CMC vs. Pomona?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Claremont McKenna College
1

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I'm a rising senior and I'm considering applying to Claremont McKenna and/or Pomona. My list of schools to apply to is very, very long, and I would like to only add one of the two schools if possible.</p>

<p>I'm quite extroverted and wouldn't mind parties. I love being around/interacting with a diverse (intellectually and ethnically) group of people. I'm interested in Economics, Law, Political Science, International Relations, Finance, etc. (essentially all social sciences). I don't see myself really deviating from the general field of Social Science. However, I also enjoy literature and English classes, and I often like learning theory in addition to the practical application of theory. I'm academically proficient (94 GPA, 2370 SAT, 35 ACT) and love learning in general.</p>

<p>My main questions are:</p>

<ol>
<li>Is CMC more homogenous ethnically than Pomona?</li>
<li>Is CMC extremely pragmatic in its focus? Although I would like to have sale-able skills after graduation, I don't want a technical/pre-professional education (UPenn Wharton was too pre-professional for my taste).</li>
<li>Which of the two has a better social life?</li>
<li>Where do the two schools fall on the political spectrum? I'm generally quite liberal on social issues and moderate (slightly leaning conservative) on economics. I expect that both Pomona and CMC are fairly balanced, but which is more so?</li>
</ol>

<p>It would also be great if you all could tell me a little bit about the commute to Los Angeles from Claremont.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>-LW</p>

<p>PS: I'm also posting this in the Pomona forum.</p>

2

<p>Hi! So I don’t think I can answer all your questions, but I do have a really good friend who goes to CMC and I will tell you what she told me. CMC is more social, and are considered the “bros” of the Claremont Colleges. They also have a really strong Economics program- so that is definitely a plus for you! What the five colleges (Pitzer, Scripps, Harvey Mudd, Pomona, and CMC) do that is unique is that they allow you to take classes from all five of the schools. So Scripps is known for (correct me if I am wrong on this) their English programs and so then you can take credits over on their campus because the colleges are SO close together (I visited there this summer, and I think the CMC campus is a 5-10 minute walk from beginning to end). All of the buildings are extremely close as well- and I know there is a joint science building that ALL colleges go to. </p>

<p>What my friend did tell me (because her brother goes to Pomona) was that the Pomona students were very eccentric. For example, when they introduce themselves at their orientation they use a gender pronoun. For example, “Hi I am Lilly and I am a she”. You can take this with a grain of salt, but for me that was just too weird. </p>

<p>Sorry I can’t answer all your questions, but I felt giving you this insight would be better than not giving any at all… May also be biased considering my source does attend CMC and loves it :slight_smile: Best of luck to you in your college search!</p>

3

<p>Yeah, CMC is strong in your areas of interest.</p>

<p>That said, Pomona is awesome all-around.</p>

<p>Think of it this way:</p>

<p>Princeton is to Penn Wharton</p>

<p>As Pomona is to CMC</p>

4

<p>Thanks! this is very helpful. Both sound great.</p>

5

<p>Thanks! this is very helpful. Both sound great.</p>

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<p>I think you sound more like Pomona material to me. CMC has a more conservative student body and is more pre-professional. I don’t think of the Pomona students as that eccentric (val from D2’s class is there, and can’t imagine him introducing himself like that – seems more like something you would hear at Scripps than Pomona to me). </p>

<p>Also… very few students (if any) commute to the Claremont colleges. 98% of Pomona students live on campus, and 94% of CMC students do (CMC students need permission to live off campus, not sure about Pomona). Those who live off campus are generally living in apartments within a couple of blocks of the school. These are not commuter schools…</p>

7

<p>intparent… Thank you for the insight on the two schools… i probably shouldn’t have used the word “commute”… what i meant was: how easy is it to access what LA has to offer? In terms of weekend trips, concerts, events, etc.</p>

<p>Thanks again,</p>

<p>LW</p>

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<p>

</p>

<p>If there’s a reason to go to LA (concerts, events, etc.), chances are that other students have also discovered it. That being said, it’s pretty easy to find somebody with a car who will be more than happy to offer a ride. I think it’s also worth mentioning that students are pretty active when it comes to attending activities taking place within surrounding communities. For example, Class of 2018 consortium students already created a Facebook group dedicated to discussing concerts around Claremont.</p>

<p>I don’t see anything in your post that instantly screams CMC or Pomona. I think you’d make a great fit at either school so you should definitely consider applying to both. Remember, CMC and Pomona hold the #1 and #2 lowest LAC acceptance rates in the nation, respectively. It’s likely that the school will ultimately choose you.</p>

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<p>One thing to note is that the applicant pool at CMC is relatively closely balanced between men and women (near equal numbers applying). Pomona is decidedly lopsided with more women applying, although the class admitted is roughly equal. So Pomoma is going to be tougher for women statistically to gain admissions than CMC. You can find more info on this by Googling “<college name=”"> Common Data Set".</college></p>

<p>I know my kid took the train into LA recently from campus with some friends to see a Macbeth production.</p>

10

<p>I would highly recommend to double your chances and apply to both. </p>

<p>Here are a few of my thoughts. Please realize that the differences are subtle in most cases. </p>

<br>

<br>

<p>Every item above is in CMC wheelhouse and where CMC is a better choice.</p>

<br>

<br>

<p>A toss-up or slight advantage to Pomona. Pomona rewards higher SAT while CMC rewards leadership qualities. </p>

<p>QAS </p>

<ol>
<li>Is CMC more homogenous ethnically than Pomona? Not really</li>
<li>Is CMC extremely pragmatic in its focus? Although I would like to have sale-able skills after graduation, I don’t want a technical/pre-professional education (UPenn Wharton was too pre-professional for my taste). >>> CMC is more Wharton-like in its Econ and Finance programs, which are quite unique among LAC. This, however, does not come at the expense of intellectual pursuits.</li>
<li>Which of the two has a better social life? CMC is the most integrated and open school in the consortium. Pomona is at the antipode. </li>
<li>Where do the two schools fall on the political spectrum? I’m generally quite liberal on social issues and moderate (slightly leaning conservative) on economics. I expect that both Pomona and CMC are fairly balanced, but which is more so? >>> Easy again. CMC is balanced and your position is the most prevalent among students at CMC.<br></li>
</ol>

<hr>

<p>Again, my recommendation is to apply to both and try to visit both schools. I think it takes just a few minutes to feel the correct vibe and find one more endearing than its neighbor. </p>

<p>For finer details, please download both CDS forms. You will find all the information about racial distribution, financial aid, and retention. Use the documents for final admission rates after the wait lists were added. </p>

<p>PS I would not be surprised if our friends from Pomona have different ideas. ;)</p>

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<p><a href=“http://www.pomona.edu/administration/institutional-research/common-data-set/2013-2014.aspx”>http://www.pomona.edu/administration/institutional-research/common-data-set/2013-2014.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://www.cmc.edu/ir/CDS_2013-14.pdf”>http://www.cmc.edu/ir/CDS_2013-14.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>This was also posted on Pomona forum.</p>

<p>I agree with NW (on Pomona forum) that you should apply to both, and definitely should visit the Claremont campus, which will give you a pretty good idea of where you will fit in best.</p>

<p>Admittedly, I went out on a limb by posting this on the Pomona forum, but I feel LW might be a better fit at CMC, due to his strong interest in the social sciences.
I would be reluctant to use the term ‘better’ in comparing the two colleges…Pomona is obviously a tremendous school, …but I believe CMC is more ‘unique.’ The Athenaeum is a gem. Where else, including the top research universities such as Harvard,Stanford, UC Berkeley,etc. can you join world-class speakers, with dinner, virtually every weeknight of the school year? Then, there is the myriad of research institutes ( I believe the number is around 10), most of which center around LW’s declared interests.</p>

<p>Architecturally, Pomona has the more traditional, ‘Ivy League’ look…i often hear Pomona students and/or alumni, refer to the college as ‘Amherst’ or ‘Williams’ with better weather.
CMC, on the other hand, is architecturally more functional, and modern looking. The new Kravis Center (built at a cost of $250 million ?), and the Roberts Pavilion (scheduled for completion next year), are very impressive additions…</p>

<p>Re LW’s question about the bent of the students, I agree with Nostalgic Wisdom that CMC students are generally more balanced, still leaning left but not overwhelmingly so.</p>

<p>Pomona students are more intellectually focused, sending a higher percentage of students to graduate / PhD programs. But,CMC students are generally more focused on ‘leadership’ traits, which is a factor actually looked for in the admissions process, as evidenced by the inordinate degree of success, financial and otherwise, among its graduates ( i.e., more billionaires per capita than any other college).</p>

<p>Finally, the ‘pragmatic’ academics and heavy % of majors in Economics govt, etc is true but -in my opinion- a bit overstated, at CMC. While its been a few years (quite a few,I fear).since I attended, i recall my ‘best’ classes being literature and history…Also, its important to note that 90% of applicants to medical school are accepted to one of their 2 top choices.</p>

<p>Bottom line to LW: Apply to both,and visit the campus.
Claremont is a terrific place, and I really miss it!</p>