<p>Unless one has a serious respiratory problem to begin with, smog shouldn't be a major factor in whether or not to attend Pomona. If one is fortunate enough to be accepted, Pomona should be seriously considered.</p>
<p>I know of people who have gotten approval of installing AC units in the rooms of non-AC dorms due to asthma or other medical conditions. All you basically need to do is run a doctor's note by the Office of Campus Life, who will take care of it.</p>
<p>IF he gets accepted, I'll pursue this further. Thanks so much for all this input! I like to be prepared.</p>
<p>My D just recently returned from Ontario (next to Claremont hwy exit) - not from college visit, but from some school-related event. She saw some really bad smog there hanging over the mountains (which were barely seen because of that) ... and maybe that's just a coinsidence, but she, although not being known as allergic to anything, came back with all the flu-like (or allergy-like) simptoms - sore throat, runny nose, teary/painful eyes etc. And it's not even summer. :-(</p>
<p>Which made us both sad, because she has been considering applying to Pomona ... :-(</p>
<p>Btw, about those famous S. California mountains fires - is it safe to live at Claremont at all? How close those fires could come by?</p>
<p>Just a note, depending on when your daughter was here, the week before last (3/11-160-ish) was some of the worst smog I've seen here in four years (academic years, not summer). It was unfortunate since so many students were visiting for spring breaks, but do know that it was extraordinary if those happened to be the dates. </p>
<p>The fires pose no threat that should prevent students from attending Claremont. The campuses are bordered by the city. We're near the mountains, but separated by a few major roads that fires would have a hard time jumping. I'm used to fires in general, having lived in CA for awhile, but I've never felt any fear (including the single year that we had truly bad fires, visible from campus...we were kept <em>incredibly</em> well-updated, informed, and protected).</p>
<p>Thanks, Student615. </p>
<p>She was there 3/15-3/17. Was is still unusually bad then?</p>
<p>Yep. I was in San Diego for spring break, but when I got back on the night of the 16th, a friend told me that the last two days (i.e. 3/15-16) had been two of the smoggiest she'd ever seen (in 5 years at Claremont) and I was lucky to have been gone. I went to Disneyland on the 17th and spent most of the half hour drive there going "ew."</p>
<p>So I agree...it looked disgusting (I personally didn't have a physical reaction)! But just for the record, students also viewed it as quite atypical.</p>
<p>Talk about bad timing, I suppose. Hopefully your daughter gets another chance to visit, or wasn't totally turned away!</p>
<p>According to SCAQMD, there have been no Stage 1 smog alerts since 2003, no Stage 2's since 1988, no Stage 3's since 1974. The air IS MUCH BETTER since the days of citrus farming and smudge pots.</p>
<p>From everything I've heard, the smog situation is MUCH better than it was when I grew up near Pomona (many) years ago. But smog is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. For someone who grew up in a different environment, the presence of any at all smog can be irritating--or at least, very noticeable.</p>