<p>After much though during the month of April, I finally settled on Pomona and turned down Penn. However, this past month, I keep on wondering whether I made the right choice. I now this might just be buyer's remorse, etc, but I want to make sure that made the right choice for sure considering how hard it is to transfer into any top schools. I originally picked the LAC because of it's great weather, it's small classes, how it wasn't elitist, it's intellectual atmosphere, and how not pre-professional it was. But thinking about it more, I'm realizing that the Pomona might be so small that it's almost suffocating and that the other school might have been a better pick. The other school is very pre-professional and I feel like I'm somewhere in the middle, nowhere near as preprofessional as the ivy but not as against it as Pomona. Though I know all top employers know of Pomona and certainly consider it equal to Penn, I don't want to be limited networking-wise by going to such a small school as Pomona. When I was at Penn, my host was the really intense SAE frat bro, so I think I got a really bad impression of Penn that made it seem much more fratty and preppy than it really was. I don't know what to do! I'm putting so much pressure on myself to make the right decision that it's messing with me</p>
<p>Given that you can take classes at ANY of the Claremont colleges once you’re enrolled at Pomona, I don’t really see how it would end up feeling “suffocating.” It’s really more like Pomona times five!</p>
<p>It’s understandable. Making an important decision always means closing the door on the other option, and that’s scary. It’s going to be true when you choose your first job, buy a car or a house, get married. The happiest people are those who have good reasons for their choices, and then commit to those choices. </p>
<p>You’ve made your decision. You made it for some very good reasons. Embrace it. Remind yourself of all the reasons you chose Pomona, and fall in love with it again. Explore every nook and cranny of the website (and delete the Penn website from your favorites – seriously). Look at the course catalog and make your fantasy schedule for fall semester. Join the facebook page. E-mail someone for information about a club or activity you’re interested in. Go to the online store and order yourself some gear. Your college experience is going to be what you make it, so jump in with both feet, beginning right now!</p>
<p>It sounds like you made the decision to go to Pomona for all the right reasons. It’s a great idea to embrace the school that you chose and start building your Pomona pride. Every decision we make requires letting go of something else. Enjoy the close-knit sense of community and excellent academics that Pomona is known for!</p>
<p>I wonder if you had made the opposite choice would you be writing this post today wondering if you made the right decision for all the reasons that made you chose Pomona in the first place </p>
<p>You had two great choices, each has strengths and either would not be a wrong decision. Embrace the school and the feelings that made you chose Pomona and be happy. If the students and professors dont live up to your expectations you can transfer. </p>
<p>My niece who attended Scripps decided in her sophomore year that she thought she would be happier at a large university. Her best friend at the time who attended UCLA advised her before making that decision to come spend a few days with her attending classes to compare the two environments. She happily returned to Scripps after being reminded of all the reasons she chose a small college in the first place. I can’t imagine her being any more successful today had she graduated from UCLA, college is what you make it.</p>
<p>do i know you? i made the exact decision as you.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your responses! It’s making me feel a lot better now. And no probably not leyth915, I don’t know anyone going to Pomona</p>
<p>oh. well i’ll be the first person you know that’ll be going. i’ll be a freshman at pomona next year, just like you. i got accepted to penn too, and my parents were practically forcing me to go to penn up till the may 1st deadline, but i didn’t. having lived ten minutes away from campus all my life, i pretty much have the entire area memorized and was just looked for something new with places to explore. seeing as though i plan to major in international relations, penn’s pre-professional focus was a drawback for me. i know if i went there, i would’ve gotten the recognized name on my resume, but that was something i was willing to sacrifice for my happiness and overall college experience. plus, there’s always grad school. i plan on never looking back or regretting me decision.
ps. you should join the facebook group if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>Ok perfect, that’s exactly why I picked Pomona as well. And good call, I didn’t even think of that haha. Thank you Leyth915!</p>
<p>ha. no problem. glad i could help. see you in the fall!</p>