<p>I am a junior in high school and I am trying to do a lot of my college researching early. My mom went to Brown and I feel a very deep connection with this school. I love it a lot (I won't get into the long list of reasons why) and have always had it on the top of my list. I recently discovered Pomona and have fallen in love with it, too! I feel I am completely stuck between the two schools. So long story short, what is everyone's personal opinion of each school and which one do you think is better? Why?
I also would like to major in Religious Studies, which may make a difference.</p>
<p>If you are a junior, you don’t need to choose between the schools quite yet!</p>
<p>Back east for religious studies. Besides what would you do with all the great California weather and fun and diversity, let alone the other colleges like Harvey Mudd that you’d have access to. I hope this helps GL.</p>
<p>Apply to both. Wait until you get into either school first- with acceptance rates of 9% and 13% respectively, both are reaches for everyone and you might find your decision easier made after you get into them. </p>
<p>Neither school is inherently better than the other. The big distinguishing factors however are California vs. the East Coast, the course offerings ([Courses</a> for Spring 2013 | Religious Studies](<a href=“Religious Studies | Brown University”>Religious Studies | Brown University)) vs ([Program:</a> Religious Studies Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS?](<a href=“Program: Religious Studies Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™”>Program: Religious Studies Courses - Pomona College - Acalog ACMS™)), a true liberal arts education vs. a research university (though Pomona is really helped by the Claremont Consortium), and distinctions in student vibe.</p>
<p>I though all the kids who went to liberal arts schools were, well, liberal special snowflakes?
If you are religious stick to the east.</p>
<p>Ignoring some bizarre remarks above :rolleyes: …Brown and Pomona BOTH offer a “true liberal arts education.” Both have very low acceptance rates. Both are strong in a range of majors, which is key since most people change their minds once they get to college. Both, I think, have a somewhat more laid back vibe that most other schools of their calibre.</p>
<p>At this stage, your best bet is to apply to both of them and see if you get in to either one. And before you do that, identify a couple of good safeties that also appeal to you, possibly for the same reasons that Brown and Pomona do, but not necessarily. (Despite what some people will tell you here, plenty of kids are attracted to very different schools for different reasons.) Preferably both academic AND financial safeties.</p>
<p>You should the course catalogs and department websites to learn more about the offerings in your intended major.</p>
<p>I would visit the Pomona campus, shadow a student, spend the night in the dorm and really see if you fit in. My youngest attends Pomona. The others went to schools on the East Coast and Midwest. Pomona has a truly unusual social vibe…my child has seen much more drug use than alcohol consumption, and not just weed…quite a bit of mushrooms and acid. Definitely not your typical keg parties on this campus.
Students are divided into Sponsor groups to build community. My child is the only one in their sponsor group to have a positive experience in high school, meaning they were popular and high achieving. The other kids in this group are disenfranchised, alienated super nerdy types. The school is low key, no big sports teams or fraternities/sororities. My child likes the small class sizes and access to the dedicated and talented faculty, but the social scene is a big negative. I expect my youngest to transfer to UCLA in the fall for their junior and senior years so they can have the more traditional college experience that their siblings had.</p>
<p>Funny, my daughter also attends Pomona and finds the drug culture to be rather low key. Perhaps she runs in more conservative circles and sees less of it. She is sad her days at Pomona are growing short.</p>
<p>I will chime in with a story of my niece who attended Scripps and also felt during her sophomore year that she wanted a “better” college experience. Her friend, who attended UCLA, said before she makes the decision to transfer, visit UCLA for a few days and attend classes with her to judge the type of learning environment between a small LAC and a university. Long story short, she decided to stay at Scripps. The large impersonal classes were a very disappointing experience and not what she wanted in a college.</p>
<p>Fit is very important. Know what is important to you in your learning experience and then go find it.</p>
<p>I would also encourage the OP to apply to both and then to make a list of schools that would make him/her deliriously happy should neither Brown nor Pomona pan out (“Love thy safety!”). Unless your mom’s family are big (minimum six-figure) donors to Brown, your legacy status may not be enough even with spectacular stats. And Pomona, as others have pointed out, is extremely competitive for admissions. The good news is that there are scads of schools that provide similar high-quality liberal arts educations, so you should enjoy the process of identifying which ones float your boat and have better acceptance rates.</p>
<p>I have no idea what latkes up there is referring to, but being liberal AND religious are not mutually exclusive. Uber-conservatives do not own the market on religiosity any more than they live exclusively on the east coast.</p>
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<p>As a Pomona student, I’m surprised your claims, but I feel there’s a reason. Pomona is an extremely diverse school that offers a niche for everyone. For example, the drug culture you mention is not the norm- I personally have never seen any drug usage because I said in my housing form that I wanted to be sub-free. Substance-optional halls are there for those who want to partake, and it seems your daughter got into one of those. She should switch into sub-free and see if that helps her better. </p>
<p>I find your claim that your child was the only popular student incredibly ludicrous and even downright offensive. Every Pomona student is high achieving and have accomplished a lot to be accepted. Super nerdy types, sure- it is a top tier school after all. But alienated? Disenfranchised? Those are some of the last words I would associate with Pomona students, who in general seek to live well-rounded, active lives. Your daughter is hanging out with people that aren’t the right fit for her and she should branch out to other halls and people rather than remain isolated in a sponsor group that <em>clearly</em> isn’t a right fit for her…</p>
<p>The school is low key, but in a good way- the social scene isn’t forced onto people who don’t want to partake, while there are plenty of options for those who do. Frats and sororities don’t exist because no one wants them here, and there’s no real need for one here in a school so small. While our sports do leave much to be desired, we do have several excelling teams and we don’t, like any liberal arts college, have a national sports scene.</p>
<p>Just last week I ran into someone who balked at the idea of her son receiving a liberal arts education because she wanted him to keep his conservative values. I had to explain that liberal arts is an approach to education that requires the student be well-rounded in their courses, as opposed to taking courses in only one or two areas of study. The person I was speaking with had an “aha” moment. </p>
<p>I wonder if potatopancakes above has the same misconception.</p>