<p>So I visited the Claremont schools last week, thinking that Pomona would be my fave (most well known, respected, etc.). I did tours, info sessions, sat in on classes, and generally just walked around and talked to people. Of the 4 schools I visited, Pomona, Scripps, CMC, and Pitzer, everyone seemed really nice and friendly-- except the kids at Pomona.
No offense to any Pomona students out there, but literally everyone we talked to there seemed extremely socially awkward/weird/introverted. Everyone.</p>
<p>I know Pomona is extremely prestigious/respected, and I've heard many people rave over their experiences at the school. So I can't understand why I got such an unfavorable impression of the school in general... I really can't think of any way to describe it other than that everyone was really weird and isolated from the rest of the Claremonts. And aloof.</p>
<p>I loved Scripps and CMC, though. I'v never heard of this big discrepancy between the behavior/types of kids who go to each! </p>
<p>Can anyone explain to me why everybody at Pomona is like this??</p>
<p>Really?
I read some of your past posts and you seem pretty immature. If you came across that way while talking to Pomona students it doesnt surprise me that you found them unsocial and aloof.</p>
<p>Haha, that’s interesting. I honestly don’t think that’s representative of the school. There’s a wide spectrum of personalities, but pretty much everyone here is friendly and smart. Certainly not aloof. There definitely is a difference in the cultures of the four schools, though.</p>
<p>Pomona kids are some of the most down-to-earth, funny and fun kids I’ve been around.
Maybe the kids you saw had a lot going on right then, who knows. Did you take time to have lunch with people, or try to converse when they weren’t going to class or actually in class?
My son is a recent Pomona grad- was Prom King of his high school, and has a rather well-developed social I.Q. I’d say it’s one of his strong points. He also loved his four years at Pomona and made great friends.
So, sorry, I can’t explain your experience at all.</p>
<p>^wadawada: I guess that could be it! That would explain the constant stressed-out look on everyone’s faces…lol @moonchild: yes, we had a lunch where we could sit and ask questions with current students. But the guy we sat with wouldn’t talk to us; I couldn’t understand why he’d even volunteered to take part in the activity! We tried to engage him in conversation, but no luck…
However, thanks for telling me about your son- perhaps I really did just happen to see/interact with students who don’t typify the typical Pomona student.</p>
<p>@santeria: yes, our tour guides at scripps and CMC were very articulate, outgoing, and knowledgable about everything people asked them. However, when I asked the one at Pomona what students do on the weekends-- if there are any parties, non-academic/club activities, etc.-- she looked at my blankly and then said “i love doing innertube water polo! It’s so much fun!” …which wasn’t exactly what I was getting at. Especially since literally every school told us about this innertube water polo… what a ridiculous-sounding sport! Although I’m sure it’s fun to play and all ;)</p>
<p>@wildhorse: what makes you think I’m so immature? Specifically? Just curious.</p>
<p>I would imagine that, at any academic school in the country, if you attempted to talk to a kid that is taking only 15 minutes off from studying for midterms in order to each lunch he would probably bite your arm off.</p>
<p>My friend went to Pomona and she is the most down to earth, funny, borderline genius person I know! She loved Pomona so I would think most students were like her.</p>
<p>When I first read this post I found it strange on a couple of levels, one, if you really wanted to find out if this was an anomaly why not post it on the Pomona board? The way it was worded seemed odd with a tone of “stirring the pot” rather than addressing your observations.</p>
<p>Thinking you might be a ■■■■■, I looked to past posts and what I noted from your many posts were a couple of things, one you ask several questions about the SAT test questions as well as your scores. You ask for answers to particular SAT questions and people to read your essays and provide feedback. Then you state your scores in more than one string about your 800 in writing/reading and 700 in math and how your math score is insufficient.
Of course your test scores are just fine and the need to question it on various different strings lends itself to either you wanting to brag about it or to you truly needing to be reassured. Bragging or the need for reassurance reflects a level of immaturity in people.</p>
<p>You also have posts asking a question and when you did not get a reply you chide the CC board by saying you expect more of people. It just seems like you are playing a game or it is a pastime for when you are bored. I am sure you are an amazing student perhaps you need to believe in your own ability.</p>
<p>Pomona is not a college for everyone, the students work very hard and play definitely comes second. Whether your experience was due to a few students that did not respond to you appropriately or if the college is not a good fit due to personality difference I can’t say. This is why it is vitally important to visit colleges. Pomona students have high expectations from themselves and the college as well as their fellow students. My daughter works her butt off and holds respect for so many of her fellow students. It used to be so easy for her to be at the top of her class and now she works very hard for all her grades. And she is not at the top of the class. She knew Pomona would be this way and this is what she looked for in a college when she made her final choice. List your priorities and figure out what college will fulfill your list the best and you will have the perfect college for you.</p>
<p>I will add one note that may explain part of the awkwardness you felt with your visit. Two weeks ago the newest tour recruits started giving tours. There really isn’t much training for this and it will take a few tours under their belt to lose the awkwardness of their initial experience and become more proficient with questions. Perhaps you got a newbie…</p>
<p>I didn’t notice this when visiting Claremont.</p>
<p>I did notice an effect of expectations when visiting colleges. The schools my D expected to like the most tended to disappoint, while the ones she didn’t expect much from were sometimes surprisingly appealing in person. I theorize that it’s much easier to impress when expectations are low, and easier to disappoint when they are high. Just something to think about!</p>
<p>Wildhorse, I know you have a daughter at Ponoma and you are proud of her school, but for crying out loud let the OP express her feelings without having to be subject to your vindictiveness. I would say your the one who is immature, a grown adult attacking a high school kid because they questioned how wonderful your daughter’s school is.</p>
<p>I think everyone has their favorite 5C college. </p>
<p>Maybe CMC/Scripps are just better fits for you than Pomona. Just accept it, and apply to those two, not Pomona. There’s nothing wrong with being turned off by a certain school by little, sometimes illogical reasons. Sometimes you just get a bad feeling/ impression and you can’t shake it. </p>
<p>Personally, from what I’ve seen of Pomona people on my visits to the 5Cs as a prospective student, they seem normal and cool, like the rest of the 5C students. I love the 5Cs but only felt “right” at Scripps, which is the only 5C college I ended up applying to.</p>
<p>^^I applied to both Pomona and Scripps but attended a “peer” LAC instead, so perhaps my POV is more objective than that of a Pomona parent. I would not rate the OP as a particularly mature high school student based on post history and writing style. That’s not a terrible judgment–lots of people aren’t particularly mature in high school.</p>
<p>I haven’t been on CC in a while (I’m a junior in college so it’s been a while since I last worried about college admissions) so maybe I’ve forgotten a little bit about the culture of CC.</p>
<p>But seriously, why is it necessary to call some girl out on being immature? I’m really surprised that two people would think that is totally normal and proceed to waste at least a few minutes of their time criticizing some girl who started a thread asking a reasonable and legitimate question. Both of you come off as extremely immature and mean-spirited. Why can’t you just answer her question?</p>
<p>"if you really wanted to find out if this was an anomaly why not post it on the Pomona board? "</p>
<p>Probably wanted to get more responses. I may have a question or two about Pitzer later, and probably will not post them on the Pitzer subforum; it is not very active.
Also, probably wanted responses from people who didn’t go there; “outside looking in”. Might be interesting to read perceptions from people at the other Claremont schools, for one thing.I don’t see a problem with that.</p>
<p>I also don’t see a problem posting about OPs experience there, as it was perceived. I don’t find anything “trollish” about that. Nor about the various reasonable explanations, eg midterms, non-representative sample, etc , that people posted in response.</p>
<p>If I was very interested in a school, and then toured there and got that reaction from the people I met there, I would want to follow up too. If I wasn’t very interested I probably would just cross it off and not bother to follow up.</p>
<p>Fascinating. So it’s OK for ickes to post and solicit opinions after a short visit, but its not OK for wildhorse to do the same after researching some of ickes other posts!? It’s an open internet forum folks, you pay your money (free) and you take your chances.</p>