Claremont McKenna College

A spirit of applied intellectual ambition defines the academic life at Claremont McKenna College, where a founding mission to prepare students for "thoughtful and productive lives and responsible leadership in business, government, and the professions" empowers scholars to bridge the liberal arts and real-world impact. Rooted in a curriculum that integrates the humanities, sciences, and social sciences with hands-on leadership development, CMC's approach fuses rigorous classroom inquiry with direct engagement through eleven graduate-level research institutes and centers, the signature Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum speaker program, and a robust sponsored internship pipeline. This dynamic scholarly environment is anchored in Claremont, California—a tree-lined residential campus 30 miles east of Los Angeles and part of the prestigious seven-member Claremont Colleges consortium, modeled after Oxford University. Within this close-knit community, leadership is forged through a commitment to the Open Academy's principles of freedom of expression, viewpoint diversity, and constructive dialogue, ensuring that every student learns to navigate complexity with integrity and purpose.

Collaborative inquiry is the hallmark of the CMC experience, where the campus functions as a laboratory for undergraduate research, civic engagement, and global connectivity. Nearly 75% of students participate in faculty-led research, and more than 90% complete internships before graduation, supported by guaranteed first-summer funding for students receiving financial aid. An intimate 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensures personalized mentorship and rigorous intellectual exchange throughout the academic journey. As a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, CMC students can cross-register across five undergraduate colleges and access over 2,200 courses, combining the intimacy of a small liberal arts college with the breadth of a major research university. For international applicants, CMC is need-aware in its admissions process but committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent talented scholars from joining its residential community. Through this blend of applied learning, leadership cultivation, and residential vitality, CMC graduates emerge prepared to lead with both analytical precision and moral clarity.