What a friend would tell you
What Pepperdine is looking for
Pepperdine uses RD only, so your application gets one shot. The faith question matters: Pepperdine is Church of Christ-affiliated, and while they welcome all faiths, applicants who engage thoughtfully with the school's Christian mission do well. Show that Malibu is a deliberate choice and connect to specific programs (the Graziadio Business School pipeline, international programs in Lausanne or Buenos Aires).
What students wish they'd known
Malibu is beautiful but functionally isolated. There is no college town, no walkable dining or nightlife, and getting anywhere requires a car on PCH. The Church of Christ culture shapes campus policies (mandatory chapel attendance, conservative social norms) in ways that surprise some students. The cost of attendance is high and financial aid is not as generous as peer private universities. The beach-and-Bible stereotype has some truth.
Pepperdine might be a fit if...
- You want a gorgeous Southern California campus where Christian values and academic rigor coexist without conflict
- You're pre-business or pre-law and want LA-market career access from a school smaller than USC or UCLA
- You're comfortable with faith-integrated campus life and find the ocean-view isolation appealing rather than limiting
Pepperdine Admissions Strategy
Application Info
Plans: ED, EA, RD
Deadlines: ED November 1 · EA November 1 · RD January 15
Deadlines: ED November 1 · 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
Recommended
Yield Rate
30%
Only 30% 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 Pepperdine, 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 Pepperdine
$66,000
Sticker Price
$10,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-blind admissions. Meets need: Limited. 64% receive financial aid.
What you get for it: Pepperdine spends about $25,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, roughly 2x the $15K national average. You see it in class sizes, faculty access, and research budgets.
What Pepperdine Graduates Get
$63,000
Avg Starting Salary
88%
Employed or in Grad School
75%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (83%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
Pepperdine Campus & Culture
The Campus
Pepperdine's 830-acre campus rises from the Pacific Coast Highway into the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu, California, with ocean views from nearly every building. The Joslyn Plaza and Stauffer Chapel anchor the hilltop core. Spanish Colonial architecture in white stucco and red tile sits against chaparral hillsides. The campus is stunning but isolated along PCH; downtown LA is a 45-minute drive in good traffic (rarely good traffic).
The Social Scene
Malibu beach location is the social center; Southern California access; Church of Christ culture present
Pepperdine Traditions & Trivia
Songfest
Since 1973, student groups each perform a 12-minute original song and dance set in Pepperdine's biggest student tradition, a Malibu showcase where costumes, choreography, and campus pride all compete at once.
Step Forward Day
Every fall since 1988, the entire university community walks off campus together for a day of community service.
Finals Breakfast
The Sunday before finals, Seaver students line up at midnight for breakfast served by faculty and staff, with Christmas decorations up and holiday karaoke running.
Academics at Pepperdine
What Pepperdine is known for
Malibu location, Church of Christ values, California access, media/entertainment
Most popular majors at Pepperdine
Standout programs
Business, communications, finance, economics, pre-law
How the curriculum works
School-based (Business, Communications, School of Public Policy); Christian core
Recommended high school courses
4 English, 3-4 Math, 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language
Notable Pepperdine Alumni
Ken Starr
Independent counsel in the Clinton investigation, Pepperdine Law School dean
Craig Ferguson
Late-night TV host, studied at Pepperdine
Kirk Cameron
Actor (Growing Pains), attended Pepperdine
Candace Cameron Bure
Actress and producer, Pepperdine connection
If you like Pepperdine, also consider
University of Southern California
larger LA private with more urban access and stronger brand
Loyola Marymount University
Catholic LA alternative with Westchester location
Santa Clara University
Jesuit California school with Silicon Valley access
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
similar faith-affiliated private with Dallas urban access
Brigham Young University
faith-centered alternative at a fraction of the cost