Charismatic California Private Colleges

Stanford University

Hey everyone! California is such a great place to live that many students in high school really want to stay in California for college as well.  Luckily there are over 130 private universities and over 30 public ones in California to choose from, so there’s something for everyone.   Even if you know you want to be in California, its  important to research the schools to find out which have the size, campus culture, entrance requirements and course offerings that fit what is right for you. 

USC Tour

Stanford football game

This fall I visited two of the highly ranked private schools in California, Stanford University in Palo Alto and University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles.  Both schools are highly regarded for their academics, research, and strong sports teams.   Stanford is ranked #5 in the US, and admits only 6% of applicants.  It is very popular with California students for its beautiful weather and location close to San Francisco, along with its outstanding academic programs.  Stanford is very close to what is called “Silicon Valley” , a hub for new technology development.  USC is also very popular and has a strong network of alumni in California.  Along with its traditional academic departments, USC is located in Los Angeles, and therefore has a great Film and Cinematic school with a lot of great opportunities for internships in Hollywood.   As you can guess, both of these schools require high grades and test scores, along with strong essays and teacher recommendations for admittance.  

USC football game

The most popular sport in college is American football, and both Stanford and USC have large football stadiums that fill up with many excited fans for each football game.  They have marching bands and cheer leaders that put on a show during halftime.  It was fun to wear the school “colors” and help cheer on the teams to victory!

Are you a fan of private universities? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo