OVERVIEW

Claremont McKenna College is a private liberal arts college with an enrollment of about 1,300 undergraduate students and around 20 postgraguate students. It is a member of the Claremont Colleges, and become co-educational in 1976. Before the establishment of the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance, the college was an undergraduate institution.

Claremont McKenna College wad founded in 1946 as Claremont Men’s College with the mission to foster leadership in its students, many of who were firstly war veterans, in the field of government, international affairs, and economics. It become a coeducational institution in 1976, and was renamed after a founding trustee, Donald McKenna in 1981. It has a small, 69-acre campus located 35 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles.

CMC offers degrees in bachelor’s and master’s program. It is a member of the Claremont University Consortium, a group of 7 colleges or universities cooperating to provide students with a wide range of classes. Within the group, CMC emphasizes more on economics, government, and international relations. CMC offers 32 undergraduate degrees, and one master’s degree program in finance.

The mission of Claremont McKenna College is:

Claremont McKenna College is a highly selective, independent, coeducational, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college. Its mission, within the mutually supportive framework of The Claremont Colleges, is to educate its students for thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions, and to support faculty and student scholarship that contribute to intellectual vitality and the understanding of public policy issues. The College pursues this mission by providing a liberal arts education that emphasizes economics and political science, a professoriate that is dedicated to effective undergraduate teaching, a close student-teacher relationship that fosters critical inquiry, an active residential and intellectual environment that promotes responsible citizenship, and a program of research institutes and scholarly support that makes possible a faculty of teacher-scholars.

ACCREDITATION

Claremont McKenna College has been accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities since 1949.

ACADEMICS

CMC has 12 academic departments:

• Government
• History
• W.M. Keck Science Department
• Literature
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Military Science
• Modern Language and Literature
• Philosophy
• Physical Education and Intercollegiate Athletics
• Psychology
• Religious Studies
• The Robert Day School of Economics and Finance

The most popular majors and course of study for students are as follows:

1. Economics
2. Political Science and Government
3. International Relations and Affairs
4. Psychology
5. History

In the 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings of liberal arts colleges, Claremont McKenna College was ranked No.9.

In addition to their major, students at CMC must complete calculus, two science courses, two humanities courses and three social courses. Besides, they are required to pass a proficiency test or complete three semesters on a foreign language. All students must complete a senor thesis which can lasts for one semester, or two semesters if they want to receive departmental honors.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The admission at CMC is quite selective, with an admission rate of about 14 percent. Minimum high school requirements include four years of English, three years of mathematics, at least three years of a foreign language, two years of science, and one year of history. Applicants are judged based on essays, letters of recommendation, standard test scores and extracurricular activities.

COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID

The tuitions and fees for the 2011-2012 academic year is USD 42,240. The room and board fee is USD 13,625 or higher.

In 2008, CMC adopted a No-Packaged Loan policy for all incoming students, which replaced loans with scholarships and grants. At CMC, about 45.3 percent full time students receive financial aids, and the average need-based grant award or scholarship is USD 30,891.