I thought it would be nice to have this thread for applicants and admitted students as a source to ask Pomona-related questions, especially as decisions are coming out in around 2-3 weeks (good luck to everyone who applied!). I know that it isn’t always easy to find a Pomona person to talk to.
I’ll do my best to respond to the inquiries from time to time, and I encourage anyone else experienced with Pomona to offer their perspective as well, since many questions have subjective answers. And of course, you can PM me too if you’d prefer.
A little about me- recent graduate with a lot of younger friends still at Pomona, STEM major but half my courses were in everything but STEM, got to pursue a lot of opportunities funded by the college that I’m deeply grateful of and heavily used the other Claremont Colleges, and met some of the brightest and nicest people imaginable.
Thanks for this thread! I have some questions:
Do most people at Pomona have at least a few good friends at the other colleges? And is it really a friendly and non-competitive relationship between the 5 Cs? I’ve heard mixed things about this, and I read somewhere that the relationship can be rocky because Pomona is known as a better school than the others.
Parent of a Pomona sophomore here. I think you’ve heard mixed things because many things are simultaneously true: most people have good friends at the other schools, there is some friendly rivalry, and there are stereotypes about each of the schools, etc. It’s just human nature to think your school is better and the other school falls short. It’s tribal loyalty. https://cmcforum.com/opinion/03272014-the-danger-in-believing-in-puck-fomona
Between cross-registration for classes, parties and clubs, you are bound to meet lots of people form the other schools. My D has taken a philosophy class and a literature class at CMC and has met lots of CMCers that way. One of her best friends is a Scrippsie. For a while she dated a Pitzer student. Her Scrippsie friend is dating a Mudder. Plus there is an athletic rivalry. Exciting men’s basketball game between Pomona-Pitzer and CMS just happened: http://tsl.news/sports/6524/.
When you think about it, part of what makes the 5C’s so unique is that the 5 schools are actually quite distinct and that’s part of the consortium’s attraction. It would be boring if all 5 were the same. Then it would just be bigger but not better.
It’s a varied experience given the complexity of the consortium. To say there are no students at Pomona who are elitist and think they’re above the consortium is being inaccurate. To say that there are no hostilities between the five colleges is being inaccurate. But the reality is that there is no place where you won’t meet your share of elitist students. STEM students at a university might think they’re better than those studying the liberal arts. When you have disparate schools whose students regularly interact- especially those at different as the Claremont Colleges- some conflicts and differences are going to arise.
In my experience, however, the vast majority of us get along and think of each other as a large collective family. We pull jokes at each others’ expense (see the Golden Antlers), but at the end of the day we regard each other as special, unique colleges with much to offer. I think, depending on your personality and interests, you’re going to interact with some colleges more than others. If you’re an athlete, you’re going to meet a bunch of folk from Pitzer, as they represent 30% of the Pomona-Pitzer athletes. As a STEM student, I went to Harvey Mudd often and did research there. Many of my media studies friends took courses at Pitzer. Scripps has an excellent variety of English and GWS courses. Many of my more pre-professional friends took advantage of CMC’s accounting and finance courses. There are some clubs and organizations that are truly 5C in nature, like acapella groups, the black student and latinx student affairs, the outdoor club, theater, the ballroom dance company, 5C club sports like rugby, the jazz band, and so much more. You’ll meet students from all of the colleges with those activities. Most events are open to students from all five colleges, and you’ll almost always have a Pomona link to the other colleges to introduce you to new people. There are even some students that opt to do housing exchanges to live on one of the other colleges- all you need is a student to exchange with you at the college you’re interested in living in. Also, 6 dining halls- all with high quality food- is an incredible privilege, and you’ll often meet people from the other colleges that way.
At the end of the day, the majority of your friends will be Pomona students and the majority of your experiences will be Pomona related. There is the social psychological proximity effect, which suggests that the people you live with are those you’ll develop the closest ties to. You have to take at least 16 credits in Pomona courses, and given the large size of the campus, it’s easier to justify walking 5 minutes to take a course at Pomona than 20 to take it at Mudd, and there will be instances when you just can’t enroll in another college’s course (happened to me with taking a virology course at Keck Science Center or a psychology course at Pitzer- the interest on the home campus was so large that they didn’t allow cross-registration). Many of Pomona’s opportunities, like off-campus trips sponsored by the student government and internship/research funding, are open to Pomona students only. You’ll also hear more about the lectures, events, screenings, etc. being hosted at Pomona thanks to flyers and campus email than of those happening at the other colleges, even if they are open to students from all the 5C’s.
Does Pomona have a good physics/astronomy courses? So far, Pomona seems better to me than Harvey Mudd, but I I do care about a good Astronomy department. Also, how does cross-registration work?
Pomona’s astronomy is top notch for an LAC. It collaborates extensively with Caltech, and the students have access to the largest undergraduate observatory in the country- the Table Top Observatory operated by the Jet Propulsion Lab. Pomona also just built a new physics and astronomy building which is stunning- one of the nicest academic buildings I’ve ever seen. One of my good friends in my class studied astrophysics, had the opportunity to do research at Caltech, and is now at Berkeley for his PhD program. Many of my astrophysics friends have worked for the Carnegie Astronomy in Pasadena. Here are some more outcomes from the catalog: “The Astronomy Program has a unique partnership with the Carnegie Observatories, based in Pasadena, which places about four Claremont students in research jobs each summer and which makes use of the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. Students have done research internships at the Brookhaven National Lab, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Cornell University, Harvard University, Caltech, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Smithsonian and many other exceptional research institutions.”
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Physics is a good major. In the past, it was overshadowed by Bio and Chem, but with the hiring of some top notch professors and the new building, it has now become a top 10 most popular declared major, which just goes to show how much stronger it has become. I think one thing that’s really great is that it’s a very tight-knit community, and the faculty and staff are very receptive towards placing every major in a research setting. Graduates do very well, going to Yale, Berkeley, Stanford, and others for graduate school. In my class, the Rhodes and Marshall finalist for Pomona was a Physics major, and he’s now at MIT for graduate school in electrical engineering (https://www.pomona.edu/after-pomona/alumni-career-stories/posts/scott-tan-16). He did research at Mudd and cross-registered in some of their physics courses, along with research experiences at Pomona and a year of study abroad at Oxford, so there’s definitely opportunities to cross-enroll. Another person from my class did the 3-2 engineering program and is finishing his year at Caltech.
How does cross-registration work? You sign up for courses on a portal, but it lists courses from all five colleges, not just Pomona. Upon clicking a class, you can see what its requirements are. Some have no requirements, and you can just enroll. Some say “other 5C’s/POM require PERM (permission to enroll)”, and you submit a form to register in the course. You’ll usually get in if you show up on the first day. Few say the equivalent of “Pitzer only”, or in other words, no one from the other colleges can register. In my experience, Harvey Mudd’s courses, with the exception of computer science, are easy to enroll in. I’ve taken a couple of biology courses there without any hassle, considered taking some of their engineering and chem courses, and many of my physics friends took physics courses there.
Take a look at the ASPC course planner. It’s not the official registration portal but is an easy way to look at courses across the 5C’s. https://aspc.pomona.edu/courses/schedule/. Of course right now Spring 2017 sign ups are closed and Fall isn’t open yet but it gives you an idea of how it works.
Speaking of the Jazz Band (from above), I’ll put in my plug again for anyone considering Pomona, or any of the 5 C’s, who is a good to great musician. The Pomona Jazz Ensemble has risen from an organization that was between dead and decaying 5 years ago to a great college level jazz band (not quite conservatory level, but these kids are not music majors). They have to replace graduating seniors every year, and next year is no exception. My daughter will be a senior next year, so she will be hoping for some great musicians to join. Barb Catlin was brought in as the director about 4 years ago, and Pomona decided to admit more high caliber musicians, and a nice band emerged from the ashes.
What is the social scene like? Is there a decent amount of events/parties for a moderately social person? I’m specifically wondering how big partying is and what the atmosphere of these events is like (for example, are parties usually the stereotypical large frats run by male athletes). And how often are there events/parties with a blend of students within the 5C?
@ricka8 I think it’s pretty lively. I’ll just give you an example of a week or 2 worth of events that I actually went to based on my calendar from the last week in April of last year:
The 2nd Annual 5K Dream Run//Earth Day Farm Fest!//Free Trip to Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival//Remnants - FINAL PERFORMANCE! (theater)//Off the Grid: A Fashion Show//A CONTRAversial Union (contra dance)//Claremont Colleges Taiko Spring Concert: Elements//Survivor Care Guide Workshop Zine Making!//Spring Formal (fancy ball)//Pirate Party 2016//Sage Tank 2016 (Pomona’s version of Shark Tank)//5C Hip Hop Festival//Pomona College Jazz Ensemble (actually a 5C group)//AARC 25th Anniversary Commencement Dinner//I Want To Believe: Pomona College Senior Art Thesis Opening//Citizen: A Reading and Conversation with Claudia Rankine//Ana Tijoux at Scripps!//Europe and its Discontents: Crises? Which Crises?//Subsidized Trip to Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal Studios Hollywood//Pec Thai Food & Boba Snack!//Pomona Food Science: Loafing Around, the Science of Bread!//Healthy Love - Thrive at the WU (women’s union)//Body Party//Two Performances of Brahms: Ein deutsches Requiem, Op. 45//Pass The Mic: College Activism (student discussion series)//Human Symphony - 12th Annual A Capella Festival//Nochella 2K16//9th Semiannual 5C Hackathon
As you can see, good mix of Pomona events, some based off the other colleges, some clearly 5C/Claremont College in nature, etc. and a diversity of pretty much everything. Pretty standard for what you should expect. Lots happening, so if you’re not a party person, you can thrive; if you are a party person, you can thrive too (Body Party/Pirate Party/Spring Formal are all some of the bigger parties thrown at the 5Cs). The social scene is definitely 5C in nature.
About one or two big parties each weekend at one of the 5C’s, and you’ll definitely meet students from all of the colleges at all of them. Lots of little to moderate ones too; many people party with their friends in dorms and such. There aren’t any noticeable frats at the 5C’s (only at Pomona, it’s not nationally recognized and less than 5% of students are in it, though they throw inclusive parties for the whole community), so the parties don’t have a frat culture. I think the athlete/traditional party vibe feels more noticeable at CMC parties, whereas Mudd just goes hard and Pomona is eclectic and really diverse, so there’s a varied scene, but it’s not like Amherst where there’s a noticeable division between athletes and non-athletes in social life.
Let’s be honest though, the scene is not going to be as popping as a party school with over 20000 students. That’s just something you’re not going to get at any LAC, or even most elite universities. I know lots of people who went clubbing in LA for special occasions like birthdays and really big events, because they get bored of the scene in Claremont. I think that’s the great thing- you have a rare weekend where there isn’t much going on, and you can plan your time around what’s in the LA area instead. It’s definitely accessible, even without a car (though a car makes things more convenient).
Thanks so much!! Yeah, I was actually looking to compare it to Amherst so that was extremely helpful. It just makes me love Pomona even more… I’m praying by some miracle I get in!
Hi! I’m a student in VA who has recently been accepted to Pomona, and while I love almost everything about the school so far, I have a couple of questions.
First, how easily can a student acquire an internship related to their field of study over the summer, and what role does career services play in that process?
Second, for non-STEM major students that you may know of, how easy was it for them to find jobs after graduating, and what role did the office of career services play there?
While trying to get a feel for the social scene at Pomona, I’ve been hearing a lot about two groups of people that seem to have a negative impact on the scene on campus: the rich elitists, and the hyper-liberal SJW type-students. Can you confirm whether or not these stereotypes are true? How prevalent are they? Which do you think has had the worst impact on your experience?
Finally, what did you think was the worst thing about Pomona during your first two years (if you can remember), and how did that change from what you think is the worst thing about Pomona now?
I’m sorry if I bombarded you with too many questions. Thanks for taking the time to do this!
It was very easy for me. I had a summer opportunity every year and most of it was paid by Pomona. I think the onus is on you to find the opportunity, though the CDS can help review your materials, do prep interviews, and so forth. There's a huge database of internship listings and such on our career resources, and we have a lot of employers coming to visit the five colleges for job and networking opportunities, so it's very easy, actually. The same tips that would apply everywhere apply at Pomona too- start early, build connections, develop experiences on campus that will prepare you well, and so forth. The Pomona College Internship Funding program and the Summer Experience program also will pay for internships; both are done through career services.
I don't know any non-STEM major graduate who isn't employed, doing a fellowship, or attending graduate school as of now. According to this (https://www.pomona.edu/administration/office-institutional-research/surveys/alumni-survey-results), only 1% of social science alumni say they're looking for work, while the numbers are 7% for arts and humanities major, which probably isn't that different from other schools. The % not employed/not seeking work are those in graduate school or those who are retired. Pomona has a solid alumni network enhanced by the other Claremont colleges and has winter break recruitment programs in NYC, DC, LA, and Boston to help students find jobs. There is an alumni mentorship program that helps build networks with older alums. Pomona's wikipedia page does a good job highlighting all of the employment tools students have access to. I think if you take advantage of the resources Pomona has to offer, and it has a lot, you'll have no trouble getting a job. A lot of students wait a bit too late or after graduation to start the search, so they can have some trouble initially, but they eventually find where they need to be.
Neither is significant in my experience. The lack of overt elitism and preppiness is precisely why I preferred Pomona over other peer LACs and universities. It is considered disgraceful to brag about economic privilege here. I know most of my peers come from well-off families because it's the reality of most elite schools, but to this date I have no idea who is living in what kind of background. It's just not something you can readily tell when the clothing of choice are t-shirts and shorts. I think Pomona students are in general liberal and committed to justice and equality, but it's not the inconsiderate, hypocritical, closed-off attitude that SJW types are known for. Of course there are some who're more fitting of the stereotype, but that's true at every school. In either case, neither of those groups did anything to mar my academic and social experiences. I learned a ton in my classes, was exposed to plenty of ideas that I disagreed with, had robust intellectual conversations with my peers, got to meet and interact with so many distinguished speakers, and genuinely felt that I made friendships across political, racial, socioeconomic, and academic lines. I've found people to be considerate, friendly, open-minded, and receptive, and those are all important to a civil conversation and discourse.
The worst thing about Pomona at first was the lack of name recognition. It seemed that the college was not reputable or taken seriously by family, outside friends, etc. But after learning of the outcomes and the doors opening for me through Pomona, as well as seeing first hand what a valuable experience it was, it became a non-issue. It's something all the LACs face- a lack of general prestige- but their experiences and outcomes are fantastic, especially for graduate school and in working for the top employers. The worst thing when I graduated? I think our support for mental health could be a lot better. When I left Pomona, the counseling center at the 5C's had a 5 week waiting period, and eventually Pomona began to fund students to get counseling off-campus instead. So there's a lot of demand for those services, but not enough supply. I think Pomona works really hard to make sure all of its students are supported and thriving, but it could do better on that regard. Honestly, Pomona doesn't have many, if any, severe cons to it. All of the downsides I can think of Pomona are conditional rather than absolute, and the school works hard to mitigate them. 20 years ago, we had a severe lack of resources for career opportunities; today, it has gotten so much better and more resourced. 20 years ago, it was difficult to access LA, but now public transit has greatly improved and the school has worked to fill in the gaps. 20 years ago, we had a big smog problem, but now it's basically non-existent. Pomona's name brand is rising (#1 on Forbes helped a ton), it is investing more resources on supporting students, and it is renovating all the buildings that aren't as nice as the others.
How strong is Pomona’s Music Department, especially the vocal performance program?
DD was very fortunate to get accepted by Pomona College. She has been having fun on the Pomona Facebook page for admitted students and bonded really well with others.
DD is gifted in singing with a classic voice and a perfect pitch. She went through a rigorous audition at UCLA and also got accepted by its highly specialized Voice and Opera Program, which had an acceptance rate of 4%. Obviously, we have to make a tough decision this month, although she is leaning toward Pomona.
She loves on–stage performances and would really like to have opportunities to shine on and off campus. How active are Pomona students in this regard.
What kind of internship does a student in music major usually have? Any opportunities in the entertainment industry?
She understands the tough job market for a performing artist and would like to minor in a STEM field to support herself in the future to pursue her dreams. She likes math too. Is the combination of a music major and an applied math/statistics minor doable?
I’m sorry, I can’t answer specific questions about music due to lack of knowledge. All I know is that it is a very important part of Pomona, and over 60% of students participate in music opportunities each year. Maybe @akiddoc can be of better help? You may find it advisable to reach out to the music department and see what outcomes have looked like, as well as to be connected to current students.
I can answer your last question, though. What you described is absolutely feasible. A music major consists of around 12 courses, and a STEM major is around 6 courses. You need 32 to graduate from Pomona. There are no barriers between the courses and tracks students can take. I think what can be challenging is trying to double major. There are a number of core requirements, and majors require 12-16 courses, so it entails planning in advance to make sure one can fit everything in.
@nostalgicwisdom Thanks for making this thread! How is the chemistry department at Pomona? Is it plausible to take much of the major at HMC and my other classes at Pomona to get the best of both worlds? Does the Chem program collaborate with Caltech at all? Also, I like the small nature of LACs, do the other four colleges make it seem like a much larger community?
@Glorfindel1 Since @nostalgicwisdom hasn’t answered yet, let me direct you to the portion of the website that details the requirements for a chemistry major at Pomona: http://catalog.pomona.edu/preview_entity.php?catoid=21&ent_oid=1260&returnto=4435. Note that it says that “Chemistry courses from the other Claremont Colleges may be selected for chemistry electives.” And yes, the other 4 colleges make it seem like a much larger community.