How to get into Occidental College
How to get into Occidental: the Eagle Rock LAC where the Diplomacy and World Affairs major, the UN Internship, and the binding-ED bump drive the admit math
44.2%
Acceptance rate
$66,274
In-state cost
What makes Occidental College admissions different
Occidental College is a private liberal arts college (~1,900 undergrads) in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles. Oxy is permanently test-optional, runs binding Early Decision I (Nov 15), ED II (Jan 10), plus Regular Decision (Jan 10), and is best known for the Diplomacy and World Affairs (DWA) major (which includes a guaranteed UN Internship semester in New York for qualifying juniors), the Cognitive Science program, the Kahane United Nations Program, and the Urban and Environmental Policy (UEP) major.
What an actually competitive application looks like
- 1.
Apply via Common App by Nov 15 (ED I), Jan 10 (ED II or RD). ED at Oxy is a meaningful admit-rate bump and ED commits a substantial share of the class.
- 2.
Write the Oxy supplement with reference to a specific program — DWA, UEP, Cog Sci, the Kahane UN Program, or the open-curriculum cluster system. Generic 'small LA LAC' essays read as boilerplate.
- 3.
Schedule an optional interview through the Oxy portal. Interviews are conducted virtually by alumni and admissions staff.
- 4.
Decide on test submission. Oxy is permanently test-optional; submitters tend to have scores at or above SAT 1340 / ACT 30.
- 5.
Apply for the Trustee, Presidential, and Oxy Promise scholarship tiers — Oxy's merit aid is widely awarded.
Common mistakes that hurt applicants here
- ✕
Treating Oxy as a UCLA backup. Oxy is a different kind of school — small, residential, urban-LA, with a distinct curriculum.
- ✕
Skipping the DWA engagement in the supplement. The major and the UN Internship are the school's most distinctive features.
- ✕
Applying RD when Oxy is the clear top choice. ED I and ED II both run higher admit rates.
The specifics for Occidental College
Application deadlines
- Early Decision INovember 15, 2025Binding
- Early Decision IIJanuary 10, 2026Binding
- Regular DecisionJanuary 10, 2026
Supplemental essay prompts
- Why Occidental?250 words · Read for engagement with specific programs (DWA, UEP, Cog Sci, Kahane UN Program, open curriculum).
What makes this admissions process distinctive
Diplomacy and World Affairs (DWA) ↗
Distinctive interdisciplinary major in international relations, with a guaranteed UN Internship semester in New York for qualifying juniors through the Kahane United Nations Program.
Urban and Environmental Policy (UEP)
One of the leading undergraduate urban-policy programs in the country, with a strong LA-area research and engagement footprint.
Eagle Rock LA setting
Small residential LAC inside Los Angeles city limits — combines a quiet hillside campus with full LA cultural, research, and internship access.
Notable scholarships at Occidental College
Trustee and Presidential Scholarships
Named merit tiers awarded to admits based on academic profile through the standard application.
Oxy Promise
Need-based aid commitment meeting demonstrated financial need for admitted students.
What graduates actually do
Occidental, a small liberal arts college in Los Angeles, has produced a U.S. President (Barack Obama attended his first two years there), influential journalists, scientists, and Hollywood writers and directors. The college's strengths in international relations, the arts, and the sciences feed graduate programs and L.A.'s creative industries.
Notable alumni
- Barack Obama — 44th U.S. President (attended)
- Terry Gilliam — Filmmaker (Monty Python)
- Ben Affleck — Actor and director (briefly attended)
- Robinson Jeffers — Poet
- Jack Kemp — U.S. Congressman, vice presidential candidate
Transfer pathway
Occidental admits a small number of transfer students each fall. Applicants submit college transcripts, the high school record, two recommendations, and the Common App Transfer Application. At least four semesters must be completed at Oxy, and the college articulates course-by-course with California community colleges via ASSIST.org.
Articulation partners
Pasadena City College · Glendale Community College · Santa Monica College
Specifics verified 2026-05-18 from the school's own admissions page + Common App. Always confirm current-year details directly on the school site before applying.
If you're on the bubble
Oxy rewards applicants who write a DWA- or UEP-specific supplement, interview when offered, and apply ED when honest. Merit aid is widely awarded — most admits receive a named scholarship at admit — and the school's net price for middle-income California families is competitive with the UC system after merit aid.
Next steps
Last updated: November 2025. Acceptance rate and cost data refreshed nightly from college reporting.