Founded in 1861, Chapman University. is a Private college. Located in California, which is a city setting in California, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 6,410 full time undergraduate students, and 2,132 full time graduate students.
The Chapman University Academic calendar runs on a Four-one-four plan basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 14:1. There are 458 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Chapman University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
54%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
70
SAT Range
1110-1300
ACT Range
25-30
Admissions at are considered Selective, with ,48% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 12 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
99% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 91% were in the top quarter, and 49% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Chapman University.
136 Students rated on-campus housing 3.5 stars. 14 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
117 Students rated off-campus housing 3.1 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
148 Students rated campus food 3.4 stars. 18 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
153 Students rated campus facilities 4.4 stars. 57 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
153 Students rated class size 4.6 stars. 65 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
153 Students rated school activities 3.8 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
153 Students rated local services 4 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
152 Students rated academics 3.9 stars. 28 % gave the school a 5.0.
Chapman University REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Chapman University?
57 Students rated Chapman University
Alexis
Chapman University is a diamond in the rough. It is a private university in Orange, CA, and is known to have one of the most beautiful campuses. Our residential halls have more space and benefits than most, given that there are no communal bathrooms and each room comes with A/C and heating. The academic program can be as hard or easy as you want it to be; if you challenge yourself, there are a lot of resources, opportunities, and professors that will be there to help you the whole way. I am very into music and the performing arts, and both programs are very strong. The Dodge college of film is probably what Chapman is most known for, but their business and accounting programs are also very highly regarded. They are generous with merit aid, and you will not regret applying.
Khysner Ghien
When I first began my research for life after high school, I had no idea what I wanted. I knew that college was an option but I didn’t know what that quite meant for me. It wasn’t until I stumbled across an article about the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts that I developed a vision for who and what I wanted to become. The article had a photo of a girl standing in front of a camera and a huge team of like-minded people around her with big smiles on their faces emulating support and awe of one another. Looking at that image, I imagined myself among them and knew I would belong. From then on, I discovered more about Chapman University and resonated strongly with the values the institution upholds. Knowing myself well and what I’m capable of accomplishing, Chapman offers a learning environment and community where I am confident I will flourish. It’s a place where the resources provided will foster and nurture my ambition and dreams into one day becoming a fruitful reality.
Calliope
I love Chapman University. Although there are always things to improve upon, I believe that the university has done a very good job overall.
I am religious and an artist, so I don't drink or smoke, and I have found a good group of friends outside of class who are the same. We have active political, philosophical, educational, and artistic discussions, work together to help each other with homework and projects, and always create music together.
The professors are very helpful, and will always help when asked. They are fairly unbiased, and are willing to rethink things or discuss subjects with you.
The campus itself is beautiful, with clean dorms, nice shops and parks nearby.
Leslie
I'm amazed by how small the classes are. One of my classes has 9 people, two have 16, largest class is 22. Every professor knows every student well and by name. The buildings are all really nice. Dorms aren't luxury but really aren't bad and you have your own bathroom in room.
Shelby
The school itself is very pretty and clean, and the staff are very helpful too. Students are cool people. The campus food is pretty good, I recommend getting tater tots. The nearby stores are expensive, but offer some pretty cool things to sell. The restaurants around are delicious.
Sydney
Chapman has a beautiful campus. The school is fairly small so you get to know your professors and classmates. There is plenty to do on campus, but not much happening in the surrounding area. The academics aren't too challenging and many of the students don't seem very interested in in-depth study. In the end, I did chose to transfer to another school.
Brianne
Overall, I find Chapman a great place for someone that wants to pursue higher education. The most significant word I would use to describe Chapman is: community. I think that even though Chapman is a private university and a small campus, it really invites its students to get involved and maximize their experience as a college student. I would recommend anyone to attend this university!
Kaia
I love the school. It's easy to find your community as there are opportunities to be involved in a wide variety of things. The student population could use more diversity, however. Greek life is a big part of the student culture but you can absolutely still have fun without being apart of it. Chapman does love to party, if that scene isn't for you, I wouldn't recommend this school.
Hen
There's a so called historian who teaches classes there. He's a fraud, he's not who he says he is and he's fake. His name is Douglas Westfall. He has a lien on his house, his business is failing, he's taking advantage of his disabled wife. He's using my daughter as a dependent on his taxes to pay off his debts. He filed a bogus guardianship against my daughter's mother and I because he doesn't want to let us be her parents.
He's a piece of dog s***! What person do you know would use somebody else's child for tax credit? He's alienating us and he needs to be stopped
Jenny
Thought this would be an awesome place but it was not. The beautiful main part of campus is all a facade. Administration and housing does not care about students like a private school should. The dorm apartments are atrociously bad, like low-income housing, dirty and old. If you have any issues with housing, it falls on deaf ears, you are not allowed to transfer, they do everything they can to wait till you give up and suffer on your own. The RAs and RDs are there just for the free housing, they are incompetent. This year, they didn't tell students that they were 60 rooms short in the dorms. They didn't tell them until 3 weeks before the start of school! So everyone is scrambling to find a place off campus to live. Again, they don't care. Class registration is terrible, classes become full. I know many unhappy students and many who have left or are planning to leave. The immaculate campus is a head-fake. This school is too small, it's like a fishbowl, high school all over again. And it's not diverse. Sure, there is diversity, but these are mainly SoCal people and they hang with their own. You will see diversity but there is no mixing of the students. It's a very white college and not worth the money at all. If you are white and can join Greek, you'll have fun. I am white, but not interested in Greek. Therefore, I am looking to leave.
Erandi
My first year at Chapman was a very good experience. Although there isn't much diversity within the students, everyone is very kind and Chapman provides a positive, safe, and healthy environment to learn and live in. The teachers are all very accessible, and the small class sizes also allows one to excel further in the class. The facilities themselves are very nice and new, very clean as well. Chapman provides many ways to get involved outside of normal lectures, and these extracurriculars provide chances to meet new people. The area around Chapman is also very nice. Most of the area surrounding the campus is neighboorhoods, with close stores and food places to accomodate a student's needs. Overall, Chapman University provides a great college experience.
Cindy
Chapman University is a beautiful campus. Students get to study or take a break at Starbucks or in the Student Lounge and watch TV. Professors are easily accessible and just need to email them or drop in during office hours and professors will happily help the student.
Danielle
Chapman University is a wonderful school where everyone is extremely supportive, friendly, and encouraging. They care about every single one of their students and will even give them more individualized care when needed as long as you speak up. Great opportunities and a wonderful environment. If I had to choose again, I would choose Chapman.
Mike
I tell my friends that I can't whine too much about my college experience because my high school experience was so great.
Which is to say, I merely bore my time at Chapman.
I chose that school because they offered me the best scholarship out of the three places I'd applied (a total rookie mistake. apply to tons of schools, folks!). I lived at home to save money. I initially went for their creative writing program, but, as many students do, I switched majors.
As a sociology student, someone deeply concerned about the unfolding war in Iraq (this was 2004), and generally as a lower-middle class leftist kid, Chapman was a horrible place to be. Not for their professors, who were generally excellent (Paul Apodaca in particular was a transformative figure for me). If you go to Chapman to keep your head down, study and get a degree, then, well, more power to you. But the culture at Chapman during my time there (2003-2007) was the scrum of entitled, wealthy white kids, folks who attended the right-wing law school in this quiet ring-wing town so they could join Daddy's Law Firm and dump on the rest of us poors in the meantime. Jim Doti, the president at the time, seemed more interested in chumming up with Governor Schwarzenegger (which he did, constantly) than with addressing student concerns of flagrant on-campus racism or the construction of needless facilities. I know they have a great law school, and I know they have a great film school, and I wish I knew in 2003 that I would one day be a filmmaker because that would have helped a lot. But my tiny island of sociology students and professors were the only refuge I found from the godawful broeyness and Orange County entitlement there.
Then, I did my student thesis on student loan debt, and found that my whole generation was getting screwed and that Education As Profit Opportunity was flat-out wrong. My exclusive private school was a perfect example of the worst of it.
Go to UCI instead.
Annika
Chapman University provides many resources for their students while attending college, and for those who graduate. At the career center we can get help writing resumes, cover letters, and they even offer to take professional pictures for our Linkedin. The classes challenge you in a good way to be outstanding in the career in our choice. The one thing Chapman should work on is diversity. Chapman claims they are very diverse, and while there are students of different backgrounds and ethnicities, it's still a predominantly while school and you sense that as a student going to school everyday. Other than that however, most of the students who attend are very nice and welcoming. About half of the student body are involved in Greek Life but there's no hazing and everyone gets along for the most part.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Chapman University is 54%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
Visit colleges before you decide to go there. Make sure you know what you are getting into, the numbers definately lie. the diveristy rate on paper is much higher here that it actually is on campus. The university is very expensive and they are planning to increase tuition every year, stongly consider spending so much money and getting in debt and making sure its worth it.
My classmates definitely come from all over the place; typically the first question asked is "where are you from" and I've heard from local to out of state such as Arizona, Nevada, and the East Coast and out of the country, especially from Europe, Africa and Asia.
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
What's unique about my school is that there is a lot of student involvment in clubs and organizations on campus. Majority of my friends are in at least one club/organization. What students here find is that many of the clubs offer great connections and makebring different perspectives and experiences. So many upper classemen find that they have found a strong passion that coincides with a club here (or they create one) and really become involved in it. Often times, when students graduate they take what they did at Chapman and use it throughout life.
I love my classes at Chapman. Almost all my professors know my name. My professors are ALWAYS willing to help and create extra office hours for my individual needs. I have had professors that have hosted outside of the classroom events and other events that go above and beyond the expected outreach from a professor.
Most students study every day. However, the students definitely create their own social lives outside the classroom. Being social and academics are both have important to the students at Chapman.
My favorite class I have taken at Chapman was my human nutrition class. The professor strongly believed that her classroom was just as much ours as it was hers. She was very interactive with her students and connected on a personal level to each and every student. Her main goal was for us to truly understand how human nutrition works and to be able to apply our knowledge to change our life style. She definitely made an impact on my view of human health.
I think the students at Chapman are very driven. They are competitive in a health manner, but not so competitive that you feel as though you are fighting against each other. There is a common understanding among the students that education is very important and that we all must help each other to improve each others learning.
Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
Chapman University is the ideal school for the student who is driven, goal-oriented, and who strives to do well by providing students with all of the necessary tools and opportunities for them to use in order to determine their success.
What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?
While the smaller campus size is very ideal in many aspects (student to faculty ratio, class size, stronger relationships within your major field), it can be frustrating when there is a lack of school spirit, not as many events offered as in other schools, and knowing or recognizing most of the student population. Coming from a large high school, Chapman sometimes feels a bit too small when having an urge to a large football game or weekend events for example.
The academic environment is very supportive and there are many people willing to hlep you with your course work as well as plan out your career paths. This is important because social support really improves a student's menatality and knowing that there are teachers and advisors that care and help you plan out what you want to do while in college and after you graduate is really motivating.
What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?
The stereotypes of Chapman University are probably rich spoiled white kids. I would have to disagree with this, although there may be some people who fit in with this stereotype it is a small amount of people. Many people at Chapman are on scholarships or financial aid. I would have to agree that the majority of Chapman's students are white, not much diversity, but it is getting better. Another thing is almost everyone is super friendly at Chapman, especially within the first couple weeks of class. The classes are mostly close-kint allowing for classes too be more fun.
A person who is secure enough in their individuality to live in an area of the country that worships conformity. The school itself is good, though, if you can get past the location.
What are the most popular student activities/groups?
I was pretty shy in high school, so I was a little worried about college. Fortunately, Chapman helped me to become a lot more social. I met my closest friends through Greek Life. Sometimes it'd be at parties, but other times it would be at barbeques and philanthropy events. Greek life has a large presence on campus, but it is definitely not the only way to make friends. I think we are looked at as a positive force on campus, we have fun but we aren't all crazy partiers.
Some of our sporting events are under-attended, but others, like lacrosse, are extremely popular. If I am ever awake at 2 am, it is because I am gossiping with my roommate. On the weekends, some people go to parties and others stay in. When I don't want to go out to a party, I watch movies with some friends or go out to dinner in the Circle, where there are lots of restaurants (and frozen yogurt!!!) :)
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
Registration is an extremely frustrating process. Despite Chapman being a small school you have a hard time getting the classes you need if you are not given priority registration. As a freshman I could not get the classes I wanted as we had the last registration dates and most classes were filled by this point as Chapman did not allot a certain amount of class spaces for registration each day. I was left having to take classes I was uninterested in and did not need to take and found myself wasting the first semester of college.
Chapman University is best known for its film program. It is very competitive and also has a great reputation. Chapman is also known for its high standards for academic success, which makes it a nice fit for anyone who wishes to raise his or her own personal standards in further schooling.
Chapman is a small-medium size private university located in Old Towne Orange. I personally love my school and am glad that I chose Chapman. Other than the fun and interesting teachers and classes I have had within my major, there are two main things that have made Chapman the best place for me. The first thing is the size. Chapman has really small classes, similar in size to most of my high school classes. This made it really easy for me to get to know my teachers. They know who I am and what I am interested in and have a genuine interest in what I want to accomplish in my career. Also, it is small enough so that I know a lot of people on campus, but large enough so I still meet new interesting people everyday. Its size also encourages students to get involved in campus life, something that is very fun for all students. The second thing that makes Chapman amazing in my eyes is its location. We are in Southern California so we have very nice weather all year long. We get the excitement of Los Angeles and opportunities to get jobs and internships there. We are close the beach and close to the desert and mountains for weekend trips. I also found that there are a lot of companies that are looking for interns in the surrounding area. I loved being able to have an internship in beautiful Newport Beach last semester.
My favorite part about living in California is the weather. It might be 30 degrees and snowing somewhere else in the country, but in SoCal, it's 75 and breezy.
I love the days where I have a short class, and follow it with a day tanning. We have two beautiful pools at Chapman, and you can always find students lying in the sun or hanging out with their friends. It is extremely relaxing, and I feel like I am in paradise.
Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?
To some extent. A large portion of students are Caucasian, and some people are really wealthy. That doesn't really mean a lot when you are actually going to the school. I think that at any school, you will meet people who are really rich and people who are barely getting by. I have found that students are too busy trying to get internships and to do well in class to care about who looks like what and who drives what.
What is the stereotype of students at your school?
We are all rich white kids who spend our days lounging in the sun on giant yachts in New Port beach. We all drive BMW's, get spray tans and all of our moms have fake boobs. Our lives are the same as the Housewives of Orange County and we spend hours a day at the mall shopping.
It is impossible to find a school in this world where every professor is amazing, but Chapman comes pretty close. I can honestly say that every one of my professors cares about my education and my future. The majority of my teachers know me by name, and are comfortable enough to say hello to me as they pass me walking around campus.
Every one of my professors encourages their students to visit them in their office hours if they have questions. I have e-mailed almost all of my professors throughout my Chapman career and have received quick, helpful responses.
However, you are bound to run into a few of Chapman's professors that are not top notch. Some have confusing accents, and some just base their lectures off of boring presentations. Some do not know how to spice up their daily lectures, and one or two might never call you by the right name. But either way, they are all happy to talk to you outside of class and help you on that paper you cannot seem to finish. Chapman is full of amazing professors who truly care about their jobs and their students, and this is a rare thing in colleges around America.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
87% of students attending Chapman University receive some sort of financial aid.
15% were awarded federal grants.59%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.