Columbia or Pomona

College Search & Selection
1

Hello everyone on CC,

I’m from Shanghai, China and I’m admitted to Columbia, Pomona, Duke, Swarthmore, UChicago, NYUAD, and some other really cool colleges. I’m currently considering between Columbia and Pomona, and I’m here seeking your help as it’s really hard to decide. Although the two schools are quite different, I believe they both fit me well after a thorough research.

As an international student, the first thing I consider is the job opportunity after graduation. I expect myself to have solid knowledge in economics, maths, finance, and computer science, and to be well-acquainted with the international economic, financial, and political situations.

Please tell me what you think about the two schools in terms of renown in the job market, career development assistance, job fair, etc. I would appreciate any opinion with reason. Thanks!

2

Where do you want to live when you graduate?

3

Columbia’s location, being that it’s in nyc offers good connections as well as the hub for careers. Also, all the schools you are considering are great and prestigiois, but Columbia is probably the most prestigious

4

Having lived in Shanghai for my entire life, I would love to live in a different city in America. Based on my personality, I probably prefer a more competitive and dynamic place like NYC.

5

So that is why you are not considering NYUAD? Are you male or female? While it is too far for me for my kids, it is supposed to be amazing but just based on what I have read.

I think Columbia is more known unless you plan to stay in California which may be difficult after you graduate.

6

I am male. NYUAD is indeed amazing and it’s my third choice (FA $76000/yr). I thought not many people know much about NYUAD here so I didn’t ask in the post. Thank you and thank olliegt for your response.

7

I’ve had at least one student attend NYUAD since its inception, and they’ve all raved about it . Columbia is also obviously a great fit, especially if you want urban life (more like what you’re familiar with, most likely). And kids who go to Pomona love it like crazy. (I teach in Seoul.) Tough call.

@EstrellaDorado

8

Of the schools you listed Duke has the most powerful name among employers in the United States. That seems to be your question.

9

I would disagree with the post above. Columbia would be your best options in terms of prestige/name recognition in the US and the Ivys are well known internationally. It also sounds like an excellent choice given your desire to live in a major US city. Duke is a great school but doesn’t sound like the best fit in your case.

10

If you want a “Shanghai-like” experience and you plan to go straight from undergrad to the workplace, then yes, Columbia is probably the best-known of the bunch. If you’re considering going to grad-school, then maybe think about getting a slightly different experience by going to an LAC like Pomona (or reconsider Swat), for your undergrad, and then go for your MBA (or similar) at Columbia (or similar).

11

Every American has heard of Columbia, but I hate to inform you that most Americans do not even know about Pomona (that might offend some people on College Confidential, but it’s the truth). I could understand if you were debating between UChicago and Columbia, because they have some similarities, but there is just no comparison between Columbia and Pomona. If those are your final choices, then go with Columbia.

Because Columbia is an Ivy, you will also be able to network your entire life within the numerous Ivy-only networking groups that exist in various places in person and online such as on Facebook and LinkedIn. (Maybe you can’t access these while in China, but you will understand when you get over here and can see the many Ivy networking groups.) These Ivy-only groups are filled with some of the most powerful, wealthy and successful people in the country, and you could be connected to them just by choosing Columbia.

Being in NYC also puts you in the largest city in the USA, and in a position to make connections and have internships that you could not have anywhere else. In NYC there is the public transportation you would expect in a city, coming from Shanghai, but if you go to Pomona you will be lost without a car. Not only is it not directly in LA, but LA is very spread out, and you really need to drive (in a lot of traffic, taking up a lot of time) to get where you want to go in metro LA. You will feel isolated there. I’ve hosted many exchange students, including one from China, and I can tell you that in a place like Pomona you will not be able to do the kinds of things you take for granted – like stepping outside your door and being able to go places and see and do things just by walking or hopping on public transportation for a short ride. By all means choose Columbia! You will love it there.

12

@mommyrocks ^That’s probably one of the worst posts I’ve ever read on CC.

“Every American has heard of Columbia, but I hate to inform you that most Americans do not even know about Pomona…there is just no comparison between Columbia and Pomona. If those are your final choices, then go with Columbia.”

True, not many people have heard of Pomona. If you were to go ask 10 random people, 1 would probably know it and another might have a vague idea that Pomona’s in California. But who cares? Employers, graduate schools, etc. (i.e. the people that need to know about Pomona) do, and it’s very well respected. A school (Pomona, not Columbia) doesn’t get ranked #1 on Forbes and #4 on US News & World Report by accident.

(The everyday person you see on the street is unlikely to know, in all reality, of many of these schools. They’ve likely never heard of Pomona or Swarthmore. They’ll think Duke is an athletics school. They’ll think UChicago is a state school.)

“In NYC there is the public transportation you would expect in a city, coming from Shanghai, but if you go to Pomona you will be lost without a car…you will feel isolated there.”

Pretty weak argument here. Don’t think I’ve ever heard someone say they feel “isolated” in California. While Columbia’s environment is more booming and dynamic, that doesn’t diminish the life available at a place like Pomona.

OP: Looking at your schools: Columbia, Pomona, Duke, Swarthmore, UChicago, NYUAD.

Really, if you’ve completed a thorough review and it’s between Pomona and Columbia, I think (if possible) that you should visit both campuses and see where’d you’d fit best. Out of curiosity, why did you eliminate Duke and Swarthmore?

13

@happy1 My comment was related to a narrow topic of job marketability because the poster seems to be under the impression that location of the school is important.

The profile of the typical Duke student is much more compatible with what companies are looking for nowadays. There is ample evidence of this. 20 or 30 years ago it might have been different but things have changed on both sides of the equation. Columbia grads do not find jobs as quickly as Duke grads, nor do they earn as much on average. In fact, Manhattan College graduates on average earn more than Columbia grads and they also get jobs faster.

I would also suggest to everyone that if someone internationally has not heard of Duke then that person is not worth talking to insofar as employment is concerned.

14

Congratulations on your choices! I turned down Columbia several years ago for Pomona and so have a substantial number of people I know. I have never once regretted my choice- Pomona is an incredible experience. Both schools are prestigious but their environments are completely different from each other, so it is not and should not be an obvious choice. While Columbia may be more well known, Pomona is also incredibly prestigious. As the most endowed liberal arts college per capita, the most selective by acceptance rate (and more than some of the Ivies), and with a fellowship/grad school placement that places it near the top of the pack, you really won’t be losing much going to Pomona.

Of the graduating Chinese international students I know, several of them have job offers- many at really incredible places. Here are some destinations I can think of at the top of my head: Google, Blackstone, BCG, Amazon, Apple, McKinsey, Deloitte. International students have also done really well in seeking out internships at places like Facebook. Especially compared to other liberal art colleges, going to Pomona means you also get access to the 5 College Consortium in recruiting- any employer who visits does sessions for all five schools, and this gives recruiters more incentive to visit. The Claremonts are among the most targeted schools in the country for employment- Pomona is commonly seen as a target school. But there is a bit more of a west-coast emphasis here, similar to Stanford, as compared to peer institutions like Swarthmore. You can certainly go to the east-coast or internationally, but it requires more hoops.

Pomona is also in 2 school consortiums: SLAC and CIC; there is an annual program called Winter Break Recruiting which enables students to travel to Boston, NYC, or DC for job opportunities and internships. Our database for job opportunities is exhaustive- the 5C database, SLAC database, and CIC database easily add up to or succeed what you’d get at a traditional university. We have the Pomona College Internship program (PCIP) for local, during the school year internships and the Summer Experience funding program for unpaid or low paid internships across the world. The resources are definitely here and you can pave a path towards career success while at the same time enjoying a nurturing yet rigorous liberal arts college experience.

Mommyrock’s comments are especially off about Los Angeles- it is very easy to get to since there is a train running a block south of campus for work hours and a bus running 24/7 nearby (Silver Streak). PCIP provides travel funding and there are a lot of opportunities that have transportation covered by Pomona; most students don’t have a car and yet can still thrive in the LA area. NYC is fantastic, but as a destination it will always be there. Having a cozy suburb with access to the full potential of LA (which I think is more than NYC- especially for nature/wilderness) is a better setting to me, and the weather can’t be beat. I will be attending Columbia for a master’s program after college, so that’s something to keep in mind as well.

Good luck with your decision, and let me know if there is anyway I can help you.

15

@OnTheBubble I continue to disagree. Post-graduation employment stats are heavily skewed by what students study at a particular college. In the case of Manhattan College and many other schools that might be on that list of top ranked students by salary, a high proportion of their students are in career-tracked professions such as engineering and business. However, I’d think that if you look at the earning power of graduates of the schools 20 years into the career the answer would be different. I think the OP can take it from here.

16

@happy1 I agree and would never had made the statement without looking. Duke grads make at least 25% more than Columbia grads at mid-career.

I am not surprised one bit by this.

17

Statistics aside, I would still go with Columbia particularly for an international. For better or worse, Ivys are revered overseas. And much of that salary info. toes into the to careers graduates choose (ex. being a professor pays less than going into business). So we will have to agree to disagree about the importance of that statistic. If the OP is smart enough to get into all of these top schools no doubt he/she will figure it out.

18

If it were my kid (US), I would recommend Pomona or Duke based on fit, location, and atmosphere. Coming from Shanghai and also given your statement that “I probably prefer a more competitive and dynamic place like NYC,” Columbia seems like the best fit. All great schools though.

19

Going to graduate school? Pomona. You can save Columbia or some other big name Ivy League later for graduate school. Not going to graduate school? Visit both, and see which one you like better; I would most likely choose Columbia if that were the case.

20

@debakianmj Thank you so much for replying and you’ve def provided me with much insight on career development in Pomona. I contacted a few alumni regarding the job opportunities associated with 5C and these are really amazing, like how HMC attracts many tech employers and CMC draws the financial and consulting companies.