<p>so i've read elsewhere (both generally about all colleges and specifically about pomona) that it helps in admissions to demonstrate interest in the college and hurts to not. i love pomona, but i live in upstate new york. consequently, i haven't really done anything that demonstrates interest like visit or interview (i should have tried to schedule an alumni interview, but honestly i highly doubt there's one in my area; when i applied to columbia the closest interview was 2 hours away, and that's for a relatively large new york city university). i never requested a mailing because that never seemed like a viable way to demonstrate interest, and likely wouldn't really give me any information i couldn't find elsewhere (although i'm sure it would present that info in a very aesthetically pleasing way). </p>
<p>basically, do you think it will hurt me that i appear pretty uninterested in the college? or will they understand that i live on the opposite side of the country in an especially non-population-dense region...</p>
<p>There are many ways in which to demonstrate interest, and requesting materials is definitely one of them; you would then be in the system. Others include attending a college fair at which Pomona is represented and “registering” at that booth, going to a Pomona high school visit (if a rep visits your school), and requesting an alum interview. For the last one, all the College can say is “no” in the sense that there isn’t an alum in your area, but you won’t know until you’ve asked. Not having demonstrated a minimal level of interest in the school can give the impression that Pomona would be a trophy school if accepted. Colleges and universities tend to accept students whom they believe will attend if accepted. That’s why they track the number of contact points applicants have had with admissions. And I don’t think your rationale of living “on the opposite side of the country . . .” holds water given communication technology today.</p>
<p>Do you think applying ED(II) acts as a bit of a substitute for demonstrated interest, since the person would be showing that Pomona is much more than a trophy school?</p>
<p>Computer hits, no. Some kinds of phone calls, like those requesting information, probably yes.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about this. The students who need to be sure to interview and visit are those who live close-by. If you live in Los Angeles and you haven’t made the effort to see the campus, it doesn’t look like you’re that interested.</p>
<p>This is too late now since the deadlines have passed, but for anyone reading this who plans to apply in the future: applying ED1 or ED2 does not improve your chances of being accepted. The admissions office maintains that anyone accepted ED would have also been accepted regular decision. The only reason the acceptance rate is slightly higher in ED is because the applicant pool is more competitive (ie more qualified candidates).</p>
<p>So for all you people applying for the Class of 2016, don’t apply ED unless you know for sure you want to come to Pomona and just want to find out sooner rather than later about your decision.</p>
<p>i applied to pomona too. it’s too bad you didn’t request an interview cause my sister actually lives in new york and she went to pomona and does alumni interviews. so YES there is someone there to interview you! wish i could’ve helped earlier. :/</p>
<p>i would have requested an interview if i’d found out about it before it was too late. obviously my fault, everything was a bit rushed after i found out that i was deferred from columbia on dec. 9th and i wasn’t familiar with the interviewing systems for most of the other schools on the list (columbia’s is completely different, you essentially automatically request an interview when you submit your app, and interviews are conducted primarily after the application deadline. in line with the systems for most of the other ivy leagues but nothing like most LAC systems where you have to specifically request an interview before the app deadline).</p>
<p>hopefully it won’t hurt me too much that i didn’t request an interview, although of course it probably will.</p>