Pepperdine University Top Questions

I wish I would have known that it was impossible to work on campus being an International student. I tried applying multiple times to jobs on campus, and I have been rejected continuously because I do not have a social security number or work permit. It is extremely stressful and sad that I am unable to work in the university.

I wish I knew how challenging it can be at time when it comes to balancing social life and academics.

Understanding the importance of being mentally prepared for the challenges that await you while living independent from your immediate family.

I wish I had known how difficult it is to graduate in four years without coming in with credits; Pepperdine has so many General Education requirements you spend most of your first two years getting those out of the way before you get to the classes you're actually interested in.

That greek life mostly dominates the social scene on campus. That said, it is not a problem to make friends outside the greek system but it will still play a large factor in who you socialize with. Also, the academic standards are much higher than I expected going in to it. It was definitely an adjustment from the relaxed expectations of high school.

I wish I had known to bring a car! I had no idea how spread out Malibu is, and the hills only add to the impracticality of walking to the stores. Even walking around campus can be a workout, because there are steep stairs all over campus. This is great for avoiding the freshman 15, but bring comfortable shoes. Leave your heels at home ladies, because mine just take up space under my bed in my dorm.

I wish I had known that the moral climate was so unlike what I expected from a Christian campus.

Did you know that actually going to lectures is important? Now I'm not saying I'm such a slacker I didn't go at all, I went to the classes one third of the semester! However, the last third, I... um... missed a few classes. The night before my final, which was solely on the eleven lectures that I skipped, as I was cramming all the information from 800 BC to 1400 AD into my exhausted brain. I decided, if I fail this final, it doesn't mean I learned nothing, at least I learned to go to class.

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I wish that I knew that it was very conservative without much diversity.