What a friend would tell you
What LMU is looking for
LMU cares about service orientation and community, consistent with its Jesuit mission. Applications that show a pattern of serving others (not just padding hours) and connecting your goals to LMU's emphasis on social justice and ethical leadership resonate. Film and business applicants should demonstrate industry awareness specific to LA, not generic career ambition.
What students wish they'd known
Westchester is suburban and disconnected from LA's cultural centers; without a car, you are stuck on campus or dependent on unreliable transit. The sticker price is over $60K, and while merit aid exists, the financial aid office has a mixed reputation. Campus social life can feel thin on weekends as students scatter across LA. The Jesuit identity is but soft, which disappoints both devout Catholics and secular students who expected more edge.
LMU might be a fit if...
- You want a Jesuit education with ocean views, a strong film program, and LA internship access
- You are drawn to service and ethical leadership as more than resume items
- You want a mid-size school (9,200) where you will not be a number but also will not know everyone
LMU Admissions Strategy
Application Info
Plans: EA, RD
Deadlines: EA November 1 · RD January 15
Deadlines: EA November 1 · RD January 15
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Not Tracked
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Not offered
Yield Rate
26%
Only 26% of admits choose to enroll. The waitlist moves more than you'd think; if you land on it, make your interest loud.
Want the strongest possible application to LMU, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at LMU
$69,000
Sticker Price
$25,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-blind admissions. Meets 100% of demonstrated need. 75% receive financial aid.
For context: LMU spends about $15,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, right around the $15K national average.
What LMU Graduates Get
$51,000
Avg Starting Salary
87%
Employed or in Grad School
68%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (79%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
LMU Campus & Culture
The Campus
LMU's 142-acre bluff campus in Westchester overlooks Playa Vista and the Pacific Ocean, with clear-day views stretching from Catalina Island to the Santa Monica Mountains. Mediterranean Revival buildings in cream stucco and red tile cluster around the Sacred Heart Chapel and Sunken Garden. The campus sits three miles from the beach and adjacent to Silicon Beach's tech corridor.
The Social Scene
LA-focused; commuter-friendly; diverse; socially aware; less residential cohesion
LMU Traditions & Trivia
Na Kolea Lu'au
LMU's Hawaii heritage student club has brought Hawaiian culture to the bluff for more than 40 years with an annual lu'au open to the whole campus.
Christmas Tree Lighting
Every December, students and the broader community gather to light up the campus from end to end, kicking off the holiday season.
Academics at LMU
What LMU is known for
LA location; Jesuit values; film/media program; diverse student body; strong social justice focus
Most popular majors at LMU
Standout programs
Business, Communications, Film/Media, Biology, Psychology
How the curriculum works
Jesuit core (ethics, service); strong film/media program; liberal arts emphasis
Recommended high school courses
AP/IB in English, history, sciences, math
Notable LMU Alumni
Mark Harmon
NCIS lead for 20 seasons, LMU football and theater
Bob Barker
Longtime Price Is Right host, attended but did not graduate
Busy Philipps
Actress in Freaks and Geeks and Cougar Town, LMU graduate
Colin Hanks
Actor and director, LMU theater program
If you like LMU, also consider
University of San Diego
Fellow Southern California Catholic university with similar beach proximity
Santa Clara University
Jesuit peer in Silicon Valley with stronger tech placement
Pepperdine University
Malibu location, similar values-driven culture, more conservative
University of Southern California
Larger LA private with stronger brand and alumni network
Chapman University
Orange County private with comparable film program