Brown, Pomona, Amherst, or Swarthmore?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I want:
Liberal arts, "learning for the sake of learning" kind of feel - more students going for PhDs than MDs.
Strong program in (molecular) biology.
Also interested in astronomy, physics, linguistics, English, astrobiology.
College town or city, not isolation.
Amazing, devoted professors.
Lots of undergrad research.
Nice dorms/good food = definite plus.</p>

<p>My take on each school....</p>

<p>Brown
More of a mix of smaller, discussion-based classes and larger lectures (good or bad?). No core (good/bad?). Larger student body + grad school = harder to connect with professors or better research opps? Nice town, close to Boston/NY. Does having more students make socializing easier (more diversity, chance of finding "your people") or harder (not as welcoming, harder to actually meet "your people")? Icky dorms, from what I can tell. A few dining options, some good food off-campus too. Happy students. Would Brown have more oddball classes on super specific topics than the others? (I love the idea of this)</p>

<p>Basically: I'm divided over whether I want a small U like Brown or an LAC.</p>

<p>Pomona
Small, closeknit college, yet social/academic options broadened by consortium. Close(ish) to LA but immediate surroundings = suburbia (blah). Very far from home (:(). Has professor/class in a specific area of bio research in which I'm very interested! I love the beach / warm weather (but would I miss seasons?). I also love the little things like Death by Chocolate, Ski-Beach day, daily snack, etc. Lots of dining options since you can eat on any campus. Seems like they make making friends super easy with sponsor groups, freshman adventure trips, etc. Nice dorms, happy students.</p>

<p>Basically: the only thing I worry about is being too far from home and too suburbia-fied.</p>

<p>Amherst
Small LAC but not claustrophobic thanks to college town, proximity of UMass & other schools (also broadens academic options somewhat). Far but not too far from home. Intro bio class I sat in on was great but I get the feeling Amherst is more social science-y than hard science-y. Only 1 dining hall but amazing freshman dorms. No core (good/bad?).</p>

<p>Basically: I love the way the school is integrated with the town, but worry about the lack of science options.</p>

<p>Swarthmore
More of an intellectual atmosphere (beneficial or smothering?). Close to Philly but I get the feeling that students don't get up there much. Great student-professor relations (see: the bathtub debate!). Strong in all sciences. But are students too stressed? Apparently social activities don't start until the library closes (at 10!) on Friday. But reputation of less drinking is a plus.</p>

<p>Basically: I can't decide if the super intellectual atmosphere is amazing or stifling.</p>

<p>The ED deadline is coming up and I just don't know what to do!!!! Suggestions? How much would waiting for RD lower my chances at each school?</p>

2

<p>I'm also looking at Yale, but there's no point counting on that obviously.</p>

3

<p>Claremont doesn't feel like a suburb, according to every account I've heard of it.</p>

4

<p>Students and alumni of these four schools will take offense that you feel you can "count on" them. =P</p>

<p>Acceptance rates:
Yale: 8.3 percent
Amherst: 14.2 percent
Brown: 13.4 percent
Swarthmore: 15.0 percent
Pomona: 15.0 percent</p>

<p>Are you going to argue that there's an enormous discrepancy between 8 and 15?</p>

<p>For you, I recommend **Swarthmore<a href="even%20though%20I'm%20a%20Jeff">/B</a>:
1. Studious students serious about their work
2. Strong sciences
3. 10 miles from Philly
4. Professors and research should be good (former on account of LAC, latter on account of strong sciences)
5. Amherst's dorms are unprecedented (seriously), but you could get amazing food at nearby Bryn Mawr.</p>

5

<p>How good is Swarthmore in social sciences like economics and sociology ?</p>

6

<p>kwu: I certainly don't think I can count on any of them!!! I'm sorry if I came off that way.. but yes, there is certainly a discrepancy between 8% and 15%: it's 7%!</p>

<p>I'm wondering where you got those numbers though... they are different from what collegeboard & princetonreview report.</p>

7

<p>Why don't you just see which ones you get, whether you can afford them, and then come back and talk to us? (In the global scheme of things, and in the hypothetical, the differences among these schools for the things you are interested in are hardly worth spending time worrying about.) When you get in, and when you know whether you can afford any (or all) of them, you'll visit, one will click, and the rest will be, shall we see, history.</p>

<p>WHAT IS YOUR SAFETY - the school you know you will be able to afford AND that you will be happy at?</p>

8

<p>Have you considered Reed?
PS Pomona, like mentioned above does not feel like a suburb. The immediate area might because it's in a residential neighborhood but you drive five minutes and you're in the City of Pomona.</p>

9

<p>mini: because I'm considering applying ED to one of the above. Don't worry, I have plenty of safeties & matches, too!</p>

10

<p>Well, you definitely shouldn't be. If you don't have a clear first choice, it would be a big mistake. You might decide in April that the school you liked (but not much more than any of the others) is really not where you'd prefer to be. And whatever potential gain you get through ED (and, having looked at the data, I doubt there is ANY unless you are full-pay legacy or a recruited athlete), you lose by the fact that by applying to all of them, you might get into one or more.</p>

11

<p>It's reassuring to hear that about Pomona. How often do students generally go into the surrounding "city" for socializing/eating ??</p>

<p>Now I suppose my only qualm is that it's sooo far...</p>

<p>edit - </p>

<p>mini: I was leaning toward all RD but since I've already visited / researched all of the above schools, the rents think I might as well choose one now since I prob won't get any more information from now to April. That's just their suggestion though, they'll support me in whatever.</p>

<p>So if I'm not a legacy or recruited athlete, ED doesn't give much of a boost?</p>

12

<p>College gives you a chance to experience something new. I'm not sure distance from your house should be an overriding concern.</p>

13

<p>A few months ago I would've agreed with you without a second thought, but then I realized it takes 5+ hours to fly, plus the inevitable layover time, plus driving time to go each way. It's not like I want to come home all the time, but a couple holidays a year would be nice! I'm also extremely close to my extended family, who mainly live in the midwest/east.</p>

14

<p>"So if I'm not a legacy or recruited athlete, ED doesn't give much of a boost?"</p>

<p>I see no evidence of it. </p>

<p>"he rents think I might as well choose one now since I prob won't get any more information from now to April."</p>

<p>Yes, but you may be a different person in April. (Why do the 'rents care? You already have a good safety. Any of these colleges would be great - and you already know that. Are they just tired talking about it?)</p>

<p>In the global scheme of things as you go through life, you are likely to discover that this isn't a particularly big decision. But for you, right now, it probably feels like - and may be - the biggest decision you've ever made, and you seem to indicate that you're not ready to make it. So why the rush?</p>

15

<p>Hmm that's true - I feel like a totally different person since i started senior year 2 months ago! I think they're just worried that I'll lose a shot at admission to such topflight schools by not applying ED..</p>

<p>It's not like they're pressuring me though; it's totally my decision.</p>

16

<p>Shibbo, I'm a proponent of early decision as long as you don't need or want to compare financial packages. I don't know about Brown, but at Amherst, for example, the admit rate for ED this year was 38%. Some of those were definitely athletes and legacies, and a good many were kids whom the college wanted to lock up for other reasons. But, without doubt ED also works for kids who know what they want and for colleges who want committed students. </p>

<p>My son was interested in all of the colleges on your list (but in the end chose to ED at Williams) so I can see why you would have a hard time choosing among them. Ask yourself if in March I am denied, would I regret not applying ED? That, to me, is the risk factor -- which is greater, the risk of choosing and applying ED or the risk of not applying? Only you can answer.</p>

17

<p>I think Claremont is not suburban feeling because it is too far from LA to feel that way - more like a town (not at all urban if that is what you are looking for - but beautiful). The town seemed friendly and easy to get around in (basically walking a couple blocks to coffee shops/restaurants). D asked how often kids went to LA because the city was big draw for her and the response was almost never. I think there were trains running into LA though.</p>

18

<p>Do consider Reed, number one in the country in percentage of future biology PhDs: REED</a> COLLEGE PHD PRODUCTIVITY</p>

<p>Reed meets all of your other requirements as well. Portland is said to be one of our best cities, professors are tops, undergrads get all the research jobs, the new dorms are spectacular, food by Bon Appetit.</p>

19

<p>Don't solely look at acceptance rates to decide how tough it is to get into a school BUT all these schools are not easy to get into. </p>

<p>I would highly recommend Swarthmore.
I regret not applying there and I've heard from people it's the school closest to an 'intellectual paradise'.</p>

<p>However, an important factor of student selectivity is the % of students with high SAT scores (1400+)</p>

<p>Here is what U.S News has.
Pomona: 72.5%
Swarthmore: 67.5%
Brown: 63.5%
Amherst: 63%</p>

<p>So they are all pretty selective. Pomona has the smartest student body.</p>

20

<p>momrath: jw, what was it in the end that helped your son decide? (making a pros/cons list, visiting, having a talk with you, etc)</p>

<p>Hmm, I hadn't thought about Reed, I'll look into that.</p>

<p>Mondo: Yeah, I know. That's why I was considering just choosing one for ED and sticking with it... I mean, I think I'd be happy at any of the 4, but what if I didn't even get into one??! Idk, I think this site just scares me.</p>

<p>Does anyone know if Pomona & Amherst have different admit rates for ED1/ED2?</p>

<p>And I know LACs are known for holistic admissions, but how much do high scores (2300+) help?</p>