I recently visited Pace University in lower Manhattan, where I toured the campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· With small classes, a compact campus (a five minute walk from one end to the other) and just under 6,000 students, Pace offers a less abrupt introduction to big city living than nearby campuses like NYU.

· While more traditional outdoor campus space is limited, there are various areas where students can congregate within Pace’s buildings, including a cafeteria, student center and library.

· The majority of undergraduates study in the Lubin School of Business, while a small contingent of students major in the highly selective School of Performing Arts.

· Some of the largest employers of Pace grads are Goldman Sachs, KPMG, NBC and Universal. Many students intern at the UN.

· Housing is guaranteed all four years. There is one traditional-style dorm (with common bathrooms and lounge spaces on each floor), and three quieter apartment-style dorms (with doubles/triples and a common space in the basement). A fifth dorm is in the works. 25-30% of students commute from home.

· There are various online learning options: some classes can be taken asynchronously, and others allow students to “Zoom in.”

· Around 3,000 undergrads attend the more traditional campus in Westchester, which is where the selective nursing program is housed. Sports are also present on the Westchester campus, but not the Manhattan campus.

· The university practices need-blind admissions, and SAT/ACT scores are not required for merit aid.

I recently visited Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where I toured the campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Class sizes are small and faculty very supportive. LMU provides help for students who need extra support transitioning to college-level academic expectations.

· LMU admits by major. Admit rates for popular majors are lower than the college’s overall admit rate. Students can minor in any field at the university, except for film and television.

· LMU is a Jesuit university. Although the school does not have a strongly religious flavor, its students are very focused on the Jesuit traditions of service and social justice. There is a two-course theology requirement, but it can be fulfilled through a wide range of courses speaking to many different interests.

· LMU’s School of Film and Television is considered one of the top 10 in the nation.

· Housing is guaranteed for the first two years. Upperclassmen who want on-campus housing are usually able to secure it. Those who choose to live off-campus typically live no more than 10 minutes from campus.

· LMU has a joint 4+1 MBA program with Notre Dame.

· Double/triple majors and minors are popular since most majors only take one year to complete and most minors one semester.

· Students receive academic credit for internships, with many working in tech in the adjacent “Silicon Beach” neighborhood of Playa Vista.

I recently visited The California Institute of Technology in the Pasadena area of Los Angeles, where I toured the campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Caltech provides an exceedingly rigorous STEM education for the most academically and intellectually inclined. 95% of students complete research as undergrads, and many go on to earn Ph.D.s. The fast-paced quarter system adds to curriculum’s intensity, and students take 4-5 classes (sometimes more) each quarter.

· With just under 1,000 undergrads, Caltech has a small, liberal arts college feel, despite being a leading STEM research university with Nobel Prize-winning faculty. Access to faculty and research opportunities abound.

· There is a more even balance between the sexes than in prior years: 55% of students are male, 45% female.

· Caltech students “surf” at various locations during the summer – that is, they propose and execute their own research projects with funding through the Summer Program Research Fellowship.

· The curriculum focuses on collaboration: students spend each week working on challenging problem sets that were designed to be tackled be a team.

· Students typically take one humanities or social science course each term to satisfy gen ed requirements.

· Students coming to Caltech without the requisite math – say with only AP Calc AB or not having taken AP Calc BC since 10th grade – are invited to a remedial math summer program before starting freshman year.

· Most students live on campus all four years. A unique feature of Caltech is its eight residential “houses,” which serve as social and academic hubs for students throughout their four years.

· Students declare a major at the end of their first year. There are no caps on majors.

· Many students are involved in the nearby Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), which Caltech operates jointly with NASA.

I recently visited Pepperdine University in the Malibu area of Los Angeles, where I toured the campus and spoke with the admissions office about the latest trends in admissions. Here are some takeaways from my visit:

· Pepperdine is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and has a pronounced Christian focus: students must attend chapel multiple times each semester, complete three religion courses (Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Culture) and abstain from overnight dorm visits. The campus is dry, and Bible study is a popular social activity. 70% of students are Christian. Mental and emotional support is provided in part by a spiritual life advisor.

· Engagement with a church community in high school is a plus, so highlight this on your application if applicable. If a student is a member of the Churches of Christ, their minister can submit a letter of recommendation and they may be eligible for a special scholarship.

· The average class size is 19 and there are no TAs. 35% of faculty live on campus, often inviting students into their homes for Bible study. Students participate in research as early as freshman year.

· Business is the most popular and well-known program. Students can complete a joint 5-year BA-MBA, all at Pepperdine.

· The communications major is also popular, and there is a student broadcasting network on campus.

· On-campus housing is required the first two years and optional (but not difficult to secure) the final two years.

You can read about some of my campus visits by scrolling down or using the following links:

Barnard College
Belmont University
California Institute of Technology
Clemson University
Columbia University
Connecticut College
The Cooper Union (Nerken School of Engineering)
Davidson College
Drew University
Eastern Connecticut State University
Elon University
Fisk University
Fordham University (Lincoln Center)
Fordham University (Rose Hill)
Furman University
Guilford College
High Point University
Hunter College (CUNY)
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Loyola Marymount University
Macaulay Honors College (CUNY)
Marist College
Marymount Manhattan College
Middle Tennessee State University
The New School
NYU (Gallatin School)
NYU
Occidental College
Pace University
Pepperdine University
Purchase College
Princeton University
Queens University of Charlotte
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
Saint Louis University
Sarah Lawrence College
Sewanee: The University of the South
Southern Illinois University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Trinity College
University of California San Diego
University of Connecticut
University of Hartford
University of Missouri
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
Vanderbilt University
Vassar College
Wake Forest University
Washington University in St. Louis
Wesleyan University
Wofford College
Yale University