Sure, everyone knows about UCLA and USC, but did you realize just how many incredible universities are tucked away in Los Angeles? From large public research institutions to small liberal arts colleges, LA has it all for your student’s higher education. If you’re helping a group of high schoolers explore their college options in the City of Angels, let PartyBus.com be your guide. We’ll handle organizing comfortable group transportation while you focus on checking out each campus.
Whether your group is traveling from across town or across the country, we’ve got the perfect bus rental in Los Angeles to keep everyone together. Just give us a call at 877-563-2133 and let our reservation team start planning your Los Angeles college tour today!
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
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Address: 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Phone: (310) 825-4321
Let’s start with one of the biggest names in LA – the prestigious University of California, Los Angeles. This public research university has been a pillar of higher education in Southern California since 1919. Ranked among the best public universities in the nation, UCLA pulls in over 100,000 applications each year from students vying for around 6,000 freshman spots.
UCLA is especially well-known for its programs in engineering, theater and performing arts, business and STEM fields. The campus itself spans 419 acres in LA’s funky Westwood Village, giving Bruins the quintessential SoCal college experience. Between the school’s iconic structures like Royce Hall and the enormous Drake Stadium, your tour group will get a true taste of the UCLA spirit.
University of Southern California (USC)
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Address: Los Angeles, CA 90089
Phone: (213) 740-2311
Across town is USC, UCLA’s eternal rival and the oldest private research university in LA. While USC may trail UCLA’s academic ranking, it still attracts an incredibly talented student body with strengths in fields like business, engineering, communications, and cinematic arts. If your group is full of future filmmakers and media moguls, you’ll definitely want to explore USC.
The iconic campus features a classic Spanish Renaissance aesthetic with buildings comprised of carved arches, beautiful murals, and bright terra cotta tiling. Don’t miss highlights like the Doheny Library, a real-life Hogwarts aesthetic complete with a study space under a hand-painted ceiling, and the iconic Tommy Trojan statue, known as the “Modern Shrine of Ancient Virtues.”
Occidental College
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Address: 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone: (323) 259-2500
If large public or private universities seem too overwhelming, check out the small liberal arts haven of Occidental College. Located in LA’s Eagle Rock neighborhood, Occidental (known as “Oxy” to students) is considered one of the best liberal arts colleges on the West Coast. It combines a rigorous academic curriculum focused on the humanities with the benefits of an urban location just minutes from Downtown LA’s professional opportunities.
Occidental has produced an impressive roster of alumni who have achieved great heights across a variety of fields—from former President Barack Obama and award-winning writers like Ben Affleck and Terry Gross. Yet the college maintains a charming, intimate campus atmosphere with exquisitely-landscaped facilities like the Greece Millennium Arcade and Gilman Fountain at the heart of the main quad.
Pepperdine University
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Address: 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90263
Phone: (310) 506-4000
Who wouldn’t want to spend their college years in beautiful Malibu? Pepperdine University offers a beachside college experience right along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway. This private Christian university emphasizes a well-rounded liberal arts education grounded in ethics, purpose and service. Popular areas of study include psychology, business, public policy, media and creative writing.
The Malibu campus itself is breathtaking, with Mediterranean-inspired architecture, lush green lawns, and sweeping vistas of the Pacific Ocean everywhere you look. After touring the ivy-covered buildings and residential areas, your group can stop for a bite at the Oceanview Café or check out the campus’ very own private beach area at Calamigos Ranch Beach Club.
Loyola Marymount University
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Address: 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045
Phone: (310) 338-2700
Just a short drive from Los Angeles lies Loyola Marymount University. As the name implies, LMU is a private Jesuit institution that combines top academics with an emphasis on ethical values and commitment to social justice. LMU is widely considered one of the best regional universities in the West, with especially strong programs in business, communications, engineering and film/TV production.
The lovely 150-acre bluff-top campus truly makes LMU feel like a picturesque college town just minutes from downtown LA. Tour highlights include the iconic Alumni Memorial Mall flanked by towering palm trees, the ultra-modern Life Sciences Building, and the sacred Sacred Heart Chapel with its 241-foot-tall tower visible across campus.
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
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Address: 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125
Phone: (626) 395-6811
If you have a group of budding scientists, engineers or tech geniuses, Caltech needs to be at the top of your college tour list. This small yet incredibly elite private school has produced an astounding 39 Nobel Prize recipients throughout its history. Academic ranking lists consistently place Caltech among the world’s top STEM-focused research universities.
Despite the school’s rigorous focus on science and math, Caltech’s idyllic campus in Pasadena offers welcome green spaces with buildings designed in the classic Spanish Colonial Revival style. Get your group’s cameras ready for sights like the iconic Beckman Auditorium with its unique Moorish Revival bell tower or the beloved turtle pond outside Millikan Memorial Library.
University of California, Irvine (UCI)
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Address: Irvine, CA 92697
Phone: (949) 824-5011
No guide to LA’s college scene would be complete without including the coastal city of Irvine‘s crown jewel – UC Irvine. Part of the prestigious University of California network, UCI is particularly esteemed for its programs in engineering, computer science, biological sciences and its nationally-ranked medical school. The campus is located smack dab in the heart of the OC, giving ‘Anteaters’ a vibrant college town surrounded by the beach cities of Newport and Laguna Beach.
The contemporary campus has been lauded for its impressive architecture with buildings unified by smooth aluminum materials and futuristic designs. Tour highlights include the iconic Aldrich Park with its serene sculptures and walkways or the unique Anteater Sculpture, a school icon showcasing UCI’s beloved mascot scaling an oversized pen.
Start Planning Your Campus Tours in Los Angeles!
With so many incredible schools located across the LA area, your student tour group is bound to find their perfect college match. Don’t let the stress of planning group transportation ruin the excitement of finding everyone’s dream school! Let PartyBus.com handle organizing a private bus rental to shuttle everyone between campus visits. Give us a call at 877-563-2133 and we’ll make sure your only focus is on exploring the best schools Southern California has to offer.