Colleges in California

Whether you're looking to soak up some sun, hit the ski slopes, or just study hard, you may want to begin your college search in California. There are 293 colleges in California, 154 public and 137 private, offering a wide range of programs and majors. California has both small schools (defined as less than 2000 students) and "very large" ones (10,000 or more students) and everything in between, including community colleges, in urban and rural environments.

According to Rachel G., a student at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, "An obvious attraction of attending college is Southern California is the weather: cloudless days, low humidity, mild winters, etc. But in addition, California offers a multitude of cultural and educational benefits. I believe that California is perhaps the one state that is truly representative of the US as a whole: it has diverse people, big cities and small towns, agriculture and industry, mountains, deserts and beaches. I'm excited to take beach trips with my dorm, go to National Parks, explore Hollywood and LA's fashion district and much more. The people I've met here are friendly, diverse and interesting--one of my suitemates is from India! It's also great to live in the middle of a thriving large city, an ideal location for getting career contacts and internships. California is a vibrant place to learn and live!"

Also praising the unique opportunities California presents, Matt M., a student at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, said, "In one day, I can go skiing, surfing, and hiking in three different temperatures zones, and still have time to get a good night's rest."

For those interested in a bigger college experience, the University of California consists of ten campuses, altogether housing over 230,000 students. Each campus offers a unique educational experience, and a buzzing nightlife. The flagship campus, University of California - Berkeley, is located on the eastern side of the San Francisco bay and is one of the most-decorated schools in the country.

You can't discuss prestige without also mentioning Stanford University. This Palo-Alto, Silicon Valley technological powerhouse has bred some of the world's leading developers, and faculty and alumni have founded a number of prominent companies, including Google, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, LinkedIn, Netflix, and Yahoo! just to name a few.

Other California colleges include California State University - Fullerton, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Occidental College in Los Angeles, Pepperdine University in Malibu, San Diego State University, and many, many more.

Cappex has tons of resources for students considering a college in California, including plenty of ways to help you find and apply for scholarships. Begin by browsing the complete list of colleges and universities below.