Pepperdine University Top Questions

I already discussed most of these areas in other sections. Politically, many students including myself are more conservative to moderate. There is also a good percentage of liberal people.

Pepperdine's student body is mostly white with a large percentage of female students. Almost every student here is upper-middle class or higher as concerns socioeconomic status. Students generally stick to the California casual when it comes to dressing for class: jeans, t-shirts, flip-flops. It's common to see designer items floating around campus (Louis Vuitton bags, 7 jeans, etc...). They aren't by any means must have items. You won't be shunned for not having those kinds of things. People here just have a taste for the finer things in life.

Pepperdine could be much more diverse; however, then what would Pepperdine's reputation be? The majority, I would say, is upperclass caucasions. However, there is also a good amount of ratial and economic diversity. There is a standard at Pepperdine University. If you choose to meet that standard then you want to always look presentable. We are known for our beauty for a reason. Most students at Pepperdine are Republicans.

This is a religious school, so the atmosphere is slightly different than at other schools. Pepperdine is known as a rich white school, however many people are from middle class, we have people from all different countries. Most people are religious in some way or another. Clothing changes I feel based on the major someone is in. Business and advertising majors tend to dress better, because they are getting ready for the business world. I am a sports medicine minor and have taken many pre-med classes, and we all usually wear jeans, sweats and t-shirts!!!!! There are many different groups on campus, who may share different views but get along. There are no real rivals at Pepperdine. There are political clubs on campus, but neither bashes the other, but rather promotes the students to join the club that they believe in.

Pepperdine, despite its stereotypes, has a pretty diverse student body. Not necessarily demographically (it is mostly white), but personality wise Pepperdine students are all over the place. About a third of the students are heavlity influenced by their Christian beliefs, giving a large population of conservative students which most colleges do not have. At the same a third of students at Pepperdine are your typical party college students, looking to drink on the weekends and maybe one day a week. Suprisingly there is not much clash between these two extremes. A third of the students lie in the middle. Those are usually just moderate students who might go out every now and then, but their focus is usually on academics and other extracurriculars. There are a lot of service organizations on campus as well, so many students, regardless of their social life, participate in service opportunities. Theres kind of a more friendly atmosphere as a result, and most students know each other because its a smaller school. The school is also predominantly Republican as well, which is a change from most college campuses. I would say Pepperdine has a pretty unique student bod.

Being a member of the Church of Christ, I have always wondered what non-members and non-religious students thought of the "Christian" environment of our campus. I have been pleased to hear from most people that they have never felt that religion had been forced upon them and that they feel, and I agree, that the religious climate of our school is pretty even tempered allowing for many different points of view to coexist. There are always comments about the lack of ethnic students on campus but I personally have never felt that there were definite racial tensions between groups.

Virtually zero racial or religious diversity on campus. Token numbers of minorities constitute large percentages here only because the campus is so damn small. Any non-Christian needs to avoid Pepperdine like the plague. All dress on campus is casual. The student body is very divided, with different groups (fraternities, sororities, sports teams, etc) having essentially no interaction. Almost everyone is from California, Texas, Oklahoma, or Oregon. Most people are fairly wealthy. Students are generally politically ignorant, but are generally right wing oriented.