Questions about Pepperdine Forum
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Questions about Pepperdine
I've been accepted into Pepperdine, and I'll likely be choosing between Pepperdine and Loyola LA. Have a few questions for those in the know.
1. What is the typical price of off-campus housing in Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice? He easy is it to find a roommate? Where do most law students live?
2. What is the commute like from Santa Monica and Venice? Is there any public transporation running to campus from those communities, and how accessible and convenient is it?
3. I saw in a Pepperdine brochure that the school does not condone premarital sex and expects its students not to engage in it or support it. Is that actually enforced? Or is that placed in the literature just to please donors and is mostly ignored?*
*Attention trolls: please don't hijack my thread over this question. I'm just looking for a yes or no answer. I don't care about whether you agree with the policy or not. In fact, nobody cares. Start your own thread if you want to debate this. Thank you.
1. What is the typical price of off-campus housing in Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice? He easy is it to find a roommate? Where do most law students live?
2. What is the commute like from Santa Monica and Venice? Is there any public transporation running to campus from those communities, and how accessible and convenient is it?
3. I saw in a Pepperdine brochure that the school does not condone premarital sex and expects its students not to engage in it or support it. Is that actually enforced? Or is that placed in the literature just to please donors and is mostly ignored?*
*Attention trolls: please don't hijack my thread over this question. I'm just looking for a yes or no answer. I don't care about whether you agree with the policy or not. In fact, nobody cares. Start your own thread if you want to debate this. Thank you.
- emhellmer
- Posts: 183
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
A brief review of Pepperdine's policies was enough to convince me to not even apply. Here is an excerpt from a website with a link to the handbook:
--LinkRemoved--
IMO, I wouldn't want to risk some member of the administration having an excuse to expel me, even if it were for a technicality.
I went to a Jesuit university for undergrad, and I am a big fan. I found the administration--including the clergy--to be very tolerant. Also, most of them laughed at the sort of bible-thumping that can be found on the pages of Pepperdine's handbook. They may not realize it, but any suggestion that students who engage in pre-marital sex are subject to disciplinary action provides young girls an additional incentive to get an abortion, and I find that unacceptable in a Christian school.
--LinkRemoved--
IMO, I wouldn't want to risk some member of the administration having an excuse to expel me, even if it were for a technicality.
I went to a Jesuit university for undergrad, and I am a big fan. I found the administration--including the clergy--to be very tolerant. Also, most of them laughed at the sort of bible-thumping that can be found on the pages of Pepperdine's handbook. They may not realize it, but any suggestion that students who engage in pre-marital sex are subject to disciplinary action provides young girls an additional incentive to get an abortion, and I find that unacceptable in a Christian school.
- NorCalBruin
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
1. I don't know what housing costs in Malibu, but for Venice and Santa Monica you are going to be paying anywhere from $700-$1100 a month to share an apartment. Of course it depends where you live and how much space you want. Even for a crappy ass shed don't expect anything lower than $650. If you want something nice, expect around $850. It just depends. It's kind of hard to say because there are nice parts and "eh" parts of each city. It gets more expensive the closer you get to the beach.
I would recommend looking at houses and apartments maybe around Stoner Recreation or Brentwood, both nice areas, though may be a little far for you. Pacific Palisades would be closer for you but its quite expensive. I DON'T like downtown Venice (it's not too nice and it get's old--its not trashy though) but there are some nice neighborhoods around there. Look around Oakwood Community Center (it's a park), sort of between Lincoln Blvd and Abbot Kinney.
Dunno where you get roomates. I found mine on Craigslist but that was VERY INTERESTING, lol. Most of my friends in LA went to UCLA so they all knew their roomates from school.
2. It takes anywhere from 30 min. to and hour to get from Santa Monica / Venice to Malibu, depending on the traffic. The 1 highway can be a bitch sometimes. On the plus side it's a very pretty drive.
3. I wouldn't worry about it. You're an adult. It's not enforced.
I would recommend looking at houses and apartments maybe around Stoner Recreation or Brentwood, both nice areas, though may be a little far for you. Pacific Palisades would be closer for you but its quite expensive. I DON'T like downtown Venice (it's not too nice and it get's old--its not trashy though) but there are some nice neighborhoods around there. Look around Oakwood Community Center (it's a park), sort of between Lincoln Blvd and Abbot Kinney.
Dunno where you get roomates. I found mine on Craigslist but that was VERY INTERESTING, lol. Most of my friends in LA went to UCLA so they all knew their roomates from school.
2. It takes anywhere from 30 min. to and hour to get from Santa Monica / Venice to Malibu, depending on the traffic. The 1 highway can be a bitch sometimes. On the plus side it's a very pretty drive.
3. I wouldn't worry about it. You're an adult. It's not enforced.
- NorCalBruin
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Most of my friends live in Santa Monica / Brentwood / Mar Vista / Venice. And I lived there too. I also recently checked out Pepperdine law. PM if you need more extensive advice on the area.
- BarbellDreams
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Unless you are on a HUGE scholarship avoid Pepperdine like the plague.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
bump, i'm in exactly the same situation. Many people have told me that Loyola is regarded at the better school (at least as far as OCI recruitment), but I don't understand why Pepperdine is ranked higher?
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Why? It is a very well regarded school, and in my profession (can't elaborate) I've met some impressive attorneys who went there.BarbellDreams wrote:Unless you are on a HUGE scholarship avoid Pepperdine like the plague.
Do you say that because of its political views? If so, start another thread, because I could care less what you think of them, and this is coming from somebody who is as left wing as you can get.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Money will be the deciding factor for me. I got a nice scholarship from Pepperdine and I'm still awaiting word from Loyola, USC and UCLA. It will most likely come down to a choice between Loyola and Pepperdine though.spicymeatball111 wrote:bump, i'm in exactly the same situation. Many people have told me that Loyola is regarded at the better school (at least as far as OCI recruitment), but I don't understand why Pepperdine is ranked higher?
All things being equal, Pepperdine is slightly ahead because of its location in Malibu ... spending three years there sounds pretty awesome. Loyola Law is in downtown LA, which is still a s*&@hole. That said, I haven't visited either school yet so my opinion may change once I meet students and tour the campuses.
I've heard that job prospects are slightly better at Loyola for the simple reason that firms don't like driving way out to Malibu.
- NorCalBruin
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Actually, I really didn't like Pepperdine. The view is AMAZING, no questions about it. You're on a hill overlooking the ocean. But the law facility itself is old and outdated. For as much as their property is worth and as much as it costs to go here, they really haven't put much effort into making their building very nice. And the location isn't THAT cool. Malibu sounds great... until you realize that there is virtually nothing to do there and that it's a 30-60 min. commute back to Los Angeles.
Loyola Law is in a very mediocre--nay bad---part of Los Angeles. BUT their campus is completely closed off and self contained and, in my opinion, it's BEAUTIFUL. Not in the Michigan/Cornell old hogwarts feel beautiful, but very modern beautiful... if that's what you like. It's designed by legendary pritzker-prize winning (the nobel prize of architecture) architect Frank Ghery, the same guy who did the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Bilboa Guggenheim Museum, and the Prague Dancing House. If you like modern, this is the shit. If you don't---you'll hate it.
Getting to Loyola will probably involve some travelling on the 10... aka shitty traffic land... but I still think this is a more convenient location than Pepperdine.
Just my $.02
Loyola Law is in a very mediocre--nay bad---part of Los Angeles. BUT their campus is completely closed off and self contained and, in my opinion, it's BEAUTIFUL. Not in the Michigan/Cornell old hogwarts feel beautiful, but very modern beautiful... if that's what you like. It's designed by legendary pritzker-prize winning (the nobel prize of architecture) architect Frank Ghery, the same guy who did the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Bilboa Guggenheim Museum, and the Prague Dancing House. If you like modern, this is the shit. If you don't---you'll hate it.
Getting to Loyola will probably involve some travelling on the 10... aka shitty traffic land... but I still think this is a more convenient location than Pepperdine.
Just my $.02
- NorCalBruin
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
The reason they say don't go to Pepperdine without a BIG scholarship is that the LA law-job market is over saturated right now and California's economy is lagging.
There aren't very many jobs, and when you get out of school you will be at a disadvantage because you will compete against graduates of better ranked schools, namely UCLA and USC and any T14 grads with ties to SoCal. Not to mention the top graduates from Loyola, Southwestern, and Chapman, and even La Verne College of Law.
There aren't very many jobs, and when you get out of school you will be at a disadvantage because you will compete against graduates of better ranked schools, namely UCLA and USC and any T14 grads with ties to SoCal. Not to mention the top graduates from Loyola, Southwestern, and Chapman, and even La Verne College of Law.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
OK, that's a valid point.NorCalBruin wrote:The reason they say don't go to Pepperdine without a BIG scholarship is that the LA law-job market is over saturated right now and California's economy is lagging.
There aren't very many jobs, and when you get out of school you will be at a disadvantage because you will compete against graduates of better ranked schools, namely UCLA and USC and any T14 grads with ties to SoCal. Not to mention the top graduates from Loyola, Southwestern, and Chapman, and even La Verne College of Law.
- NorCalBruin
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
There are great attorneys from lot's of schools, lower tier 1, tier 2 and TTT included. Many of them are very successful. However, most of them graduated when just going to law school meant you could get a job. Maybe not a great one, but as long as you had that JD in your hand you would land somewhere. Unfortunately it's not like that anymore. There are just too many schools now producing too many young lawyers and the shitty economy certainly doesn't help. 5 years ago you would be much better off.Why? It is a very well regarded school, and in my profession (can't elaborate) I've met some impressive attorneys who went there.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
A review so brief, in fact, that you failed to notice you were viewing the 2006-07 Undergrad handbook to help make your decision on the law school in 2011. While the law school is affiliated with the undergrad and therefore with the church of christ, the affiliation is nonexistent at least in terms of classroom instruction and the private lives of students.emhellmer wrote:A brief review of Pepperdine's policies was enough to convince me to not even apply. Here is an excerpt from a website with a link to the handbook:
--LinkRemoved--
IMO, I wouldn't want to risk some member of the administration having an excuse to expel me, even if it were for a technicality.
I went to a Jesuit university for undergrad, and I am a big fan. I found the administration--including the clergy--to be very tolerant. Also, most of them laughed at the sort of bible-thumping that can be found on the pages of Pepperdine's handbook. They may not realize it, but any suggestion that students who engage in pre-marital sex are subject to disciplinary action provides young girls an additional incentive to get an abortion, and I find that unacceptable in a Christian school.
This one time, my friend's cousin's best friend told me that at Baylor they dont allow dances. I find that unacceptable in a school and thus didnt even bother applying.
And I'm sorry, when do the young girls wander into Pepperdine Law School to get knocked up? I must have missed that part.
- Pleasye
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Ummm...where are you from? Not Venice obviously...What do you even mean by downtown Venice?NorCalBruin wrote: I would recommend looking at houses and apartments maybe around Stoner Recreation or Brentwood, both nice areas, though may be a little far for you. Pacific Palisades would be closer for you but its quite expensive. I DON'T like downtown Venice (it's not too nice and it get's old--its not trashy though) but there are some nice neighborhoods around there. Look around Oakwood Community Center (it's a park), sort of between Lincoln Blvd and Abbot Kinney.
Dunno where you get roomates. I found mine on Craigslist but that was VERY INTERESTING, lol. Most of my friends in LA went to UCLA so they all knew their roomates from school.
Oakwood would not be somewhere I would recommend someone who has never been to Venice to look for housing . Look for housing more near Pacific (it's the street that runs parallel to the beach). It'll be more expensive but it's a nicer area.
Brentwood is expensiveee.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
I'm a 0L but I can provide some insight into the workings of Pepperdine, seeing as I'm currently doing my undergrad there. The school's policies are somewhat stricter than you'd see at a state school with similar comments, however there is little to no enforcement on the Pepperdine graduate campus in comparison to the undergraduate campus.
You can find places through the Canyon in Calabasas (about a 10-15 min drive) which are pretty nice for relatively cheap (650-800/month) or you can get places north or south of campus. North tends to be cheaper and higher quality.
It's a better value to live off campus for Pepperdine than on. The housing costs are a little jacked up, and sure seeing the ocean in the morning is nice, but you can wait until class and save yourself some money.
You can find places through the Canyon in Calabasas (about a 10-15 min drive) which are pretty nice for relatively cheap (650-800/month) or you can get places north or south of campus. North tends to be cheaper and higher quality.
It's a better value to live off campus for Pepperdine than on. The housing costs are a little jacked up, and sure seeing the ocean in the morning is nice, but you can wait until class and save yourself some money.
- BarbellDreams
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Sorry, I didn't see this response earlier. This has nothing to do with political views (I dont even know what you're talking about when you say that actually), this has to do with school that chargers 40k+ for a T2 in the worst legal market in america with at least 7 schools in the state that outrank it. Where you got "well respected" from I don't know, it may have been before the economy hit, it isn't so anymore.originalmutt wrote:Why? It is a very well regarded school, and in my profession (can't elaborate) I've met some impressive attorneys who went there.BarbellDreams wrote:Unless you are on a HUGE scholarship avoid Pepperdine like the plague.
Do you say that because of its political views? If so, start another thread, because I could care less what you think of them, and this is coming from somebody who is as left wing as you can get.
The fcat that you met attorneys from there with good jobs is nice, but not realizing that those attorneys didnt graduate ITE is ignorance. You'll be at Pepperdine ITE, and you'll remember my name when you are 150k in debt while struggling to keep a 40k job in a market overrun with lawyers who went to better schools than you.
Huge scholly or top 10% are the only 2 ways you get out of Pepperdine with a decent future.
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- arhmcpo
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2009 7:05 pm
Re: Questions about Pepperdine
1. 700-1000+ in Santa Monica/Venice. I'm sure the administration would help you in a roomate search but most ppl who live in these areas are 2Ls and 3Ls. Most 1L's live on campus (across the street from law building) or in Calabasas (10 min. commute) where rent is significantly cheaper than elsewhere in LA.originalmutt wrote:I've been accepted into Pepperdine, and I'll likely be choosing between Pepperdine and Loyola LA. Have a few questions for those in the know.
1. What is the typical price of off-campus housing in Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice? He easy is it to find a roommate? Where do most law students live?
2. What is the commute like from Santa Monica and Venice? Is there any public transporation running to campus from those communities, and how accessible and convenient is it?
3. I saw in a Pepperdine brochure that the school does not condone premarital sex and expects its students not to engage in it or support it. Is that actually enforced? Or is that placed in the literature just to please donors and is mostly ignored?*
*Attention trolls: please don't hijack my thread over this question. I'm just looking for a yes or no answer. I don't care about whether you agree with the policy or not. In fact, nobody cares. Start your own thread if you want to debate this. Thank you.
2. No clue on public transportation. This is socal; we don't believe in public transportation. From Venice or Santa Monica 30-45 min. commute. On the brightsside you take the 1 so you get to avoid freeways and really bad traffic - the 1 tends to flow well; so you won't have a random day where your like "lol my God, took me 2 hours to get to campus!!!!"
3. Graduate Campus does not enforce policies of undergrads; as an undergrad mentioned earlier. Your an adult, you just work things out with your roomates like any other dorm situation but certainly the ideology of the school is more conservative.
I would tend to think that a choice btw Loyola and Pepperdine should be about cost- i.e. who gives a better scholly as well as COL considerations. Its also a fairly different law school experience as Lol has way more students whereas Pepp has a much smaller entering class; so if you have a preference there maybe that is a bit relevant. Good luck with your decision
Agree; the view is incredible, the building is lame in comparison. I guess the issue is that the building is cut into the hill/mountain so apparently tearing down the building and making a brand new one is significantly more difficult than in a typical location. They have the money set aside to do it though - but not sure when they will start renovating and how comprehensive or lack thereof it will be. I was recently at DU and the facilities were freakin' awesome - ultra modern, large open indoor courtyard.NorCalBruin wrote:Actually, I really didn't like Pepperdine. The view is AMAZING, no questions about it. You're on a hill overlooking the ocean. But the law facility itself is old and outdated. For as much as their property is worth and as much as it costs to go here, they really haven't put much effort into making their building very nice.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
I got "well respected" from judges and lawyers who actually work in LA, whose opinions I respect more so than some anonymous internet poster who apparently has no life.BarbellDreams wrote:Sorry, I didn't see this response earlier. This has nothing to do with political views (I dont even know what you're talking about when you say that actually), this has to do with school that chargers 40k+ for a T2 in the worst legal market in america with at least 7 schools in the state that outrank it. Where you got "well respected" from I don't know, it may have been before the economy hit, it isn't so anymore.originalmutt wrote:Why? It is a very well regarded school, and in my profession (can't elaborate) I've met some impressive attorneys who went there.BarbellDreams wrote:Unless you are on a HUGE scholarship avoid Pepperdine like the plague.
Do you say that because of its political views? If so, start another thread, because I could care less what you think of them, and this is coming from somebody who is as left wing as you can get.
The fcat that you met attorneys from there with good jobs is nice, but not realizing that those attorneys didnt graduate ITE is ignorance. You'll be at Pepperdine ITE, and you'll remember my name when you are 150k in debt while struggling to keep a 40k job in a market overrun with lawyers who went to better schools than you.
Huge scholly or top 10% are the only 2 ways you get out of Pepperdine with a decent future.
This is a completely worthless post ... so you're saying my employment prospects would be better if I graduated from Harvard? Thanks, king of the obvious. I'm forever in your debt for that enlightenment.
- UnTouChablE
- Posts: 148
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
lol, fuck are you mad about? He was telling you the absolute truth. WTF, you asked for it now you mad. Pepperdine is a TTT, there is no getting around that. And located in the legal market that it is in, even for free it might not be worth it.originalmutt wrote:I got "well respected" from judges and lawyers who actually work in LA, whose opinions I respect more so than some anonymous internet poster who apparently has no life.BarbellDreams wrote:Sorry, I didn't see this response earlier. This has nothing to do with political views (I dont even know what you're talking about when you say that actually), this has to do with school that chargers 40k+ for a T2 in the worst legal market in america with at least 7 schools in the state that outrank it. Where you got "well respected" from I don't know, it may have been before the economy hit, it isn't so anymore.originalmutt wrote:Why? It is a very well regarded school, and in my profession (can't elaborate) I've met some impressive attorneys who went there.BarbellDreams wrote:Unless you are on a HUGE scholarship avoid Pepperdine like the plague.
Do you say that because of its political views? If so, start another thread, because I could care less what you think of them, and this is coming from somebody who is as left wing as you can get.
The fcat that you met attorneys from there with good jobs is nice, but not realizing that those attorneys didnt graduate ITE is ignorance. You'll be at Pepperdine ITE, and you'll remember my name when you are 150k in debt while struggling to keep a 40k job in a market overrun with lawyers who went to better schools than you.
Huge scholly or top 10% are the only 2 ways you get out of Pepperdine with a decent future.
This is a completely worthless post ... so you're saying my employment prospects would be better if I graduated from Harvard? Thanks, king of the obvious. I'm forever in your debt for that enlightenment.
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Its ranked 52 so don't know where you get TTT from.
OK, I'm done playing with the trolls. That's all I have to say on that now.
For anyone else, please don't post reasons why T14 or HYS is better than Pepperdine ... nobody cares what you think about that. If you have actual knowledge about Pepperdine (not something you read on TLS while sitting in your mom's basement, but something you know from first-hand, real-life experience) then your comments and feedback are very much appreciated.
OK, I'm done playing with the trolls. That's all I have to say on that now.
For anyone else, please don't post reasons why T14 or HYS is better than Pepperdine ... nobody cares what you think about that. If you have actual knowledge about Pepperdine (not something you read on TLS while sitting in your mom's basement, but something you know from first-hand, real-life experience) then your comments and feedback are very much appreciated.
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- dr123
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=134527
you should post your questions in this thread, I bet that could give ya some anwsers
you should post your questions in this thread, I bet that could give ya some anwsers
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Re: Questions about Pepperdine
1. Difficult to say what a typical price would be. My wife and I came out in June, before my 1L year to find a place to live and looked for weeks. This wasn't due to the lack of options, but rather because there were so many. One thing I found about the pricing, in Malibu especially, is that it isn't very efficient. You can have 2 apartments, exactly the same, within 100yrds of one another, priced at a 30% disparity. Craigslist is one of the places to source possible places to rent in Malibu, but it isn't a sufficient source (and easily not the best). Go to the Ralphs, Pavilion, (grocery stores in Malibu), and some of the liquor store type places that have the local (Malibu) printed newspapers (there are 2-3 different ones) that have classified advertising and look in these publications for additional, good leads. It really depends on what you want; some places are tiny, some have great views, some have dedicated parking, some are just managed by mom and pop landlords who have under or over-priced their property. Come here early, stay on someone's couch, rent/borrow a car, and plan on looking full-time for a while and you can find some incredible deals (relative to other places in this area).
Santa Monica is a little more efficient and easier to search because it's more densely populated, but still plan on looking for a while. Be open and see how the market is pricing the different amenities. Distance from school, nearness to the water, larger rooms, dedicated parking, views, all are priced differently and if you exhaustively look, you can find some deals.
One other big factor I noticed is that if you could locate several roommates, you can get the 2nd-4th bedrooms much cheaper on a per bedroom basis than the 1st, so your costs can go down substantially while your amenities go up. A nice 4 bedroom house can be had for 25%+ less than four much less nice 1 bedroom apartments. Finding the roommates would be the bigger challenge, but using the admission office and other social networking efforts (a la facebook) could prove successful.
2. Commute from Santa Monica is between 20-30 min, depending on what time of day (traffic), and where you live in Santa Monica. There is public transportation that I use frequently from within Malibu (it's approx 26 miles long), mainly along the PCH, but there is none I've been able to find between Malibu and Calabassas, which is another (relatively) close place to live with tons of value.
3. If you live off campus, you'll find the school's policy restrictions, practically speaking, completely irrelevant. Living on campus is convenient, but not a good value proposition, considering the other options available.
The best thing I've found with the school is the excellence of the teachers (very accessible), the attitude of the administration (they are there to make sure you succeed in your academic endeavor), and the atmosphere these two things foster. When I applied to/visited Pepperdine, I did so because I had friends in the LA area (I'm from the south) and all of the other schools I applied to were southern state schools. I was looking for some diversity in my prospective schools. At pepperdine I expected to find a bunch of rich kids with "LA stereotype" personalities, but I found something very different. The kids were, for the most part, down to earth, striving for academic excellence, and worried about money and jobs like most average kids at those other state schools. I visited 3 state schools in the USNWR top 30 and one state school ranked between 50-75 (I was accepted to all 4 of them). The students at pepperdine impressed me as being on the same level of intelligence as the top 30 schools. The students at the school ranked in the 50-75 area were smart, but easily not as sharp as the pepperdine students and the top 30 school students. I liked a few of the top 30 schools I visited A LOT, but the reasons I decided to attend pepperdine were:
- the pepperdine scholarship made the cost of the state schools and pepperdine about the same.
- the attitude of the administration was noticeably different. The state schools were pleasant and polite, but pepperdine was very focused on doing what they could as an administration to help you succeed; the state schools were much more focused on their institutional identity rather than their customer's (the students) opinion of how the administration was doing their job. The pepperdine placement office was way more "high powered" in the sense that they gave off the impression that "we (as an administration) went out and found the most high powered, highly qualified people we could to make our placement office kick ass." Maybe they have to work harder than the placement office of the higher ranked state schools, but they seem like they are out to eat their competitor's lunch.
- the teachers, for the most part, mirrored the attitude of the administration. Very open door oriented. Tough, like "we're not going to lower the bar, but we're going to get your ass over the high bar."
- Academic excellence. Their dispute resolution program is rated the highest in the country, and has been for a long time. They seemed very proud of that, and it seemed impressive to me. Even though I didn't have a special interest in this field, it seemed integral to a good legal education. They also have a TON of other "institutes" or programs or whatever you want to call them. It seemed like a wide open place as far as pursuing different areas of interest in the law.
- I would have an equal shot at Big Law (which was a litmus test for me) from either the top 30 state school or pepperdine (graduating in the top 10%). My stipulation in that comparison is graduating in the top 10% from pepperdine. If you can't make top 10% at pepperdine, you can't get big law from a top 30 school. I wanted to go to a school where it seemed like the school wanted me to make the top 10% as much as I did.
For the record, I now don't think Big Law is the best route for gaining experience and financial success (and I am in the top 10% in my class.)
Also, regarding the topic of pepperdine's conservatism: Last year's student president was a Muslim girl. She didn't feel put off by the school's Christian identity; why should anyone else? Pepperdine is a very tolerant place with regards to worldview and political orientation. One girl I talked to while visiting pepperdine said she went to Duke undergrad. Her description of Duke was that a conservative voice was not welcome there. She said the difference at pepperdine is not the absence of liberal voices, but rather the tolerance of conservative perspectives. I thought that sounded pretty welcoming, and very unique.
I did not look at Loyola, mostly because I was not just looking for an LA school. I was looking for someplace different that still rocked academically (not that Loyola doesn't rock; I just didn't look there).
Santa Monica is a little more efficient and easier to search because it's more densely populated, but still plan on looking for a while. Be open and see how the market is pricing the different amenities. Distance from school, nearness to the water, larger rooms, dedicated parking, views, all are priced differently and if you exhaustively look, you can find some deals.
One other big factor I noticed is that if you could locate several roommates, you can get the 2nd-4th bedrooms much cheaper on a per bedroom basis than the 1st, so your costs can go down substantially while your amenities go up. A nice 4 bedroom house can be had for 25%+ less than four much less nice 1 bedroom apartments. Finding the roommates would be the bigger challenge, but using the admission office and other social networking efforts (a la facebook) could prove successful.
2. Commute from Santa Monica is between 20-30 min, depending on what time of day (traffic), and where you live in Santa Monica. There is public transportation that I use frequently from within Malibu (it's approx 26 miles long), mainly along the PCH, but there is none I've been able to find between Malibu and Calabassas, which is another (relatively) close place to live with tons of value.
3. If you live off campus, you'll find the school's policy restrictions, practically speaking, completely irrelevant. Living on campus is convenient, but not a good value proposition, considering the other options available.
The best thing I've found with the school is the excellence of the teachers (very accessible), the attitude of the administration (they are there to make sure you succeed in your academic endeavor), and the atmosphere these two things foster. When I applied to/visited Pepperdine, I did so because I had friends in the LA area (I'm from the south) and all of the other schools I applied to were southern state schools. I was looking for some diversity in my prospective schools. At pepperdine I expected to find a bunch of rich kids with "LA stereotype" personalities, but I found something very different. The kids were, for the most part, down to earth, striving for academic excellence, and worried about money and jobs like most average kids at those other state schools. I visited 3 state schools in the USNWR top 30 and one state school ranked between 50-75 (I was accepted to all 4 of them). The students at pepperdine impressed me as being on the same level of intelligence as the top 30 schools. The students at the school ranked in the 50-75 area were smart, but easily not as sharp as the pepperdine students and the top 30 school students. I liked a few of the top 30 schools I visited A LOT, but the reasons I decided to attend pepperdine were:
- the pepperdine scholarship made the cost of the state schools and pepperdine about the same.
- the attitude of the administration was noticeably different. The state schools were pleasant and polite, but pepperdine was very focused on doing what they could as an administration to help you succeed; the state schools were much more focused on their institutional identity rather than their customer's (the students) opinion of how the administration was doing their job. The pepperdine placement office was way more "high powered" in the sense that they gave off the impression that "we (as an administration) went out and found the most high powered, highly qualified people we could to make our placement office kick ass." Maybe they have to work harder than the placement office of the higher ranked state schools, but they seem like they are out to eat their competitor's lunch.
- the teachers, for the most part, mirrored the attitude of the administration. Very open door oriented. Tough, like "we're not going to lower the bar, but we're going to get your ass over the high bar."
- Academic excellence. Their dispute resolution program is rated the highest in the country, and has been for a long time. They seemed very proud of that, and it seemed impressive to me. Even though I didn't have a special interest in this field, it seemed integral to a good legal education. They also have a TON of other "institutes" or programs or whatever you want to call them. It seemed like a wide open place as far as pursuing different areas of interest in the law.
- I would have an equal shot at Big Law (which was a litmus test for me) from either the top 30 state school or pepperdine (graduating in the top 10%). My stipulation in that comparison is graduating in the top 10% from pepperdine. If you can't make top 10% at pepperdine, you can't get big law from a top 30 school. I wanted to go to a school where it seemed like the school wanted me to make the top 10% as much as I did.
For the record, I now don't think Big Law is the best route for gaining experience and financial success (and I am in the top 10% in my class.)
Also, regarding the topic of pepperdine's conservatism: Last year's student president was a Muslim girl. She didn't feel put off by the school's Christian identity; why should anyone else? Pepperdine is a very tolerant place with regards to worldview and political orientation. One girl I talked to while visiting pepperdine said she went to Duke undergrad. Her description of Duke was that a conservative voice was not welcome there. She said the difference at pepperdine is not the absence of liberal voices, but rather the tolerance of conservative perspectives. I thought that sounded pretty welcoming, and very unique.
I did not look at Loyola, mostly because I was not just looking for an LA school. I was looking for someplace different that still rocked academically (not that Loyola doesn't rock; I just didn't look there).
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- Posts: 70
- Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2010 7:45 pm
Re: Questions about Pepperdine
The commute from Santa Monica is between 30-45 min, Venice a little more. About half the students live on campus across the street from the law school. Most of them DO NOT recommend living there though because the price is high and the facilities are low.
That being said, religion does not come up in school. The only time it has come up was talking about how a judges opinion may have been affected by his faith. Other than that you will find a substantial amount of students are not christian, many are atheists, Mormon, Jewish, etc. I too made the mistake of letting Pepperdine's religious ideologies influence my decision for a time, that was until an atheist Professor personally called me and educated me otherwise, I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend.
In terms of Pepperdine v. LMU, I was in the same boat with 25K schollys to both. I visited both, both are great academic institutions and I'm sure whichever school one chooses, they will be satisfied. I can say that both schools have a strong commitment to social justice (if you're into that, I am not), and both have professors that are knowledgeable and are approachable. However, Pepperdine is not in the heart of LA which is nice. Both are good schools.
However, Pepperdine is currently ranked as the school with the 4th highest bar passage rate at 88% for the CA bar, this is unprecedented in the school's history and the faculty and students are very happy with the results. Spring OCI is coming up and there will be 50+ employers there which is not a huge number but it's still substantial. Many, not most, but many first year students have at this point secured jobs for the summer for judges, firms, nonprofits, etc. Most are still in the interviewing process. Personally, I know two students who have secured externships with Appellate level judges, one student with a District level judge, and several more with state courts.
Admittedly, employment prospects are not quite what they used to be, southern CA is saturated, and yes you will be competing against students from several schools, some of which are ranked higher. Nonetheless, most students are finding work, albeit not their dream work though, and starting salaries have taken a hit, even V50 firms are moving their lock-step pay scale down. Ideally, if you are starting LS soon the economy will be better in a few years. A note: one way students have been finding work is by blanket emailing alumni, not the most ideal way to do so, but it seems to be working out okay since alums have a strong liking and connection with the school.
Lastly, if you have a scholly there will most likely be strings attached. If you have a small one you will need to stay in the top 50%, if you have a 3/4 or full you will need to stay in the top 33%. There will be people who tell you otherwise, but if you had the GPA/LSAT to get a big scholly, there is good chance you can keep it by working hard and staying focused because you've already shown you have the potential to do well, and you may have some natural academic talent (note: academic talent does not mean you will be a good lawyer, it means you're good at taking tests).
Hope this helps with whomever is applying, I made the decision to come to Pepperdine with a 3/4 scholly over BU (sticker), LMU (same scholly), Davis/Hastings (17K for first year), and USD (full). I could not be happier with my decision (largely because BU is really cold and expensive).
That being said, religion does not come up in school. The only time it has come up was talking about how a judges opinion may have been affected by his faith. Other than that you will find a substantial amount of students are not christian, many are atheists, Mormon, Jewish, etc. I too made the mistake of letting Pepperdine's religious ideologies influence my decision for a time, that was until an atheist Professor personally called me and educated me otherwise, I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend.
In terms of Pepperdine v. LMU, I was in the same boat with 25K schollys to both. I visited both, both are great academic institutions and I'm sure whichever school one chooses, they will be satisfied. I can say that both schools have a strong commitment to social justice (if you're into that, I am not), and both have professors that are knowledgeable and are approachable. However, Pepperdine is not in the heart of LA which is nice. Both are good schools.
However, Pepperdine is currently ranked as the school with the 4th highest bar passage rate at 88% for the CA bar, this is unprecedented in the school's history and the faculty and students are very happy with the results. Spring OCI is coming up and there will be 50+ employers there which is not a huge number but it's still substantial. Many, not most, but many first year students have at this point secured jobs for the summer for judges, firms, nonprofits, etc. Most are still in the interviewing process. Personally, I know two students who have secured externships with Appellate level judges, one student with a District level judge, and several more with state courts.
Admittedly, employment prospects are not quite what they used to be, southern CA is saturated, and yes you will be competing against students from several schools, some of which are ranked higher. Nonetheless, most students are finding work, albeit not their dream work though, and starting salaries have taken a hit, even V50 firms are moving their lock-step pay scale down. Ideally, if you are starting LS soon the economy will be better in a few years. A note: one way students have been finding work is by blanket emailing alumni, not the most ideal way to do so, but it seems to be working out okay since alums have a strong liking and connection with the school.
Lastly, if you have a scholly there will most likely be strings attached. If you have a small one you will need to stay in the top 50%, if you have a 3/4 or full you will need to stay in the top 33%. There will be people who tell you otherwise, but if you had the GPA/LSAT to get a big scholly, there is good chance you can keep it by working hard and staying focused because you've already shown you have the potential to do well, and you may have some natural academic talent (note: academic talent does not mean you will be a good lawyer, it means you're good at taking tests).
Hope this helps with whomever is applying, I made the decision to come to Pepperdine with a 3/4 scholly over BU (sticker), LMU (same scholly), Davis/Hastings (17K for first year), and USD (full). I could not be happier with my decision (largely because BU is really cold and expensive).
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- Posts: 94
- Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2010 6:55 pm
Re: Questions about Pepperdine
Sean, JH: Thanks guys for your awesome posts. They were very insighful.
It's going to be a tough choice for me, and I won't be able to make a decision until I've formally visited the campuses. I will say I've been more impressed with the admissions folks at Pepperdine. When I emailed to set up a tour, the lady responded quickly. Loyola took about a week to respond. Loyola has many more students, so that is perhaps why she was so slow, but it was not a good first impression for me.
It's going to be a tough choice for me, and I won't be able to make a decision until I've formally visited the campuses. I will say I've been more impressed with the admissions folks at Pepperdine. When I emailed to set up a tour, the lady responded quickly. Loyola took about a week to respond. Loyola has many more students, so that is perhaps why she was so slow, but it was not a good first impression for me.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!
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