Copyright 2024 StudentsReview, Ecliptical Technologies, Inc. http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html Life at Scripps - Comments en http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html Scripps is a truly wonderful college full of fiercely intelligent, passionate, involved, and driven students and equally impressive faculty and staff (save for a few members of the administration). Th... Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:57:27 GMT StudentsReview 191-68812 191-68812 191 43 Perfomance Arts Female Undergraduate Class 2010 4th Year Positive Scripps is a truly wonderful college full of fiercely intelligent, passionate, involved, and driven students and equally impressive faculty and staff (save for a few members of the administration). The campus is ridiculously beautiful and the environment is stimulating and inspiring. I would not trade my experience here for the world.
I was a Dance major, and I had numerous opportunities every year to perform in both faculty and student work as well as choreograph my own work. I received a lot of support from both students and faculty when I decided to pursue a track within the major that no one had done before, and I really appreciated the noncompetitive environment. Students also have 24/7 access to the dance studio! I loved being able to focus on my dance studies and dance a lot while pursuing other interests like Religious Studies and Sociology. Though the long list of general education requirements can be annoying (and I really hated Core), being forced to take such a wide range of classes actually led me to discover a lot of interests I wouldn't have found otherwise. I never thought I'd be really interested in Neuropharmacology, but it turned out to be one of my most fascinating classes. Classes are challenging and demand effort and participation (you won't find many lecture classes at Scripps). All of the classes I took were very small (fewer than ten students for most of them), though this may vary depending on the department. Professors are approachable and always willing to help.
Because Scripps is small, people with more obscure or extremely specified interests may have difficulty finding the classes and resources they desire, but it is extremely easy to take classes at the other four colleges in the consortium (I ended up taking at least one class from every campus during my time at Scripps) and get credit for self-designed independent study. A group of my friends even created their own class for their third semester of Core. If you want to do something, there will be at least one person of authority at Scripps that will help you make it happen.
The party scene on the Scripps campus is pretty bad, though we do throw at least one good party a year. Most students go to the other four campuses for parties, and there are at least a couple social things happening every night of the week. It is easy to find something to do, and the other campuses are right across the street. The surrounding town of Claremont is cute and has some good little shops and places frozen yogurt, but almost everything is closed by 9 pm. LA and beaches are a bit of a drive, but easily doable if someone you know has a car. The mountains are really close if you like hiking or playing in the snow.
The sense of community in the dorms is unfortunately pretty horrible (though the buildings themselves are gorgeous), which I always thought was weird because everyone I know at Scripps is really nice and friendly. I had a great first year dorm experience (I got lucky and had great roommates, plus I'm pretty outgoing), but most people keep their doors closed and you won't find much socializing in the hallways or common rooms, so plan on looking outside dorm life to find friends.
Outside of the dorms, it is easy to connect with people and find your niche. There are plenty of clubs and activities to join. Everyone is really friendly and welcoming, and Scripps students just tend to be awesome in general! Sun, 13 Jun 2010 06:57:27 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html Scripps definitely isn't the school that it claims to be. The administration seems to sort of encourage the old "barbie doll" appearance and disposition of the student body. The administration can als... Sun, 31 May 2009 08:32:42 GMT StudentsReview 191-60715 191-60715 191 41 History/Histories (art history/etc.) Female Undergraduate Class 2012 1st Year Negative Scripps definitely isn't the school that it claims to be. The administration seems to sort of encourage the old "barbie doll" appearance and disposition of the student body. The administration can also be very condescending sometimes if you want to step outside of that particular social role. The feeling of an "old women's college" is still VERY much a part of the college. I wanted to volunteer at a prison with one of my friends and the Scripps administration discouraged it to the point that they almost got us suspended for wanting to do COMMUNITY SERVICE for inmates. Ridiculous!!

The academics are okay at best. It's true that there are some very challenging and stimulating classes, but most students are more focused on what they're going to drink that night or lying out in the sun then studying. There are a billion requirements and there is red tape everywhere--its not that easy to take classes at the other colleges. They make you register in person, have your advisor SIGN OFF on your classes which I think is a ridiculous policy--shouldn't we be old enough to pick our own classes without someone looking over our shoulder all the time?

As for location, LA is REALLY far away (almost 2 hours by car), although the mountains are close which is great. Claremont is a sleepy and very picturesque and friendly city, but I was so over it by the end of my sophomore year. It can feel extremely claustrophobic and trust me when I say that the 5C's are NOT NOT NOT one big happy family. THere are stigmas attached to Scripps students and most girls at the other colleges are very hostile towards Scrippsies and resent the girls for "stealing" their boys. It begins to feel like high school very quickly.

The 5Cs put together also feel sort of small surprisingly. Its a stifling environment. The resources are also not as vast as the administration would like you to believe--I wanted to major in Middle Eastern History and there was exactly ONE professor who taught that subject at all 5 of the colleges combined (he was at CMC) who left after his first year of teaching, so I was forced to change majors from history to art history.

However, the girls were overwhelmingly friendly and welcoming. But be warned--those are the friends you will be stuck with for 4 years straight, and if you don't find your group at Scripps you'll be screwed (there are only 995 of us!), not nearly enough to offer a vast array of social options. Scripps certainly isn't for everyone. I would tell anyone who wants independence, a stimulating environment, and the opportunity to meet all sorts of people in college to avoid Scripps. Scripps is a bubble to a T, without a large alumni network and a dwindling endowment with red tape everywhere.

Think long and hard before coming here! I would personally rather be at a larger and more exciting college with a more vibrant and varied social & academic life. To me, college should be about exploring new avenues--not repeating high school. I'm staying here because of the friends I've made, but all in all, Scripps is nothing special and is DEFINITELY not worth 55K a year. Sun, 31 May 2009 08:32:42 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html I absolutely love this school. I'm only a freshman, but Scripps really is the best of both worlds- small, intimate, women's/liberal arts college with all the benefits of a large, coed university. I ca... Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:13:03 GMT StudentsReview 191-55860 191-55860 191 52 Undecided Female Undergraduate Class 2012 1st Year Positive I absolutely love this school. I'm only a freshman, but Scripps really is the best of both worlds- small, intimate, women's/liberal arts college with all the benefits of a large, coed university. I can meet people from the other colleges of the consortium by going to their dining halls, parties, clubs, classes, and extracurriculars. Another reason I love it is the accessibility- everything is pretty close to each other, so I'm not taking a bus or running to classes or anything. Students here are definitely not limited in any respect, as the faculty make themselves very available, even the dean of students encourages students to meet with her. You can petition to join classes or do whatever you want very easily. The women's college aspect is pretty subtle to me. I still hang out with guys from the other colleges, but I have a very tight-knit group of girlfriends who I feel like I've known forever. The college really bolsters the women's college part, which I think supports a community among the students. The academics are challenging- I've written more papers and read more texts in one semester than I feel like I did in one year of my challenging, private high school. It is definitely manageable, though, especially since my classes are so interesting and the professors make themselves available. Class sizes are small and it's really easy to contact your professor if you need help with anything. The social life (in terms of partying) on Scripps campus is not very existent, aside from the friends you make there. We mostly just go to the other colleges since partying is more publicly acceptable there. I have no qualm with this, though, since I can come back to my nice, clean, quiet dorm, or if I don't feel like going out, I'm not inundated with noise.
I am actually surprised when I hear that a student is unhappy here (even though it happens at every school). I think if, for any reason, it would be because they are homesick, can't handle the work, or are not putting themselves out there. However, this is just my experience- I did intensive research before applying and loved Scripps even before I enrolled, so it was kind of expected that I would love it here. Comparing my experience with those of my friends at other schools, I definitely would not prefer to be anywhere else. Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:13:03 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html I transferred to Scripps from a huge UC school. I can really appreciate that I am not a number going through a factory at Scripps. My advisor is like my second mom, people are incredibly friendly and ... Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:05:00 GMT StudentsReview 191-53579 191-53579 191 6 Biology Female Undergraduate Class 2010 2nd Year Neutral I transferred to Scripps from a huge UC school. I can really appreciate that I am not a number going through a factory at Scripps. My advisor is like my second mom, people are incredibly friendly and not so cutthroat-competitive. The campus is gorgeous and I always feel at home. I'm self-designing my own major and doing pre-med, involved in student government, have started two clubs, and am involved in the outdoors club at Pomona and Scripps has allowed me to do everything I've wanted. It's a great place and the resources are incredible! Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:05:00 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html This is a great school. Most people tend to go here despite it being an all girls' school. Also, there are 4 other colleges in the consortium in which we can take classes, go to their dining halls, ... Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:43:37 GMT StudentsReview 191-45257 191-45257 191 38 Psychology Female Undergraduate Class 2008 4th Year Neutral This is a great school. Most people tend to go here despite it being an all girls' school. Also, there are 4 other colleges in the consortium in which we can take classes, go to their dining halls, etc. So Scripps doesn't seem too much like an all girls school. The consortium recruits a nice mix of personalities and provides a bit more of a "big school" feel even though classes are small and the we receive a good deal of individual attention. The campuses are all gorgeous and unique. I highly recommend Scripps (or the other 5 colleges -Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer and Harvey Mudd). Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:43:37 GMT http://www.studentsreview.com/CA/SRC_comments.html