Cornell vs. Pomona College CS

College Search & Selection
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Feel free to ignore my rant and just let me know what your experiences/opinions are with these two schools and their CS programs.

I keep going back and forth between the two. The cost is about the same. Accepted and intended in CS for both (Cornell CAS), most likely with some kind of minor in econ. I have visited Pomona multiple times, and I have never visited Cornell but I’ve spoken to some current students.

My dad emphasizes the ivy prestige of the Cornell name, the greater networking opportunities with a larger student population, and the benefit of Cornell’s extensive alumni network, as opposed to Pomona’s relatively lesser-known name as well as their small alumni network. I worry that if I go to Pomona these aspects may especially affect me if I work outside of CA or if I shift into an industry, such as finance, that gives higher remark to big name brand schools. And, I would rather not take the path most Pomona students seemingly take to go to grad school. That being said, is Pomona a more difficult path to go down if I want to go straight into industry and I may want to change my career path later in life or move outside of CA?

I also have a lot of concerns about the stress-culture, the grade deflation, and the winters at Cornell–all of which are seemingly absent at Pomona. Many Cornell students I’ve met and spoken too have expressed unhappiness with the school’s stressful academic environment. So, that kind of makes me wonder if the name and network is worth it…

Another concern of mine is the social life at both schools. I feel as though Pomona’s social life would be constricting and repetitive as it’s so small…I worry it could mimic a high school environment. Though, I do really like their sponsor group and orientation set up. But I also worry Cornell is too big and I’ll feel drowned, and I’ll be all alone depressed in Ithaca.

Please help me haha :slight_smile:

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Ithaca is a vibrant college town in a gorgeous part of the country. Far from depressing. I would chose Cornell for CS in a heartbeat.

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For a CS major, I’d choose Cornell. C5 colleges (including Pomona) have issues meeting the demand, especially the demand for the better versions of CS classes at HMC, of their CS majors.

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Your post leans heavily towards Pomona, with the only possible negative noted reputation in Finance outside CA (which might never happen) and the possibility of it being too small/too much like HS.

I note that you don’t compare the programs at all-and it’s not obvious from your post just how much of a compsci person you are. Are you more of an ‘I’m pretty good at it and it’s a good career path so might as well’ or a "Coding is life " person? In gross generalities, if you are more the former, I’d vote Pomona, more the latter, Cornell. People who are happy at Cornell (including one of my collegekids) tend to really like their subject and be pretty focused. People I know who are happy at Pomona (such as her bf from HS) are really good at what they do, but maybe…more rounded in their interests? these are all generalizations!

re: your Dad’s concerns: Pomona won’t hold you back- even for finance, even outside CA. Yes, a name brand can take you far, but not if you are unhappy.

ps, my super happy Cornell collegekid is actually a gradschoolkid. She visited Cornell when applying for undergrad and was not even slightly interested. Said she would never, ever go there- unless she decided to do nano (she’s a physics kd). She is really happy there as a grad student- but also really happy that she went to a small LAC for undergrad.