<p>Our son is very seriously considering applying to Pomona for 2008 but noticed the lists of required courses on the common data set, college board, and princeton review show three history and two social studies courses. The viewbook and website say four years of social studies. He emailed admissions a couple weeks ago to ask about this and has not heard anything yet. We would like him to visit in September or October, but feel that if the three years of history is truly a requirement, perhaps he should move on. He has a full schedule next year of classes that really interest him and is already taking an extra class, Calc BC, through Northwestern's CTD.<br>
As far as required coursework, when he graduates he will have:
English 4.5
Math 4 (through Calc BC)
Science 5.5 or 6 (5 w/labs)
Spanish 4 (through AP)
Social Studies 4 (2 history)
Academic electives in Music 8+
He is interested in neuroscience, psychology and music(as a non-major) and will try out for the men's tennis team. His stats place him in the middle of the 25 to 75% range and he'll rank in at least the top 2% of his class.
It is our understanding that admissions are not strictly numbers based so we feel this plays in his favor except for the missing year of history. </p>
<p>Has anyone been accepted with only two years of history?</p>
<p>Thanks very much for answering my question, and thank you to those of you who continue to post information about admissions, classes, culture, etc., your posts are extremely helpful to those who read and lurk.</p>
<p>I was accepted this year with AP US Government, World History, and AP US History as my only social studies courses, but then again my school doesn't offer anything more than that so maybe they took that into consideration.</p>
<p>Here's what the admissions website says:</p>
<p>*Four years of English, three years of study each in mathematics and foreign languages, and two years of study each in laboratory sciences and social sciences are expected.</p>
<p>Students who are considering a major in mathematics or the natural sciences, which include psychology, should also take the following as part of their high school curriculum:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>A four-year course of study in mathematics that includes one year of geometry, two years of algebra, and a year of trigonometry and analytical geometry. Courses in computer programming and statistics, while valuable, should not be substituted for these fundamental courses.</p></li>
<li><p>One year each of courses in physics, chemistry, and biology that emphasize laboratory work and problem solving. A second course in one science should not be substituted for one of these fundamental courses.*</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I would trust this info more than secondhand data such as from the Common Data Set, the College Board and the Princeton Review - often the surveys they send to college admissions offices are weirdly formatted so that there is overlap between academic subjects. From the mouth of Pomona Admissions itself you only need two years of social sciences and I assume history is included in there because there is no mention of it on its own. I lifted the quote off <a href="http://pomona.edu/adwr/admissions/Applying/Information.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://pomona.edu/adwr/admissions/Applying/Information.shtml</a>, which is very comprehensive and useful.</p>
<p>I think your son is fine, but e-mail or call Admissions again just to be sure.</p>
<p>Thanks sideshowbob and chopsticks. I guess he'll just have to wait and see what the admissions people say.</p>
<p>Any college would expect an applicant to take more high school social studies/history courses if that student were interested in majoring in the field. If that doesn't apply to your S, then you shouldn't worry. My D took social studies/history all four years but then she's majoring in a related field.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>
[Quote]
The College expects that candidates normally will have completed four or five academic subjects each term during the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades. The Admissions Committee considers the strength of the program and quality of the record as well as the pattern of subjects. Four years of English, three years of study each in mathematics and foreign languages, and two years of study each in laboratory sciences and social sciences are expected.
[/Quote]
</p>
<p>This is from the Pomona site, and is only one paragraph talking about admissions, so this may be out of context, so I'd suggest taking a look at the link provided at the bottom of my post and calling the admissions office to make sure. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.pomona.edu/adwr/admissions/Applying/Information.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.pomona.edu/adwr/admissions/Applying/Information.shtml</a></p>
<p>Thank you to all who answered. The admissions office responded to my son's question and stated that his four years of social studies were fine. He is very pleased about this and is planning to visit and interview in October.</p>
<p>On this note... I don't mean to "steal your thread," pianomom, but I have a similar question.</p>
<p>Where the hell would AP Art History go? I'm taking it next year with AP Euro, and I took AP US History lat year; can these be my three history classes, or is Art History a Fine Art or something?</p>
<p>AP art history could be considered a type of history class, as it is more history than fine art. </p>
<p>(On a side note: At Pomona, it falls under the "Creative Expression" area of study, which also includes English, Literature and Humanities.)</p>
<p>I would consider art history, as well as music history, to fall under the humanities rather than social studies. If you look at college catalogs, that will give you a better sense.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind that this is a list of what is RECOMMENDED, not REQUIRED. I know I surely don't meet all of the so-called "requirements" on that list, and it didn't hurt in admissions.</p>