At Claremont McKenna College, we recognize the value of parents and families during the college search process. And, while we are committed to working primarily with individual students as they negotiate their search, we understand that choices are made by weighing many factors, family dynamics among them. We hope this website will help prospective parents and families connect to information and resources important to them. In addition to the links and subjects of interest found below, we have also enlisted several members of the Claremont McKenna College Parent Network to take your emails and inquiries concerning life as a CMC parent. We hope this website will allow you to get to know CMC in a different and important way.

Getting Started: Education Focused on Preparation and Achievement

Claremont McKenna College is a highly-selective liberal arts and sciences college with a curricular emphasis in economics, government, and international relations. Located 35 miles east of Los Angeles, CMC allows students to acquire the vision, skills, and values they will need to lead society. CMC is also a member of The Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. Based on the Oxford/Cambridge model, The Claremont Colleges represent the only planned consortium in the United States, offering CMC students the diverse opportunities and resources typically only found at much larger universities. For more information on a CMC education click here

Financing a Degree: Scholarships and Need-Based Financial Aid

Claremont McKenna College coordinates a comprehensive program of merit scholarships, grants, loans, and student employment with funds from its own resources, federal and state governments, and other sources. Approximately two-thirds of CMC students receive aid to help meet their expenses. Financial aid is awarded in the form of grants, loans, student employment, or some combination of these sources. The combined aid awarded of each student is called a “package.” In 2007-2008, the average financial-aid package from all sources was $32,600. CMC's substantial endowment allows the College to be need-blind, to meet the full need of all eligible students and to be relatively generous in the way that need is met. To compare financial aid packages from last year's families to your own family’s income click here. To find out more about merit scholarships click here.

My Internship Summer: CMC Magazine Profiles Internship Program

Dream jobs do exist: The CMC magaine profiles 27 students who designed their own internships, gaining hands-on experience researching and implementing passion projects with prestigious non-profits ranging from Seeds of Peace in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Army Wounded Warriors in Washington, D.C.—all supported by CMC's Sponsored Summer Internship Program. To read the article click here.

Stepping Into Success: How CMC Students Use Their Degree

CMC students step into a future confident and well prepared. While the majority of students do go directly on to full time work, a full 75% of students return to graduate or professional school within five years of leaving  CMC. Going on to achieve success in nationally-ranked law, business, medical and PhD programs around the country and the world, many students are also awarded national prizes  such as Fulbright, Truman, and Goldwater fellowships. In addition to hosting over 175 recruiters on campus every year, the CMC Career Services Center is responsible for dispensing summer internship stipends, and working with students during their time at CMC to hone resume and cover-letter writing skills. They also set up mock interviews and work to directly connect employers and graduate school recruiters with interested students on campus. For a report on the success of last year’s graduating class click here.

Ask A Parent: Parents 1 on 1

We hope the links were informative, but we know that talking to current parents might be the most effective way to answer your questions. Members of the Claremont McKenna College Parent Network have willingly provided their direct contact information so that you can follow up on something you read about or ask some questions that have been on your mind. Please use the emails provided to contact CMC parents directly. In the subject line of your message please write: CMC PARENT QUESTION.