence tour, or to speak with an admissions counselor, please call our Admission Office at 714-997-6711 or toll free at 1-888-CU-APPLY.

Other Ways to Visit

Also, reserve Saturday, February 25, 2006 on your calendar for the Discover Chapman event. This is an open house for all prospective students.

Admitted students are able to schedule a HOST visit to our campus.

Request a campus visit

 University of California at Irvine

Tour info.

• Walking tours of the campus occur Monday through Friday at 12:00 Noon through-out the year.

• Tours are not offered during major holidays and the later half of September.

• Visitors should meet for the tour in the lobby of the Administration Building.

• Tours are given rain or shine.

• The tour is approximately one-hour long and requires comfortable walking shoes.

For Prospective Students and Visitors:

Walking tours are offered almost every Monday - Friday. Please check the Tour Calendar for available times and to ensure that there is a tour offered on the day you wish to visit UC Irvine.

Participants will begin the tour PROMPTLY AT NOON in the lobby of the Administration Building. The tour takes approximately one hour and are given rain or shine.  Please wear comfortable walking shoes.

Attending UCI video clips
Virtual campus tour
Campus map and directions
 

University of Redlands

The University of Redlands is private liberal arts college in the Inland Empire city of Redlands. The 160-acre campus is located halfway between LA and Palm Springs at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains. It was founded in 1907 by Baptist Church laymen. It is now independent, but has an informal relationship with the church. It has been rated among the top 10 master's universities in the west. It has 2,451 full-time undergraduates. It has 2,454 students in the College of Arts and Sciences, 461 in the School of Education, and 1,228 in the School of Business. The student:faculty ratio in the College of Arts and Sciences is a low 11:1, with the average class size of 17.  The college offers more than 40 undergraduate programs of study, including pre-professional programs, and a program where students can create their own majors.  Admissions are selective. The average GPA is 3.58. The SAT 25/75 percentile is 1070-1270. 3,395 students applied,  2,226 were admitted, and 612 enrolled. Tuition is $26,864, room and board is $8,996. (See here for tuition, fees, and scholarships.)

Campus map
Regional maps and directions
The University at a Glance

 University of California at Riverside

Tour info.

The student group UC Riverside Ambassadors leads tours of the campus throughout the year. Guests get an up-close look at the beautiful campus, learn about its history—and its future—as our students show off buildings, the park-like grounds, and dynamic new facilities.

Prospective and newly admitted students and their families can reserve a 50-minute tour of the campus throughout the year.

Reserve the prospective student tour online. Reservations are requested for all tours, as space is limited. Click here to reserve a prospective student tour.

Cancel or reschedule a previously scheduled tour. First cancel your tour, then schedule a new date and time.

Click here to cancel a previously scheduled tour.
Click here to schedule a new tour date and time.

 San Diego State University

Tour info

Campus tours are conducted daily during the academic year and on a reduced schedule during winter break and summer.

Reservations are not required. Note: Groups should refer to the group tour schedule below.

The campus tours are a two hour program the includes a walking tour that encompasses the main part of the campus including narration on the history and traditions of the University, and a 60 minute interactive presentation provided by an SDSU admissions representative.

Tours are conducted by the SDSU Ambassadors. The Ambassadors, current students specially trained to provide tours, welcome the opportunity to share their university experience with prospective students and their guests.

For more information, contact the SDSU Ambassadors at (619) 594-6868, or by e-mail at ambassad@mail.sdsu.edu.

Monday through Friday tours will be offered at 10:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M.

All walk-in tours depart from the Prospective Student Center in the Student Services building, located at the base of the clock tower (see the Campus Map).

Regular Spring 2006 tours will begin Monday, January 23, 2006 and end on Friday, May 5, 2006.

During SDSU's spring break, March 13-17, only one tour per day will be offered at 10:00 a.m.

No tours will be offered on March 31 (the campus is closed for Cesar Chavez Day).

 "SDSU At a Glance" Saturday Tours:

Tours will take place from 10 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. on the following Saturdays: February 4, March 4, and May 6. "SDSU At a Glance" will include information sessions (Why SDSU?, admissions and housing information), a walking tour of campus, and a Greek house tour. Tours will begin at the Prospective Student Center. Reservations are required for these selective tours. Call 619-594-6336, or e-mail admissions@mail.sdsu.edu, to sign up (be sure to indicate the day you will be attending and the total number of guests in your party).

Virtual tour
Campus map
 

 University of California at San Diego

UCSD is a large UC campus, with 25,964 students, of which 20,679 are undergraduates, on its 1,200 acre coastal site in the San Diego County city of La Jolla. It is a relatively new campus. Its ultra-modern buildings have some of the most unique architectural designs in the UC system. Most notable is the Geisel Library, which has starred in films and TV.  UCSD is one of the premier research universities in the country. It has five Nobel laureates on its faculty. It ranks first in the UC system and fifth nationally in federal R&D funding. It has one of the country's two national supercomputing centers. It has always been at the forefront of computer research. It is also home to the world-renowned Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Its oceanography program ranks first in the nation. It has a medical school, ranked among the top twenty in the nation, and highly-ranked biological sciences programs. Its neurosciences program is ranked number one nationally. It has been ranked seventh among public national universities. Its graduate programs overall and the quality of its faculty have been ranked tenth nationwide. Its Department of Bioengineering has been ranked third, and its School of Engineering has been ranked ninth among public universities. It is one of the most competitive UC's to get into. The average GPA of incoming freshmen is 3.98, with an SAT 25/75 percentile of 1130-1360. Out of 41,330 applicants, 17,269 were admitted, of which 3,874 enrolled. (See here for the freshman profile.) The student:faculty ratio is 19:1. Though it is a large university, it is divided up into six small undergraduate colleges, each with their own philosophies, requirements, classes, and residence halls. The cost of attendance is typical for a UC: $6,681 for fees, $9,421 for university housing room and board. The campus is located in up-scale suburban La Jolla, north of the city of San Diego. It is right on the coast, with miles of warm beaches nearby.

Tour info.

Regular Tours (for individuals and families) are conducted daily at 11:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday except for holidays and holiday weekends. Reservations are highly recommended. You will receive tour details automatically upon your e-mail or online reservation. On the phone reservation line, please listen to all options before making your reservation to avoid dates tours are not offered.

Note: Due to the high volume of visitors, regular campus tours conducted during the week of April 10-15 will be offered twice daily at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. If you plan to visit the campus during this time, please be sure to indicate which time you plan on attending the tour when making a reservation via the website, phone, or email.

Tours Departure Location: Tours depart from the lower level of the Price Center in the Theater Lobby. Please allow enough time prior to the tour for traffic, to stop at the Visitor Information Booth, purchase a parking permit (on weekdays), get information, park, and walk to the Price Center Theater Lobby by 10:45 a.m. Tours depart promptly at 11:00 a.m. No check-in is required. Please wait in the lobby for your tour guide.

Tour Information: Tours begin promptly at 11:00 a.m. and last 90 minutes. On weekdays, tours are followed by an Admissions Information Session conducted by a UCSD Admissions Officer. The session begins at 1:00 p.m. and continues for up to an hour. Admission information sessions are not conducted on Saturdays. 
 
Note: On Saturday, April 8th, Admit Day, there will not be an Admissions Officer present at the Tours office to respond to your questions.  We have planned many programs for this day that you can attend. There are also Admissions Officers available at most of our programs.

In order to maintain an optimum learning environment and respect for privacy of student residents, our walking tours do not include visiting classrooms or residence halls. You may view typical residence hall rooms or on-campus apartments at http://hds.ucsd.edu/housing/housingincludes.html.

If you wish to attend a classroom in session; click here for the schedule of the available classes.

Reservations for Regular Tours (for individuals and families). There are three ways to make a tour reservation:

• Use the Online Reservation Form
• Call (858) 822-1455 (message voicemail) and let us know the date of your visit and the number people in your company. There is no need to leave your name.
• E-mail us at campustours@ucsd.edu. Please provide the date you wish to visit and number of visitors. There is no need to leave your name.

Visitor information and video clips
Virtual visit to UCSD
Maps and directions
About UCSD