How to Apply to Economics at Pitzer College: A Liberal Arts College in the Claremont Colleges, Economics and Mathematical Economics Tracks, No SAT/ACT Scores Accepted, with Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Pitzer College is a liberal arts college in Claremont, California, and a member of the Claremont Colleges. The college says that through the consortium students have access to courses, labs, clubs and research across five campuses. Economics is taught by the Economics Field Group and leads to a Bachelor of Arts, with two tracks: Economics and Mathematical Economics, plus a minor, combined majors, and an accelerated five-year BA/MA with Claremont Graduate University (CGU). This guide follows the official pages for fall 2027 entry and covers US domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants.

1. Tracks and how you get in

• You apply to the college: Pitzer has no separate business or economics school, and the college says it reviews applications holistically. The pages we read do not say whether you name an intended major on the application or whether economics has its own admission standard; not published on the pages we read. Ask the admission office (admission@pitzer.edu, (909) 621-8129).
• Tracks: the program page says students choose between Economics and Mathematical Economics. It suggests Mathematical Economics, or a double major in Economics and Mathematics, for students planning graduate school because of the advanced math modeling it requires.
• How and when you enter the major: the pages we read do not say when you declare, or whether there is a GPA threshold or seat cap. Not published on the pages we read; ask the Economics Field Group advisers (Menna Bizuneh, Alma Bezares Calderon, Maya Federman, Deepti Goel and Linus Yamane are listed).
• Combined majors: a combined major with Economics needs only two upper-level economics courses instead of four; they must engage issues at the intersection of the two disciplines, as must the senior seminar paper and any honors thesis.
• Minor: six courses (ECON 051 Macroeconomics, ECON 052 Microeconomics, ECON 091 Statistics, one of Macro or Micro Theory, and two upper-level courses), all for a letter grade and separate from the major’s courses.
• Honors: candidates must keep a 3.5 GPA in the major and overall and submit a senior honors thesis.
• Five-year BA/MA: offered with CGU; students apply in the fall of junior year and contact Pitzer economics faculty.
• STEM designation: not stated on the pages we read.

2. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school (college level): the college’s academic guidance is four years of English, especially writing-intensive courses; at least three years each of foreign language; mathematics; and social, behavioral and natural sciences; and it strongly recommends honors and AP courses. No extra high school math requirement for economics is stated; not published on the pages we read.
• Economics major requirements:
  • One year of Principles of Economics (ECON 051 PZ and ECON 052 PZ); AP courses do not count toward this requirement;
  • One year of Economic Theory (ECON 104 PZ and ECON 105 PZ);
  • One semester of Economic Statistics (ECON 091 PZ);
  • One semester of Econometrics (ECON 125 PZ);
  • Four additional upper-level economics courses;
  • Senior Seminar in Economics (ECON 198 PZ), which must be taken at Pitzer, is offered only in the fall and is taken in the fall of the final year;
  • A senior thesis for honors candidates.
• Math prerequisite: MATH 030 PZ or equivalent must be completed before Macroeconomic and Microeconomic Theory. Upper-level courses are those with ECON 051 and/or 052 as a prerequisite and a number of 100 or above; consult an adviser before counting courses that need only ECON 050. Accounting and Business Law courses do not count as upper-level electives.
• Courses outside the consortium: only two courses taken outside the Claremont Colleges can count toward the major, at most one of them online; econometrics generally cannot be taken outside the consortium. The college warns not to assume outside courses will count and to confirm with an economics professor first.
• Mathematical Economics: the course list is in the course catalog (catalog.pitzer.edu), which we did not read. The program page only says the track exists; check the catalog for the list.
• AP and IB credit: the college says it does not consider AP scores in admission and asks you not to submit them; after enrolling you may submit them for credit. AP credit can count toward the 32-course graduation requirement but not an educational objective, and in general does not apply to major requirements (exceptions through your adviser or the field group); no more than four AP and IB credits combined count. An IB diploma can earn four credits; only Higher Level exams with a score of at least five can earn credit, at four semester units per exam up to 16 transferable semester units; subsidiary exams earn none.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Platform: the Common Application. The application fee is $70 or a fee waiver request.
• First-year deadlines (the pages print no year; check they apply to fall 2027 entry): Early Decision I (binding) November 15, notification by December 18, non-refundable enrollment fee January 15; Early Decision II January 10, notification by February 15, fee March 1; Regular Decision January 10, notification by April 1, fee May 1. Optional interview deadline: November 15 for ED I, December 18 for the other two.
• Required: the Common App, the fee or waiver, the Pitzer Writing Supplement (choose one of two prompts, up to 650 words), one teacher recommendation (from a junior- or senior-year core academic teacher), the school report, the mid-year report with senior-fall grades, official transcripts, and an English test for non-native speakers. The counselor recommendation and an additional recommendation are optional; the interview is optional.
• Testing: Pitzer has a test-free policy and does not accept SAT or ACT scores. The official pages disagree on how long: the how-to-apply overview says through the 2025-2026 cycle, while the first-year, international, transfer and policy pages say through the 2026-2027 cycle and that the college plans to return to test-optional beginning with the 2027-2028 cycle (entry in fall 2028). On the later reading, fall 2027 entry is still test-free; confirm with the admission office.
• Interview: optional (see the international section for the formats).
• Review: transcripts, rigor and trends, academic and personal recommendations, school and community involvement and leadership, and fit with Pitzer’s core values (social responsibility, intercultural understanding, interdisciplinary learning, student engagement and environmental sustainability).

4. US domestic applicants

• Pitzer is private; the cost page gives one tuition figure, $70,184 for 2026-27, and no in-state and out-of-state difference.
• Testing: SAT/ACT scores are not accepted (see above).
• Aid: the college says it meets 100% of demonstrated need. You submit the CSS Profile and FAFSA and upload 2025 family tax returns and W-2s by the deadline: November 15 for ED I, January 10 for ED II and Regular Decision. Last year the average aid awarded was $57,516 and the average federal loan $3,500; packages usually combine Pitzer grants and scholarships, federal or state aid, work-study and a small federal loan.
• There is also a Pitzer Opportunity Grant; we saw only its title, so details are not published on the pages we read. See the Office of Financial Aid.

5. International applicants (including those from China)

• Deadlines differ across pages: the international page lists ED I November 15 and ED II and Regular Decision January 6 (optional interview December 19); the how-to-apply overview lists January 10 for international applicants’ ED II and Regular Decision. Check the latest.
• Materials: the same as first-year applicants: school report, official transcripts, mid-year report, teacher recommendation, writing supplement (650 words, plus an optional 250-word essay) and the $70 fee or waiver. International applicants also cannot submit SAT/ACT scores.
• English proficiency: if English is not your first language, submit TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition), IELTS, Duolingo or an English Language Test Waiver. Minimums: TOEFL 5.5 (the page uses the new score scale; 105 for TOEFL taken before January 2026), IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 135. TOEFL code 4619. Scores of TOEFL 5 (100 before January 2026), IELTS 7 or Duolingo 130 require a two-course combination for international students in the first semester. Paper-based TOEFL and other tests are not accepted but may be included with a waiver request.
• International Scholars Program: students who qualify in every way except English may be eligible with TOEFL 4, IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115, or a waiver and a notification that they are being considered.
• Interview: a virtual interview with admission staff, an alumni interview where available, or InitialView; do not sign up for InitialView if you attend high school in the United States or do an on-campus interview.
• Funds and aid: for need-based aid complete the Pitzer International Financial Aid Application (PIFAA) and do not fill out the CSS Profile or FAFSA. The college is updating the PIFAA for the 2027-2028 cycle and will contact interested applicants. Admitted international students submit a statement of financial responsibility.
• The college says international students are 9.6% of the community, from 39 countries.

6. Applicants from China

• The Pitzer pages we read have no China-specific or gaokao note. Not published on the pages we read: whether the gaokao is considered, what school-leaving exam materials are needed and how Chinese transcripts are handled. Ask the admission office (admission@pitzer.edu).
• The general international rules above apply: transcripts, school report, English proof and the PIFAA. For transfer applicants with credits from non-US institutions, see the credential evaluation rule below.

7. Transfer applicants

• Deadlines: fall April 1, notification by May 15, enrollment fee June 15; spring October 10, notification by November 12, fee December 10.
• Eligibility: a high school diploma or GED, and one or more completed semesters (or two or more quarters) of college credit by the deadline; completing the first-year writing courses of your current institution is recommended. California community college students are advised to take IGETC courses; those transferring before an associate degree are advised to take a range of subjects including humanities, math, social science and science.
• Materials: the Common App, $70 fee or waiver, the Pitzer Writing Supplement, at least one recommendation from a college professor (or teaching assistant), the College Report, official transcripts from every institution (request them at least four weeks ahead), and an English test for non-native speakers. If you will have completed fewer than 32 semester or 48 quarter credits by the deadline, also send the high school transcript. SAT/ACT scores are not accepted.
• Credit: up to 64 semester units (96 quarter units) from a community college; you must complete at least two years of study at Pitzer to earn a Pitzer degree.
• Transferring into economics: the economics page says at most two courses from institutions outside the Claremont Colleges count toward the major (at most one online) and econometrics generally cannot be taken outside the consortium; there is no guarantee that outside courses count, so confirm with a professor before enrolling. Course-by-course transfer rules are not published on the pages we read.
• International transfer applicants: if you hold credits from a higher education institution outside the US, you must submit a credential evaluation report from AACRAO International Education Services, the International Education Research Foundation or World Education Services.

8. Costs, research and internships

• 2026-27 cost of attendance (official table, on campus): tuition $70,184, fees $312, housing $13,470, food $10,290, books and supplies $1,100, personal expenses $1,300 and average loan fees $50, for a total of $96,706; off campus totals $91,526 and living with relatives or friends $85,486.
• Full-time enrollment is three to five courses a semester; the college recommends four to stay on track for timely graduation.
• Research and internships: the program and Field Group pages mention CASE, a peer mentorship program started by economics majors; a mathematical economics major who did a summer 2025 research and strategy internship at a political consultancy after connecting through the Winter Break Job Shadowing program; and a Japan-U.S. exchange program run by a professor. These are examples, not guarantees; openings and eligibility are not published on the pages we read.
• The Economics Field Group describes its approach as descriptive and analytical, with focus on social institutions and social outcomes rather than personal financial success. The program page lists banking, finance, insurance, sales, management and education as career paths.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Common App, $70 fee or waiver, Pitzer Writing Supplement, teacher recommendation, school report, transcripts;
• No SAT/ACT; for aid, the CSS Profile, FAFSA and tax documents;
• After enrolling, plan principles, statistics, MATH 030 and theory in order.

International applicants (including those from China):

• English test scores or a waiver request; the PIFAA if you need aid, not the CSS Profile or FAFSA;
• Check the January 6 and January 10 deadlines;
• Ask the admission office about gaokao and school-leaving exam materials.

Transfer applicants:

• Professor recommendation, College Report, all transcripts; a credential evaluation for credits from non-US institutions;
• Confirm with economics faculty before relying on courses taken outside the Claremont Colleges.

Sources: Pitzer College, Economics program; Economics Field Group; How to apply; First-year applicants; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Testing policy; Financial aid; 2026-27 cost of attendance. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 rates). Check Pitzer College for the latest details.