Occidental College

It's no accident that Occidental College is a liberal arts school. With more than 1,800 students, an average class size of 15, and a 10-to-1 student-faculty ratio, the school offers a hands-on approach to higher education . Its campus, located in Eagle Rock, is surrounded by the metropolis of Los Angeles. The college offers 30 majors, nine of which are interdisciplinary. Occidental students can also take classes at Caltech or Art Center and earn joint degrees at Columbia University, Keck Graduate Institute, and Caltech. The college was founded as a religious college in 1887 but hasn't been affiliated with any religion since 1910.