<p>I am a high school senior struggling with the decision of Dartmouth College or Pomona College. A little bit about me: </p>
<ol>
<li>I am very uncertain of my future college/career plans and I'm hoping for the next couple of years to really help me discover what I want to do with my life. </li>
<li>As of now, I'm thinking pre-med, but that is susceptible to change. </li>
<li>I am a very introverted individual. </li>
<li>Cost is not an issue. </li>
<li>I'd prefer Pomona's location highly over Dartmouth, but Dartmouth's prestige over Pomona's.</li>
</ol>
<p>What are your impressions of each school? In terms of:</p>
<p>1) Overall social vibe/scene. Lots of partying/drinking? Very liberal thinkers? etc. etc.
2) Academic prowess and preparation for graduate school (i.e. medical school).</p>
<p>Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!</p>
<p>I am a very introverted individual.
I’d prefer Pomona’s location highly over Dartmouth</p>
<p>Have you visited both colleges? When my son, who was also introverted, and interested in a high quality education that would prepare him for grad school, was making the same decision 4 years ago, he eliminated Dartmouth because of it’s Frat-party atmosphere there, which is due in large measure to it’s isolation- Hanover is in a small town and there really IS little alternate social life if you were not interested in drinking. Until he visited for the first time during Dimensions, D was high on his list.
Pomona offers a more balanced experience, in part because it is in a major city, which offers many cultural activities and opportunities off campus, in part because Pomona students, like many west coast students, are smart but also more laid back, and in large part because he knew he probably did NOT plan on a career on the East coast.</p>
<p>oncologist, I believe her son chose to attend Pomona:</p>
<p>“When my son, who was also introverted, and interested in a high quality education that would prepare him for grad school, was making the same decision 4 years ago, he eliminated Dartmouth.”</p>
<p>In my honest opinion, unless you want the distinction of attending an Ivy League school, go to Pomona. I’m not much of a fan of Dartmouth’s social life.</p>
<p>if you were lucky enough to be admitted to Dartmouth, then you really should attend Dimensions and give the school a fair look. The Dimensions program is really really fantastic; if Dartmouth truly isn’t the place for you, though, you will figure that out despite the greatness of that weekend! </p>
<p>Pomona and D are both great, so I’m sure that whatever choice you make, you’ll be happy with, but please come visit Hanover and see why students here are so proud to be part of the big green.</p>
<p>Thank you. Prestige, academics, location, and social scene are really the most critical factors I’m considering. I feel like I’ve been going in circles thinking about the pros and cons of every little detail about these schools, so I’ve narrowed my thought process down to these categories.</p>
<p>I love Dartmouth for its perfect size and Ivy League prestige (+ with that, an abundance of research opportunities – Dartmouth has its own med school, for example), but I’m discouraged to attend because of its frat/drinking/partying reputation and because of its location.</p>
<p>I love Pomona for its intimate learning environment and its location, but I’m discouraged slightly because it might be a little too smothering for me in terms of small size.</p>
<p>no, he decided to go to USC[!], in part because he was given a full tuition scholarship, the much stronger music program there and the SCEC program and it’s related research and internship programs- he is a budding seismologist.</p>
<p>"I love Pomona for its intimate learning environment and its location, but I’m discouraged slightly because it might be a little too smothering for me in terms of small size. "
There are 5000 students total among the 5 colleges in the Claremont consortium. Dartmouth has only 4000. Plus there are thousands more college students at near by UCLA!</p>
<p>would you be able to have a car if you went to Pomona? . Son wanted to be able to have his own car so he could get off campus, regardless of where he went to school, and that just wasn’t practical or feasible at Dartmouth. Having a car in LA was a big plus for him socially. He met a lot of students and made a lot of friends by being the designated “go-to” driver during his first year in LA.</p>
<p>Don’t know much about Pomona’s social scene, but I hear Dartmouth tends to be known as the “fratty” Ivy. Due to its crap location, the kids drink a LOT and the student body is pretty insular. Take that what you will, but as an introverted personality, I think you’d prefer to be at Pomona.</p>
<p>I think it depends on where you live since the schools are on two different coasts. If your on the East Coast, go to Dartmouth and on the West, Pomona. Travel expenses can add up and both schools are great.</p>
<p>I would try to visit both though since their atmospheres are COMPLETELY different and you may feel more comfortable at one than the other. I don’t think your question can be answered simply by a CC thread.</p>
<p>^ One could also argue that you should go to the opposite coast to get outside of your comfort zone. But yes, I think a visit to both would be important.</p>