Pomona College Top Questions

The best thing about Pomona is the people...and the milkshakes. As a small, selective liberal arts college in California, on paper, Pomona was everything I ever dreamed of finding in a college. I thought to myself, "I could get an incredible education AND have palm trees on campus!? Can I get in there?" It wasn't until I started my time as a Pomona student, though, that everything I'd seen on paper came alive, and exceeded what I'd dreamed of. Pomona's small size obviously makes it fast/easy to get around, and makes classes small (which is part of why professors are so accessible and classes are so discussion-based), but it also fosters the sense of community that is so tangible on campus. Yet not only is the community tight-knit--it's diverse, with students heralding from all over the world, with different racial/socioeconomic backgrounds, interests, perspectives and stories. Furthermore, there are multiple levels to the community, each of which offers support, from your Sponsor group (who you meet during your first year), to the Claremont consortium as a whole (you share classes, dining halls, clubs, and parties with the four adjacent colleges). Pomona's selectivity has the advantage of creating a high standard for the academic rigor of the school, which not only brings your work and learning to a high level as a student, but opens doors for you school- and career-wise as an alum. That being said, part of the beauty of the Pomona experience is that the name "Pomona" is not as well known as the names of some other schools, and so students are not attracted to the school for the name in and of itself. Pomona attracts students who love the idea of everything Pomona stands for. Not only are they brilliant, but they are grounded, down-to-earth, and collaborative. You won't find a cutthroat atmosphere at Pomona, academically or socially. As a liberal arts college, Pomona offers you breadth and depth in your education. It is more than common to have friends with crazy-sounding course combinations, like a pre-med student majoring in Japanese, a Psychology major minoring in Dance, or an English and Politics double-major. At Pomona you're really encouraged to try that one class that piques your interest, no matter how unrelated it is to what you always thought you wanted to focus on--and sometimes it's that encouragement that sets you down a whole new path you end up incredibly grateful to have stumbled upon. Last, but not least, yes, Pomona is in California. The weather is amazing pretty much every single day (you can study for finals in December in your bathing suit), and you're surrounded by an array of awesome environments, which OTL (Pomona's student-run outdoors organization) lets you take advantage of (for free!!!). On any given weekend you can lead or participate in a trip to hike or ski on Mount Baldy, to explore Joshua Tree or the hot springs or Big Sur or LA, or go anywhere else you please. So, overall, Pomona is just awesome. Whether you're having coffee or doing research with a professor, or having a debate with someone in your Sponsor group in your hall, or dancing at a party at one of the other schools, orrr trying one of the milkshakes at the Coop Fountain (do it), you're going to have an amazing time.

Pomona has been a wonderful place for me. There are so many resources available to you--top-notch professors, research opportunities, and interesting classes. The best part about the school, however, is the people! People are down-to-earth, friendly, and always interesting to talk to and get to know. The size is perfect, especially since there are four other colleges within a square mile.

The best thing about Pomona is the financial aid office and the incredible professors. Both are so supportive and helpful in every way you can think of. I have only been here a year, and I owe them so much. It's a pretty small school, but it's perfect for having close relationships with professors and the administration. Many people may not have heard of Pomona before, but those that have really admire the school.

I enjoy my life at Pomona very much. The location is wonderful. Claremont is a nice suburban neighborhood with everything you might need on a weekly basis in walking distance from campus: fro-yo and ice cream shops, good restaurants your parents can take you to when they visit, american apparel and other clothing and shoe stores if you're in to that kind of thing, a farmer's market on the weekends, several banks, and a sweet coffee/tea shop with boba drinks and lots of good teas. The best thing though is how much there is to do with in about 45 minutes if you have access to a car, which you probably will given that many people have them and zipcars are available to rent for $7 an hour. Within this 45 minutes are: the beach and surfing, LA and Hollywood with great events and concerts, and the mountains with rock climbing, hiking, and some truly more-than-decent skiing (and I usually ski at Alta/bird in so I know some sick skiing to judge)!

Alright, I'll level with you. This place is crazy nice. The academics are almost always great and professors are only here if they have an interest in your personal success. Nearly everyone is very good at what they do and work hard to become better (and definitely not at your expense). The administration is overly-protective, but well-run. Dorm-life is the de facto experience. The dorms are crazy nice - I'm writing this now in a large single with a fireplace. Oh yeah, the school has a 1.6 billion dollar endowment. *the what?* Yeah, it's huge, they're footing nearly the entire bill for my poor-ass to go here. The town is full of rich white people who would rather never see you ever. Consequently, Claremont is a horrible college town. There are a few bright-spots in town, but I'm not sure that they do well anyways. People stick to the colleges pretty tightly. There lies the biggest problem. We get no experience being independent in the free world. The dining halls feed us well, but we don't learn how to explore, pay rent, or feed ourselves. Ideally, you would take Pomona and place it in the middle of a city. However, it's just not possible. You'll never have such a personal experience in a different setting.

Pomona is definitely a small school. It' s great in that we have a huge number of resources at our fingertips. A lot of students get grants from the school for outside research, we get more time with our professors, and a close community of friends that really look out for one another. I do wish Pomona were closer to Los Angeles. Aside from the recent expansion, Claremont isn't exactly the hustling epicenter of excitement and fun. There are some people who don't know about Pomona, but those that do know it's a rigorous and happy school. The administration is generally supportive of student initiatives. The school really cares for its students, and bends over backwards to make them feel welcome and supported. Pomona--after 3 years--sometimes feels stagnant or unexciting, but I've made so many good friends and taken so many great classes, that I don't really mind.

I love Pomona because - It only has undergraduate students, so the students get a lot of attention. Also, the professors do research, which they need help with, so many student get an opportunity to do research as an undergrad. I was able to do paid research in Vietnam with one of my sociology professors the summer after freshmen year. - It’s a residential college with nearly all of the students living on campus all 4 years. It’s great to have my 30 best friends as next-door neighbors! - I like the size of the school (I think a little less than 400 people in each class at Pomona), but there are also the other four colleges (Scripps, Pitzer, Harvey Mudd, and Claremont McKenna) if you want to meet more people. Also, you can take classes, eat in the dining halls, and go to the parties at the other schools, so there is always something to do. - The administration is great. If you ever have a problem, they have your back. - They gave me by far the best financial aid package, and this year they did away with loans, so any need you have will be met with grants that you don’t have to pay back. - Although the average person on the street may not recognize the name Pomona, it’s a great school academically, and the people who matter (meaning the people who would hire you or graduate schools) are familiar with the school. - Claremont is a nice town, and it also very easy to get to LA - The weather is great

The best thing about Pomona is the financial aid office and the incredible professors. Both are so supportive and helpful in every way you can think of. I have only been here a year, and I owe them so much. The one thing I would change is the constant feeling that we should each be so proud of our race...I'm not into that kind of thing. In fact there have been several racist incidents in just the last few months of school. It's ridiculous, but I guess it's a process that we should all work towards getting rid of prejudices...in college and in the real world. It's a pretty small school, but it's perfect for having close relationships with professors and the administration. Many people may not have heard of Pomona before, but those that have really admire the school.

When I got to Pomona I was blown away by how beautiful the campus is. Driving around Claremont you totally get this quaint small college town feel. Though it's nice to have the Village right next door, it's not the most practical thing, seeing that their expensive boutiques are out of a typical college student's price range. When I tell people that I go to Pomona, I'm never sure people will recognize the school name. If they haven't been in the college scene in awhile chances are you haven't heard of it, but among college age students or parents of college students I feel like they usually show recognition. Often when they have heard about Pomona they have heard really good things about it. I think there is a lot of school pride, and that students know that they are going to a good quality school. Though they say that you can be your own worse critic. I think if I do hear complaints about Pomona, it is mostly from Pomona's students. They realize they go to a good school, but there are always tons of things to critique on. One of the most difficult, confusing, stressful processes is the room draw at the end of the year. The returning students often can't really answer the freshman's questions because apparently the room draw process changes from year to year. The changes don't seem to have made the process any less stressful.

Pomona is a very small school (about half the size of my high school) and everyone lives on campus. Because of this there is a very communal feeling. You'll know the face or the name of everyone in your class by the end of the year (assuming you're not a recluse). The town is also rather small, but with such close proximity to LA (30 minute train ride), it serves as a comfortable spot to get off of campus for a little while and catch a movie or grab a bite to eat. The administration does a good job with getting you adjusted and making sure you stay happy. There is a lot of stress placed on the happiness of the students at Pomona.