Claremont McKenna College Claremont McKenna College ( CMC ) is a private , coeducational liberal arts college and a member of the Claremont Colleges located in Claremont , California , United States . The college is highly selective , with an admission rate of 12 . 6 % in 2012 Founded as a men ' s college in 1946 , CMC became co - educational in 1976 . Its 69 acre campus is located east of Downtown Los Angeles . The college focuses primarily on undergraduate education , but in 2007 it established the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance , which offers a masters program in finance . As of 2013 , there are 1 , 254 undergraduate students and 20 graduate students . History . Claremont McKenna College was founded in 1946 soon after World War II ended as Claremont Men ' s College . Many of its first students were war veterans attending college on the G . I . Bill . CMC was founded with the mission to foster leadership in its students in the fields of government , economics , and international affairs . The school became coeducational in 1976 and was renamed after Donald McKenna , a founding trustee , in 1981 . The name change allowed the college to keep its popular acronym , " CMC " . The college ' s motto is " " Crescit cum commercio civitas " " , or " Civilization prospers with commerce " . Organization and administration . CMC is chartered as a private , non - profit organization and is a member of the seven - institution Claremont Colleges consortium . Students can take classes at any of the member colleges , and the colleges share libraries , a bookstore , athletic facilities , and various student services . The privately appointed 40 voting member board of trustees elects a president to serve as chief executive officer of the college . Pamela Gann is CMC ' s fourth president and has served since July 1999 . The president has a senior staff of 13 vice presidents including a Dean of Students and Dean of the Faculty . On May 15 , 2012 , Gann announced she would step down from her position on June 30 , 2013 , take a year ' s leave and then return to the college as a " College Professor of Legal Studies . " Admission and Financial Aid . Admission to CMC is highly selective . CMC admitted 13 . 6 % of applicants for the 2012 - 2013 admissions term , one of the lowest acceptance rates of any college in the country . The class of 2015 has a median SAT score of 1410 ( combined critical reading and math sections ) , and 85 % of students were in the top tenth of their high school class . Tuition for the 2011 - 2012 school year is $ 42 , 240 and room and board $ 13 , 625 . CMC admits students on a need - blind basis and guarantees to meet the financial need of all its students . In 2011 , 42 % of students received need - based aid with an average financial aid package of $ 38 , 394 per student . The school gave a total of $ 20 million in financial aid . In 2008 , the college eliminated loans from its financial aid packages , meeting every student ' s demonstrated need with grants . Academics . The college , which operates on a semester system , has 12 academic departments , 10 research institutes and 32 majors , the most popular of which are economics , government , psychology , and international relations . The student to faculty ratio is 9 : 1 and 82 % of the classes have fewer than 20 students . The four year graduation rate is 84 % , and the freshman retention rate , which is an indicator of student satisfaction , is 96 % . Students must complete calculus , two science courses , two humanities courses outside of their major and three social science courses outside of their major . They must also achieve proficiency in a foreign language , which they can do by passing a proficiency test or by completing the third semester of the language . Freshmen are required to take a humanities seminar and a writing seminar . All students must complete a senior thesis , which can be either one - semester in length or , to receive departmental honors , two semesters . Students who are not on a sports team must complete three semesters of non - credit physical education classes . Claremont McKenna ' s curricular emphasis is on its social sciences , particularly economics , government , international relations , and psychology . About forty percent of CMC students major in either government or economics . CMC also offers an Oxford - style Philosophy , Politics , and Economics major . Other multi - disciplinary majors include management engineering , philosophy and public affairs , science and management , econ - accounting , biology - chemistry , and environment , economics , and politics ( EEP ) . CMC also offers the Robert A . Day 4 + 1 BA / MBA , in which students receive both their BA from Claremont McKenna and their MBA from the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University in 5 years . In September 2007 , Claremont McKenna College announced the largest gift ever to a liberal arts college – $ 200 million – donated by alum Robert A . Day ( Chairman , TCW Group ) , to create the Robert Day Scholars Program , which has both an undergraduate and graduate component . Undergraduate Scholars , representing a variety of majors , pursue courses in economics , accounting , finance , and psychology , and upon completion , have the Robert Day Scholars designation noted on their transcript . Graduate Scholars , who already enter the Program with a solid foundation in economics , accounting , finance , and organizational psychology , take one year of advanced courses in corporate finance , econometrics , investments and valuation , culminating in a Master of Arts in Finance . All Robert Day Scholars are provided significant scholarship support and participate in a variety of co - curricular activities , including networking trips and private dinners with prominent guest speakers . Instead of traditional minors , CMC offers interdisciplinary sequences in Asian - American Studies , computer science , ethics , financial economics , gender studies , human rights , genocide , and holocaust studies , leadership , and legal studies . CMC ' s science program is offered through the Joint Science Department of Claremont McKenna , Pitzer , and Scripps Colleges . The Joint Science Department offers a double year - long introductory science class to allow more flexibility than the former 3 year - long introductory biology , chemistry , and physics courses that most science majors must complete . Nearly half of CMC students study abroad . Another popular option for off - campus study is the Washington Program , in which students complete a full - time internship while taking government courses taught by CMC professors in Washington at night . " 77 % percent of CMC students attend graduate school within five years of graduation , and those who choose to go straight to the workforce average a starting salary of $ 52 , 115 . 80 % of CMC graduates applying to medical school get into their first or second choice institutions . According to a 2009 PayScale report , CMC ranked 1st among all liberal arts colleges in the nation for highest starting salary . Campus life . Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum . The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum hosts more than one hundred dinner and lecture events with speakers each year , serving as the college ' s central intellectual and social hub . Students enjoy getting to know their professors at wine and cheese receptions and formal dinners preceding lectures . The Athenaeum hosts speakers four nights a week , and also serves daily afternoon tea in its library , featuring chocolate - covered strawberries and pastries . Afternoon tea is free to students , faculty , and staff . The Athenaeum has hosted such speakers as former President Bill Clinton , Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa , former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich , authors Gore Vidal and Salman Rushdie , cybernetics expert Kevin Warwick , former Attorney General Janet Reno , filmmaker Spike Lee , environmentalist Robert F . Kennedy Jr . , former Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Barak , New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman , Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia , U2 frontman and activist Bono , CNN journalist Anderson Cooper , former Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove , New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd , former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff , and former governor of Massachusetts and 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney . Housing . As a residential community , student life is centered on campus and four years of housing is guaranteed . Claremont ' s dorms are divided into three regions : North Quad , Mid Quad , and South Quad . In addition , the student apartments sit on the East edge of campus , and are occupied primarily by seniors . All dorm rooms are attended to by housekeeping staff every week . North Quad is made up of Appleby , Boswell , Green , and Wohlford Halls , which were the campus ' s first dorms . In north quad , every room opens to the outdoors instead of opening to an interior hallway . North quad rooms are all doubles grouped into suites of four rooms that share a bathroom . CMC ' s Mid Quad is home to Beckett , Berger and Phillips Halls , which feature long interior corridors , double and single rooms , large shared - bathroom facilities , and all - dorm lounge areas . Claremont Hall , completed in 2008 , is the newest dormitory with space for 109 students . The three story modern building is the first LEED Silver - rated building on campus . The tallest buildings in Claremont are " The Towers , " Auen , Fawcett , and Stark Halls , which make up South Quad , along with Marks and Benson Halls . Each tower has seven floors with approximately twelve students per floor . Each floor has a common area and a large shared bathroom , and there is an all - dorm lounge area on the ground floor . Stark Hall , the newest of the South Quad dorms , is substance - free . Auen and Fawcett underwent complete interior renovations in the summer of 2008 . Senior Apartments . The Senior Apartments lie to the east of the college ' s athletic facilities and to the west of Claremont Boulevard , and are divided into four buildings numbered 651 , 661 , 671 and 681 . Each apartment is divided into four bedrooms and two bathrooms , and an apartment application must have four names on it . Until recently , half the apartments were reserved for men and half for women , and apartments were allotted based on credits . However , in 2005 the college abolished the 50 / 50 male / female ratio and began to assign apartments strictly on credits , which has had the effect of skewing the ratio slightly toward the female side . In any given year , most of CMC ' s 260 – 300 seniors can live in the apartments , though due to limited space some must live in the dorms . Living in the apartments is considered highly desirable amongst CMC ' s senior class . Seniors get the chance to live with three friends of their choice , and they also have the option to stay on a meal plan and eat at one of the 5 - C dining halls , or cook for themselves . Apartment dwellers do not get the maid service of the dorms , but they do get a cable hookup , which the dorms don ' t have . Noise levels are more manageable , and tend to be quiet during much of the week and in the days leading up to thesis , and loud from Thursday to Saturday . Most parties and social events at the apartments take place between buildings 661 and 671 or on the " dunk hoops " ( a small basketball court with hoops that are high ) . Student Journalism . CMC attracts many students with an interest in journalism , many of whom go on to careers in professional journalism . Its student publications include the following : Traditions . Several of Claremont McKenna College ' s traditions are water - related : The Consortium . All seven colleges are part of the Claremont University Consortium , also known as " the 7 - Cs . " Together the campuses cover over and enroll over 6 , 000 students . In addition there are over 3 , 500 faculty and staff and more than 2 , 500 courses available . Student life revolves around the colleges as they interact socially and also share seven dining halls , four main libraries , and other facilities spread throughout the campuses . Notable facilities include : Students attending Claremont McKenna can enroll in up to 2 / 3 of their classes at the other undergraduate colleges , and can also major at any of the other colleges if the major is not offered at CMC . This is the general academic policy at the schools , and is meant to give students the resources of a larger university while still maintaining the qualities of a small , liberal - arts college . Research institutes . CMC sponsors ten different on - campus research institutes and centers . They seek to produce new research and publications while involving undergraduate students in rigorous academic work . Athletics . Athletes from CMC , Harvey Mudd College , and Scripps College compete under one program – CMS Athletics . The mascot for the men ' s team is Stag , and that of the women ' s teams is Athena . The 19 teams participate in the NCAA ' s Division III and in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference . Ducey Gymnasium has been slated for a complete overhaul beginning in 2009 , with new fitness facilities including a weight and cardio room overlooking Zinda Field . The Biszantz Family Tennis Center opened in 2009 and hosted the NCAA Division III Championships . The facility offers locker - rooms , offices , restrooms , an adjacent parking lot and a " championship court " . It is located south of Sixth Street at Brooks Avenue . Over the years , a rivalry has formed between the opposing sports teams CMS ( Claremont - Mudd - Scripps ) and PP ( Pomona - Pitzer ) . These teams , however , mostly consist of students enrolled at Claremont McKenna and Pomona , which has intensified the rivalry between these particular neighbors . The Claremont McKenna golf team ranked first among NCAA Division III teams according to Golf Digest , and 17th overall ( including Division 1 schools ) . The rankings are based on the " Balanced " category which is " for students who place equal emphasis on school and sports . " Campaign for Claremont McKenna . • $ 110 million for students : need - based financial aid and merit scholarships , internships , research , speaker series , and other experiences • $ 110 million for faculty : chairs , research , and new curricula • $ 100 million for facilities : new buildings , renovations , and master planning projects • $ 200 million for the Robert Day Scholars Program • $ 80 million for The Fund for CMC : operating costs As part of the campaign , the college built the Kravis Center , an academic building that includes classrooms , faculty offices and research areas . The building , designed by Rafael Viñoly , was completed in 2011 . It is named after alumnus Henry Kravis ' 67 of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts who donated $ 75 million for the building . Notable alumni and faculty . Notable alumni include : Notable former faculty include economist Eric Helland and presidential speechwriter and comedian Mort Sahl . Political scientist Minxin Pei , Arabic scholar Bassam Frangieh and author Jamaica Kincaid currently teach at Claremont McKenna College .