I am currently a high school senior and I was accepted to my two top schools, Pomona college and Brown University, as a Biology major.
I am having a really hard time choosing one and it is giving me a lot of stress.
What I really want in a college is small class sizes, getting to know the professors personally, good food and dorms, and good student life outside of academics (I love shopping and exploring). I also really want to research as an undergraduate student.
I really love Pomona and it is my first choice since 9th grade. I love the open curriculum and laid back vibe. I also heard that they have good food and nice dorms. I met many students from Pomona and they were very friendly. I received aid but still have to pay around 2,000.
But, I am from California and Pomona is only an hour drive away from my house. I am afraid it will be too close. A another worry is the name value. I know it is not a really good reason to be afraid, but not many people know Pomona College and how amazing it is.
I loved that Brown is also open curriculum and laid back. I also love that it is in the city. I received a huge amount of aid from Brown and I have xtra money to spend on whatever I want.
But I have never visited the campus. I am not sure how good the dorms are or the food. I watched several videos on YouTube about Brown but I really want more honest opinions.
My goal is to go to Columbia, Yale, or Harvard as a graduate student and I am not sure if Pomona or Brown will have any difference in letting me achieve that goal.
Could any current students or alumni of Brown or Pomona tell me about their experience?
In general, if you want to go to grad school, especially for a PhD, liberal arts colleges are the best path. The two most important factors in being accepted to a PhD program are letters of recommendation and research experience. The more personal connections at LACs result in better LoR’s, while LACs focus on research with undergraduates. Whereas in most research universities, undergrads are generally relegated to lab tech works (at best), LACs allow and encourage students to establish their own research projects in the labs. Moreover, in research universities, undergraduates are competing with graduate students for the time and attention of the PI. Most undergraduates who work in labs at research universities interact mostly with grad students, or a postdoc, if they are lucky.
Although Brown is an excellent school, I think that, if you are looking to go to non-professional grad school, Pomona is the better choice.
Brown’s lack of general education requirements (other than writing) can allow GPA-focused students to avoid taking courses in areas that they may have difficulty earning A grade in.
Both will be fine for grad school, but honestly this is really a tough one because I’d go with Pomona if you’re worried about the perception that Brown may not be considered rigorous because of their grading policies. But if your goal is grad school at an ivy, Brown may be the better choice.
I am not 100% sure what I want to do after college, but I am interested in research.
So far I want to do research on diseases, but that may change as I learn more about Biology.
I am not interested in becoming a doctor.
I think a lot of ivy grad schools take a lot of undergrads from ivies, but not sure if there’s going to be a big difference between Brown and Pomona, given I think that Pomona may be higher regarded in the sciences.
Well Brown has a better reputation because OP wants to attend an ivy for grad, if OP said I wanted to attend Stanford, Cal Tech or Berkeley for grad school, then I would’ve highly recommended Pomona.
I am in both the Pomona and Brown admitted students group chat on WhatsApp and GroupMe. I felt a stronger connection with the people from Pomona.
I have also attended few of the webinars that Pomona offered and really loved it.
The location of Pomona is perfect to me. DTLA is also not too far and there is easy access to both the mountains and beaches.
I also like the idea that I could take classes at the 4 other colleges. Pomona is a small school but it would never feel isolated.
I understand that Pomona is not known as much as Brown, but I am starting to accept that. I want to choose what is best for me, not for others.
I also love Brown, but I have never been to the campus so I am not sure about it. I am really sad that I am not able to visit Brown because of the pandemic.
Exactly. For instance, I believe there are about a half-dozen members of the Brown faculty who went to Pomona, as did the former Dean of Arts and Sciences at Yale, and the new dean of Wharton at UPenn. People who count know both schools well.
Yep, you can’t go wrong either way, but my smarter-than-me sister (who chose a small college over Ivies for her BA, then got her MA at an Ivy) might also add that you can always go to an Ivy for grad school, but you have to be an undergrad to experience a LAC.
