Pitzer College

What a Beautiful campus. We were there to watch a softball game, and it was a beautiful field with lots of shade and plenty of sun. There was a track and field meet happening, a baseball game on, and lots of tennis going on.
This is a beautiful campus! Two pools!!!

Pitzer was an incredible place to get an education and have four years of formative experiences that will surely influence the rest of my life positively.
Pitzer is a unique place in that it truly shapes itself around what students want it to be. Buttressed by core values focusing on social responsibility and student autonomy, the college offers a unique education in a wonderful setting. I made some amazing friends, worked with some great professors, and ultimately had a very successful college experience thanks to Pitzer and the greater framework of the Claremont Colleges.
Perhaps what makes Pitzer most impressive is its values-​oriented culture and forward momentum. From new academic programs to beautiful residence halls to environmentally-​friendly investment policies, this College seeks to do the right thing and be as innovative as possible.
Perhaps the only negative is that it can be a bit bureaucratic and, in fact, at times too hands off. Perhaps less time spent on administrative matters and more engagement with the faculty at all levels would help – nevertheless, a fantastic college that deserves your consideration. It’s not for everyone (and doesn’t claim to be) but for those that feel a connection and want a flexible liberal arts education with the resources of a university, it’s perfect.
Oh, and don’t forget the Grove House cookies. They’re magic.

My secret running spot is here. Sssshhh! Very mellow place.

Came here to eat at the dining hall. The food was decent for a Saturday evening. They have agrill section where you place an order on a piece of paper for hamburgers, chicken strips, or a quesadilla. If you place your order too late, you may not get your food because they close promptly at 6:45p or 7p (I can’t remember). My cousin placed an order but never received it because they closed the kitchen without telling you. We were limited to BBQ chicken, potatoes, rice, and bread. Nothing was extremely appetizing. The desserts were also okay. At least they weren’t too sweet.
The campus and students all seem very hipster-​ish and physically fit. Students from a nearb y college expressed they seemed more physically fit because they had more time to go to the gym. There was also a small outdoor concert which reminded me of what the hippies were portrayed as. Apparently PItzer does have a good creative writing class so it is more of a liberal arts school.
Overall, decent college campus that hopes to be environmentally friendly. The trash in the dining hall had different baskets for trash, non-​food trash, and food trash. Got kind of confusing but I don’t think people really paid attention. A college to attend if the above suits your personality.

Two things: Grove House and Pit Stop.
When I needed a cookie, a caffeine fix, or just a place to get some work done, these were my go-​to places. Make sure they have your order right! I ordered a breakfast burrito once and they turned out looking like chocolate chip cookies. Quite an interesting transformation.

Pitzer is an amazing school. I just graduated this year and I am already missing it.
At Pitzer you truly get the best of both worlds, small liberal arts feel, with the benefits of being able to branch out and meet totally different types of people from the other surrounding 4 claremont colleges.
If you are into the social sciences, media studies, and liberal types who like free beer and the occasional herbal therapy, then this is your place.
I hate that it has the stereotype of being a total slacker/​backup school. How exactly is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of less than 20% considered a back up? Move over Pomona, Pitzer is giving you a run for your money… well maybe not considering Pomona’s endowment dwarfs Pitzer’s but these are simply details my friends.
Pitzer gave me the best college experience I could have asked for, I’d never trade it for the world… unless of course I got my own private Island with sexy model types, but again, simply details
;-)

There are a couple of things to note about Pitzer College. True it is a school that’s «Just a bunch of hippies with Bimmers». People often see what we teach here and our workload and ask, «Why go to college, when you can go to Pitzer?» Compared to the other 5-​Claremont colleges, we are the most lax. Our teachers offer the least amount of work, we like to emphasize sociology (which I still don’t consider a real major) and International/​Intercultural Studies. I want to be a global-​citizen, expand my horizons, and help the poor in third world countries… all this is typically hippy-​leftist rhetoric that comes out of Pitzer students; as well as, «Do you know where I can get some (insert drug name here)?»
That being said, compared to the others, it is technically the easiest Claremont to get into. and there is another saying about Pitzer that other 5-​Cs like to echo. «The best and the worst students come from Pitzer.» You have immense resources at your finger tips, if you put down the pipe and do some work… the sky is the limit. Definitely a cool bunch of people that everyone will find a clique to join into.
Did I wish I went to Cal sometimes, yes I do, but I went to Pitzer and enjoyed my time there.

I have just finished my first semester at this place. Thus far it has been an amazing experience. Course selection is phenomenal. Interesting classes and downright cool people, staff and students alike.
Of course, it’s not perfect — it has its problems — but all in all Pitzer is a hidden gem of liberal arts colleges.
I am part of the New Resources Students program which generously allows non-​tradionally ages students (25+) to fully participate in the higher education experience that they otherwise might have missed out on earlier in life. The college provides a lounge for us to study and bond. Here, I have met some truly amazing individuals.
While most ideologies are generally tolerated, the school as a whole leans to the far left with its progressive ideals. Its awesome!

i don’t attend… but my best friend will this fall. we took a walk around portions of the campus and i’ll just say… i’m jealous of him. they have the «most green» building in america, i’m told… which is just beautiful. the walls here and there and everywhere feature student’s art work… gigantic and tiny. the arboretum is awesome… maintained by the students and the only rules are don’t walk on the plant beds, and take only what you need, nothing more, leaving fruits and veggies for others.
there’s a kick ass little coffee shop (old home)…two stories… with a piano, rocking chairs, couches… food. haha! it’s been closed for a bit but will reopen with the fall semestar classes beginning.
the only thing i didn’t like… and this might have been a mind trick my body played on me… but there’s a lot of desert landscaping… and it made me feel like the sun was shining 40 degrees warmer on me just standing near the cacti. ew.
beautiful campus!

Pitzer College is the step-​child in the family of the Claremont Colleges. In the shadows of Pomona, Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd, Pitzer has a unique niche at the North-​East corner of the campus. Part of the school’s bad rap is probably due to the birth date of the school, 1963, but I am told that the age of the free love and drugs didn’t touch the school; but stories are fuzzy. Only one professor remains here that can recall those times and he claims that for everyone, the sixties was the age of Dionysus.
As far as small liberal arts colleges go, this one has potential to become something special. The college’s specialty is in the social sciences: Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology. If you are from one of these fields of study, you’ll know that the world around us isn’t ready to scientific some of the discoveries in these disciplines. Somewhere between the sixties and the social sciences, the college governance erupted to what it is today. Students, Staff and Faculty are active in decisions of the school. Because the school is small, people are closely aware of how their choices directly affect one another.
For me, this place fostered my horizons. I found my love for creating things and the importance in collaborating. Then there are the bad habits, like scheduling many things back-​to-​back to maximize the day. Despite my choice to peruse my B.A. at a large state research university, this place will always hold a fondness in my heart. At another time in my life this place would have been perfect. Yet, it is perfect, in it’s own little way.

Pitzer College has a noble history. Founded by female college students and professors in the 1960s with the intention of creating a socially conscious academic community within the Claremont Colleges, Pitzer was the heart and soul of what the nation was going through in that time. If the founders knew what would happen to Pitzer 40+ years later, they’d be rolling in their graves.
Once able to boast about their student body taking an active interest in social justice, today very few Pitzer students actually participate in social justice. They are too busy getting stoned to take action.
Some of their other current failures include: a horrible retention rate, horrible dorms for the cost of the college ($ 40,000/year), little ethnic diversity, un-​challenging classes and staff and faulty that don’t support the student body.
However, there is a silver lining. Pitzer is still part of the Claremont Colleges. If you weren’t smart enough to get into the other four, go to Pitzer and partake in all of the perks of being part of the 5C’s: On The Loose, eating at all the dining halls, going to everyone else’s parties, joint 5C activities and events, Halloween at Harvey Mudd, taking classes at any college you want and the list goes on. In theory, the 5C system is excellent. In reality, not so great if you have to live in the shitty ass Pitzer dorms with lame ass Pitzer students.
Here’s a list of the things Pitzer gave me:
1. The hottest foreplay of my life with the campus whore. Man, it was good. Too bad you had a girlfriend and a sort of girlfriend already! Whoops!
2. The omelette guy. His omlettes were so delicious in the morning. Totally worth waking up at 8am for.
3. Drunk making out at parties.
4. Women and Film. The only class worth a damn at Pitzer. Thanks Alex for being a brilliant professor and passionate about filmmaking.
5. All my friends at Scripps, Pomona, Pitzer (yes I had a few), Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd. I still talk to a few of you and still think the world of most of you.
6. Hammocks. When it starts to get warm, the hammocks come out and lounging begins.
7. The Grove House. I love you, Grove House. Your vegan chocolate chip cookies, the upstairs small library, the garden in the back. Wonderful.
8. Your proximity to Donut Man and Alberto’s ²⁴⁄₇ drive thru taqueria. I can still taste your delicious burritos in my mouth. A 3am treat to be sure.
In short, while Pitzer makes lots of promises it can’t keep, I don’t regret my time there and I don’t regret moving on when I was ready. I had some life altering experiences there that had nothing to do with Pitzer and everything to do with making me the woman I am today.

I went to Pitzer mostly because I went to a really competitive high school, got jaded by academia, and went for the exact opposite of Cal. And, I considered myself a punk counter-​culture type at the time, so to the hippie school we go!
I was a dud socially here, I tended to hang out with nerdy Scripps girls than anyone else. I had a better time once I started living in the 8-​person suites in a single. Truthfully, when I think back on that time, I think my brainy, introverted nature would’ve done better at Scripps, but I don’t regret my time at Pitzer, either.
Well, for one thing, my nerd skills enabled me to graduate from Pitzer almost a year early. :) But, beyond that! Most colleges lit programs focus on the canon, while Pitzer has a decidedly multi-​cultural, media-​critical angle to their lit classes, which was incredibly exciting to me. Also, Pitzer makes studying abroad really easy and I think of my time in Italy as one of the life-​changing experiences of my young adult life.
Also, I saw Hepcat at Kohoutek one year (!) and saw Medea Benjamin and Ralph Nader speak as well.
I’ve swung to the center as I’ve aged, but I think it’s because I went to a school like Pitzer, which teaches you to really think thoroughly and critically about what you hear, whatever direction it’s coming from, and to stand-​by your conclusions.

they learned me but good.
i is imploied now and I cnat be happeer.
Actually, Pitzer was great for me. My classes were fantastic, they challenged the normal academic precepts and the so-​called ‘answers,’ and I have to say that my Pitzer classes were far more engaging than those I took at Pomona. Maybe not a good choice for those with aspirations to be professionals who want a future in the tobacco industry, but Pitzer is a great choice for open minded people who want to see and act in a world that is in fact bigger than their personal economic aspirations.
Square pegs rock harder.

What can I say that Amy K. hasn’t already said? I love Pitzer. I loved it as a student, I loved it later on as an employee, and I love it now as an alum/​former employee. If you like doing what everyone else does just because everyone else is doing it, you probably won’t like Pitzer, but if you enjoy independent thought and the freedom to craft your own education, Pitzer might just be your place. One of the really cool things about Pitzer is that I think at least 50% (probably more) of the students there study abroad at some point. It seems like all you have to do is say the words «study abroad» and before you know it the school is shipping you off to the foreign country of your choice. If you like traveling and learning about foreign cultures, I can’t think of a better place to be. In fact, I can’t think of a better place to be, period.

I’ll write one too because I think Sue S. was unfair. I like Pitzer because the people I met from the school, during my time on the Claremonts, were possibily some of the coolest people I have ever known. Yes, hippies with beemers and more «liberal» than progressive sometimes, but better than the cock jocks and tools found at some of the other schools.

Truthfully, I was kinda fooling around by looking up Pitzer, because the average person has no real reason to go on any regular basis, you know? Private colleges would prefer random né’er-do-wells stay away, except under acceptable circumstances such as Pitzer’s yearly concert weekend, Kohoutek, or maybe if fiercely independent and much accoladed radio station KSPC has a Blowout show that’s open to the public. Or maybe like when Jesse Jackson spoke on the mounds over the shameful handling of the Irvin Landrum Jr. case by Claremont officials?
Anyway, it’s hard to review a place I attended for four years and which I have so much personally invested in, yet it saddened me to see Pitzer without a review, so I feel like I should take a stab at it and then go nudge my other friends to do a better job of it. Pitzer is generally the butt of Claremont Colleges jokes: as the youngest of the undergrad schools and the one most notorious for for slackers/​hippies/​students sans shoes/​whatever, Pitzer, at least as of my graduation in 2001, was still seen as less worthy as the other colleges, and especially venerable bigshot Pomona College. I know applications are pouring in in increasing numbers to Pitzer’s admissions office, and the bar is being raised constantly for applicants, which is great.
Pitzer College is a great place for creative types. The school encourages its students to challenge themselves, which leads to a lot of independent study and some Pitzer experimental classes, such as the spring 2000 class that studied Route 66 and then actually drove the whole thing, researching along the way (so I was told, the trip was disastrous, not in the least due to the professor’s kidney stones). Pitzer is the sort of school that encourages students’ kooky ideas: if you can prove the school needs new hammocks, a treehouse club, or whatever else, chances are you can get the funding. Pitzer is covered in murals and art painted by students, and the various gardens/​arboretum are tended to by students as well. It’s a participatory and political campus, which in the past has led to takeovers of buildings and hunger strikes and whatnot, and professors are generally pleased with such things. I believe it was Mother Jones magazine that voted Pitzer into the Top 5 Political Campuses in the US several years ago.
For those non-​students who really would just like to stroll through campus on a Sunday afternoon, the one place that’s crucial to visit is the Grove House, a craftsman house built a century ago that was moved onto Pitzer’s campus in the 1970s after the college purchased it for a dollar (true story!). The house retains its original furniture and many stained glass windows. Poetry readings and acoustic shows happen at the Grove House regularly, there are art shows in the gallery upstairs, and their kitchen is also open for lunch on weekdays (soup, sandwiches, very good cookies and sometimes limeade made from limes grown at Pitzer). It’s the best place in the world to read, and you’ve got options: the downstairs living room, or the poetry room or women’s center upstairs (there’s also a guest bedroom upstairs, which you can rent out by night, although I’m guessing/​hoping you need a connection to a student to do so). Should you prefer to read outside, the Grove House has a large wraparound porch, and a side yard with tables and chairs. The «outdoor classroom» boasts a large table with chairs and a whiteboard under a vine-​covered trellis, and nearby is a porch swing. Behind the House is the organic garden the students tend, which you can walk the paths of (say hi to the chickens).
Ok, well, if you go in pairs or something, probably nobody will notice you if you aren’t a student. If you go before 10am on a weekend, all the students will be asleep anyway. If you’re a student thinking of going there (and Pitzer has a great New Resources program for older/​non-​traditional students), I fully endorse the school and wish you luck.