Columbia vs Pomona

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

So I’ve been admitted to these schools, and they are my top choices. As of now, I have Pomona over Columbia. I have seen both and will be visiting again for their admitted student and diversity weekends. Here are my thoughts without having visited again:

  1. Academically, both are fabulous. Columbia’s core doesn’t attract me much, and Pomona has very straightforward distribution requirements. I don’t know what I want to study, but am interested in math, biology, economics, and english (creative writing). Both schools have wonderful programs in these areas. Columbia has more courses, but Pomona has the 5C consortium to make up for it.
  2. Name wise, Columbia is a brand name school, Pomona isn’t there yet (although it’s getting there). I intend to pursue grad school, and Pomona has excellent placement. But job wise, would this distinction matter much?
  3. Columbia costs 7k more per year. I don’t qualify for aid, but this would put stress on my family. I also likely will be paying for a good portion of my education, so this is something to think about.
  4. Location wise, I love both Cali and NYC. I live in the east, so CA attract me more. How much does the city actually factor into Columbia? I’m looking for negatives and positives here.
  5. Students at Pomona seem happy from everything I’ve seen. This is not the case with Columbia. The stress and workload are both enormous, at least according to the internet. Do people actually enjoy college at Columbia?
  6. Living wise, Pomona is superior. Its dorms are better, and it has a reputation for a tight knit community. My Columbia interviewer as much as said that doesn’t exist at Columbia. It is independent and and outward looking campus (towards the city). How true is this? Are students there cold? Do they have social lives and good friends?

I come from a tiny school, so a big school might be a nice change. But Cali would also be a good change, and I worry about being taught by TAs or professors who don’t care at Columbia. Again, going to be honest, Pomona is my top choice right now, but I want to give Columbia a fair shot. Thanks for any and all responses. Feel free to call me out if you feel I’ve said something unfair or inaccurate.