Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine

“That it will never come again is what makes life sweet,” wrote Emily Dickinson. She wrote of a life that is precious and prized, yet a life that gives you one change to make it memorable. That is how I would like to perceive my college education as well as future. For a college education comes once in a person’s life, and that is what makes it an experience one will treasure forever. Now, it is my pleasure to choose the kind of education that is best suited for me. What defines me as a person is my culture awareness, and my love of discovering the beauty within other countries, thus requiring the college of my choice to have a Study Abroad program that will accommodate my absolute need to explore the world around me. Another factor I am taking into consideration is the cost and financial aid available. I need to find a college that will acknowledge the AP/IB examinations, and will provide me with credits, so that my money is well utilized, and that my mother can help support my sister and I.

English: Smoke from fires near Pepperdine Universi...

Houses adjacent to the Malibu campus.

Graziadio School of Business and Management

Moreover, gaining the maximum amount of knowledge in Business (Accounting) is what I wish for, and I need a college that has a strong educational system that will provide me with such knowledge. Based on the above criteria, both Gonzaga University, in Spokane Washington, and Pepperdine University, in Malibu California, are amazing schools that I can see myself attending because of there wide range of Study Abroad programs, costs and generous acknowledgement of high school credits, and an educational system of high-merit were I am considering a major in Business/Marketing.

A wide range of Study Abroad opportunities is what I am looking to be part of my college experience. Traveling the world is my primary goal in life and I intend to begin the journey towards reaching that goal in my college years. At Gonzaga, their selection of programs is quite dismal, because my only options include the following: China, Japan, and Spain. These are the best choices from their selection within the broad of business. Other information concerning studying abroad at Gonzaga is nonexistent from the research I gathered, in the study of business, but they have many other study aboard programs for others. At Pepperdine University however, the International MBA (IMBA) program offers comprehensive real-world learning both in the classroom and overseas, where the students are provided “with the global experience essential to succeed in today's multinational organizations,” (Graziadio IMBA) in countries across Europe, Latin America and Asia, places I would much rather enjoy. This program interest me most because I love learning in an active environment that is not simply class-work but gets you out into the world to learn from experience and experimentation. The IMBA program is also interesting because it “offers the foundational courses integral to the Pepperdine MBA with a concentration of international business electives,” (IMBA) as well as the study abroad program it comes with. This is appealing to me because this program would make me more culturally rounded, as I would gain a lot of perspectives on life from the eyes of others. This is important to me because the perspectives and opinions of others is something I take to heart, as I believe that cultures should coexist peacefully. Based on the above information, Pepperdine is a better fit for me because it has numerous amounts of study-abroad programs that will provide me with cultural experience and knowledge, while at Gonzaga, the opportunities aren’t as broad.

Cost and Financial Aid is something I have to take into consideration, being that my mother has to help pay for both my sister and I in our studies, so an acknowledgement of high school credits is a necessity of a college I apply to. By the end of my high school career, I will have completed three AP exams and three IB exams, which can provide me with college credit. Both Gonzaga and Pepperdine offer credit for AP exams and IB HL courses or consider placement. The credit I do receive I will not have to pay college fees. Gonzaga offers more credit for the tests I will be completing and is more lenient on scores received than Pepperdine, making Gonzaga a better fit. Also, Pepperdine is more costly than Gonzaga, having an annual cost of $36,770, while Gonzaga has an annual cost of $28,262. Both universities both being Private schools will be more expensive than public universities or colleges. Both schools being private schools, I will need to apply for scholarships and financial aid to help pay for my tuition. Gonzaga has a generous financial aid package that “can make a top private university like Gonzaga just as affordable as a public institution” (Gonzaga Financial Aid Guide). Gonzaga has many financial aid programs and scholarships available, having both merit and need-based assistance, both that I would qualify for. On the other hand, Pepperdine offers only limited scholarships and financial aid having, “each of Pepperdine University's five schools has specific information about financial assistance,” (Pepperdine Financial Aid) not having a variety of scholarships to meet my needs. Therefore, at Gonzaga, I would utilize my money spent on testing and money spent toward tuition fees, whereas at Pepperdine I would not be as fortunate, making Gonzaga a more affordable option as it would save me a substantial amount of time and money.

A high quality education is another aspect of my college experience and most important, because I need a college that will challenge me in order for me to gain as much knowledge as possible to become successful in my career of Accounting. At Pepperdine, I can look forward to an education system that, “as an academic institution committed to excellence in teaching and learning, develops the intellectual, personal, and spiritual growth of each student” (Academic Studies at Pepperdine University). This is a good point because it tells me that at Pepperdine, I can be involved in a tranquil environment that is not solely based on competition. Of course here, I can expect an education that is one of the best in the nation in business having been rank as one of the National Universities, 54 as Americas Best Colleges 2008 in Accounting by USNews.com. Likewise, Gonzaga offers “an extremely challenging, top-notch educational experience” where “students are challenged at Gonzaga academically, intellectually, spiritually, even physically” (Gonzaga Academics). There are ample opportunities in many areas of study. Gonzaga also has a high Academic Rating from US News Ranking of Universities–Master's (West), 3. Although Pepperdine may be more prestigious, there are a lot of elements of Gonzaga that apply my interests in life.

The college that is right for me is one that provides me with an outstanding variety of Study Abroad opportunities, finance, and will immerse me in a high quality education. Although I found both Gonzaga and Pepperdine University as my top two choices, it was Gonzaga University that is the better college for me. With the wide range of study abroad programs, I would have ample opportunities to gain cultural knowledge, perspectives of the world and being my journey to reach my goal of traveling the world. Gonzaga would also award me with credit for my work from high school and help pay for my college education. Lastly, I have found that Gonzaga offers a great Business program in Accounting and opportunities for undergraduates, which elicits much excitement in me, as I love mathematics. Now that my decision has been made, all is left is to be accepted to this dream college of mine.

Works Cited"College Search." CollegeBoard. 19 May 2008 .

Fiske, Edward B. Fiske Guide to Colleges 2007. Naperville, Ill: Sourcebooks, 2007.

Franek, R., Meltzer, T., Maier, C., Olsen, E., Doherty, J., Owens, E. (2008). The Best 366Colleges 2008 Edition. Princeton Review, Inc. New York, NY.

Gonzaga University. 2008. 24 May 2008 .

“Graziadio School of Business and Management.” Pepperdine University. 24 May 2008 .

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