Chances for Pomona RD/EDII

Colleges and Universities A-Z Pomona College
1

Applying to Pomona either RD or EDII this January!! I think my essay is pretty strong (in my biased opinion), and I’ve visited so that will count for demonstrated interest. I’m from CA too, so I don’t know how that will influence Pomona’s decision.

Here are my stats:

Objective:

-I attend a small public charter school (highest performing high school in LA based off of SBAC results)
-UW GPA: 4.0
-W GPA: 4.79 (rank is 1/97)
-ACT: 34 super score (36E 33M 31R 34S 30W) two sittings
-I take the hardest offered course load

AP tests: Lang (4)
APES (4)

*My school doesn’t offer APs, but we have to test into all of our honors classes

High School Schedule:

9th grade:
-Honors English 9
-Chemistry
-Honors Algebra II
-PE
-Art I
-Spanish I

10th grade:
-Honors Trig/Precalc
-Honors World History
-Honors World Literature
-Physics
-Spanish II
-Honors Biology

11th grade:
-Honors Environmental Science
-Honors Calc AB
-Honors American Literature
-Honors US History
-Spanish III
-Computer Science

12th grade:
-Honors Calc BC
-Honors Stats
-Honors Gov Econ
-Honors British Literature
-Honors Spanish 4
-H Enviro TA

Subjective:

-ECs:

-FREERUNNING (like parkour or American Ninja Warrior)
-I practice around 15-20hrs a week and was recently hired by my academy to become a coach. I rank #1 between the three Freerunning Academies in LA and SD (they share 1 ranking system)
-offered a spot on the Olympic Freerunning Committee (will hopefully be a sport in 2024 olympics)

-PIANO

  • I play around 3-4 hours a week, take lessons, and have participated in the national piano guild
  • I am in my school’s jazz band

-IMPROV/ACTING
-I’ve been participating for 5 years; I’ve been on the team for 3 years and am team captain
-I’ve also been in some commercials and short films

-STUDENT GOVERNMENT/STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
-elected high school body president as a freshman, current senior class president
-11th grade representative

  • been an active member for all years of HS
    -fund raise for school apparel and school goods

-NHS (member)

-KEY CLUB (member)

-COMMUNITY SERVICE

  • through NHS and KC, I have done about 200 hrs of CS ( includes volunteering to teach kids freerunning and active beach cleanup)
  • done around 300 independently

-PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB ~5hrs/wk (President)
-Hold an exhibition at the end of the school year

-ASTRONOMY CLUB (VP)
-also took college astronomy class and got an A

-WRITING/YEARBOOK
-fouonder of writing club in 10th grade, president
-writing a novella over summer and will be self published
-internship with my city’s newspaper company
-senior yearbook editor

2

You don’t mention whether you are URM, first generation or recruited athlete. Request an interview before the deadline, and write about something you’re passionate about. Show your love for Pomona. Good Luck! You have a shot.

3

@preppedparent I’m white so not a URM. I’m neither a first gen college student nor a recruited athlete.

4

Pomona does not consider “applicant interest” but take the suggestion of @prepparent for an interview since AOs say they can help reinforce the positive parts of your application. As for URM/athlete, etc., spend your time writing a great essay instead of worrying about stuff you can’t control. You are certainly within Pomona’s academic profile and you have strong EC’s, but as noted many times in this forum, Pomona is a reach for everyone!

5

Bump. Would like to get some more opinions.

6

Not sure what else you’re looking for. None of us are admissions officers (that I know of), so we don’t know specifically what they’re looking for this year, and what other applicants you are up against. Based on results threads from the past 6 or so years, folks with your stats have been admitted, but others have not. So again, with one of the lowest admit rates in the country Pomona is a reach/crap shoot for everyone. If you are asking whether you should apply ED or RD: if Pomona is clearly your first choice and you don’t need to compare financial aid offers, then (as the website says) apply EDII and you’ll get to find out where you stand about a month and a half before the RDs do. Pomona ranks talent as being “Very Important” in their admissions process, so you might want to take advantage of the opportunity they offer to submit supplements for your music, acting, and photography. It looks like they’ve opened some additional slots for on-campus interviews in mid-December, so if you’re good at such things, you still have time to go for that, too. Good luck!

7

Update: I switched my app to be considered under EDII.