Anyone compared & contrasted Pomona vs Williams?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Pomona also has a 1 year exchange program with swarthmore, colby, fisk, smith, and spelman. they also have a 5 year engineering program with caltech and washu.
on top of that, they have a program in conjunction with columbia where students can participate in an "Earth Semester" at the Biosphere 2 Center in arizona, which actually sounds really cool.
and of course they have many study abroad opportunities as well.
<a href="http://pomona.edu/academics/SpecialStudies/Coop.shtml%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://pomona.edu/academics/SpecialStudies/Coop.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>oh i wish i could study a year at swarthmore, do study abroad, and do the biosphere thing, but it doesnt sound like id be graduating in 4 years if i did...</p>

42

<p>I think Williams has a 4-1-4.....does Pomona do the same?</p>

<p>Anyone comment on Williams' January program? (& Pomona's if they have one?)</p>

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<p>Williams has a 5 year engineering program with Columbia. As for Winter Study, I'm ambivalent. Basically, they go back to school right after New Years, and spend the month of January taking um, an unusual course. Hungarian folk-dancing, photography, cooking, whatever. Some go abroad and take a course in something--skiing, whatever. You have to write a formal paper on whatever you do. Lots of free time to enjoy the winter wonderland, unless you're a varsity athlete. Lots of empty time for partying, too. The faculty has mixed feelings, some would just as soon do away with it and have a longer winter break, some remain wedded to the tradition--including the current president, who says he relishes seeing the faculty and their families skiing at Jiminy Peak with the students.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
As for Winter Study, I'm ambivalent.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Looking back on my experience, I'm ambivalent about the Winter Study thing. It sounds good in theory, but it ends up chopping a week off each end of summer vacation and a week off Christmas break.</p>

45

<p>Never much liked it much myself. The rich went off skiing. The athletes went off training. The courses (with some exceptions of course) were nondescript, and I didn't get a sense that the faculty took it very seriously. I think it should have been optional. Some students might like free reading time, or classes in knitting or poker, or even more chance to work in the lab, and others would likely prefer to ski Switzerland rather than Jiminy Peak. And every winter study, some kid got killed in a snow- or ice-related auto accident. But to be fair, my experience was a long time ago.</p>

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<p>Doesn't look like Pomona does the January thing. Here's their schedule compared to Williams':</p>

<p>POMONA
Calendar
Fall semester 2005
Tuesday, August 30 – Friday, Dec. 16</p>

<p>Spring semester 2006
Tuesday, January 17 - Friday, May 12</p>

<p>WILLIAMS
Calendar </p>

<p>2005<br>
Aug. 30- Sept.7 Tuesday-Wednesday First Days</p>

<p>Sept. 8 Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
Fall Semester classes begin</p>

<p>Dec. 9 Friday, 3:50 p.m.
Fall Semester classes end</p>

<p>Dec. 14-19 Wednesday through Monday
Final Examinations</p>

<p>2006<br>
Jan. 3 Tuesday, 9:00 a.m.
Winter Study Period begins</p>

<p>Jan. 26 Thursday, 3:50 p.m.
Winter Study Period ends</p>

<p>Feb. 2 Thursday, 8:30 a.m.
Spring Semester classes begin</p>

<p>May 12 Friday, 3:50 p.m.
Spring Semester classes end </p>

<p>May 17-22 Wednesday through Monday
Final Examinations</p>

<p>So, assuming the Pomona schedule includes exams, yes, Williams does extend 10 more days into May & of course time off in January......not that any of this is terribly pertinent to college selection choices, just curious.</p>

47

<p>hmm also something to take in consideration is how many ppl showed up from pomona and from williams to talk about this subject. That means theres some strong love for both. Have fun choosing and its really just up to you.</p>

48

<p>Is there anything new that can really be said about these schools? I think it is time to lay this thread to rest. </p>

<p>RIP Williams vs Pomona</p>

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<p>For my son Winter Study (along with the entry system and the tutorial program) is one of Williams’ unique draws. It’s like a month-long winter carnival. The classes are interesting and a lot of fun. One year he took an introduction to the area’s museums taught by a foremost art restorer; they made field trips all over the East Coast learning about the inner workings of museums. One year he took a course in large scale photography taught by a well-known photographer who specializes in architectural photography. There are also several off-campus courses, like a geology field trip to Baja. Or, you can tailor your own course – just about anywhere and anything you want. There are also supplementary informal courses like swing dancing.</p>

<p>Look at this page for some of the most popular courses: <a href="http://www.williams.edu/admin/registrar/winterstudy/statistics/statistics.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.williams.edu/admin/registrar/winterstudy/statistics/statistics.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The school runs shuttles to nearby ski slopes for skiing and snowboarding and there are tons of social activities, lectures, films. It’s just a relaxing, fun time for the kids to slough off some of the academic stress, make new friends and learn something new.</p>

<p>It’s true that it cuts the Christmas/New Year’s holidays short, but from what I hear from parents with kids who are home for a month, this may not be a bad thing.</p>