Does anyone know when waitlist results will be out? Early/late/mid may?
^^ In the same boat as you, last year and the year before people started hearing back around May 7-8, but most heard back around May 20 and into June. If you hear back early it is usually a better sign.
@nostalgicwisdom Can you please react to EndoftheWorld’s post of today? My DS was about to say yes to Pomona. This is worrisome.
@SkipWoosnam I’ll PM you. Just for reference to future posters, I’m going to stop posting on CC from now on due to other commitments. I encourage other users to help answer questions in the long run, though I get email notifications from PMs and will try to respond the best I can.
@skipwoosnam When I read EndoftheWorld’s post it could be any senior identifying problems at any university or college. The education does rival Harvard’s and other ivies, but that doesn’t mean it suffers now that the secret is out and its no longer a hidden gem. She has some issues with the students of color not connecting with alumni, and overall some criticism of poor connection with alumni in general, but is that really a priority for kids in college? The lack of great visiting profs–I can’t speak to, but every college has its benefits and drawbacks. I have a freshman and so far, so good. Fit is important, and I wouldn’t get discouraged by a senior finding fault with a college she wants to improve. This is typical of any college.
I have a few questions about Pomona:
I think Pomona may be a good fit for me becuase it is one of the most reputed LACs, and I am undecided about what I want to major in. However, the main reason people seem to want to go to Pomona is its small size and the fact that each student is given individual attention. As an introvert, I don’t think I would be comfortable with the level of personal attention that seems to be given to each student. On the other hand, I feel like I could defintiely benefit from the facilities Pomona provides such as academic advising, as I am not sure about my career path yet.
Could anyone throw some light here? What exactly do people mean when they say that Pomona has a well knit community? I have read about things such as each student being assigned a transition team to help them transition to college life. I don’t think I would do well in an environment like this, where I will be speicifically aksed to interact with people, or where the professors know ‘my favorite authors, my goals and my dreams.’ I realize that my dilemma may just be a question of small college vs big college, but as I believe that Pomona may offer me a great liberal arts education, I would be grateful if students who have experienced college life at Pomona firsthand would be able to give some insight on this matter. Just how difficult do you think it is for an introvert to thrive at Pomona?
@ssddff When you speak of a “transition team” I think you are referring to the sponsor group system:
https://www.pomona.edu/new-students/new-student-guide/introduction-residential-life-pomona. For a more humorous take on the sponsor group system, read this: http://www.thegoldenantlers.com/exclusive-tales-from-the-spogro/. Seriously though, you have nothing to fear. Your sponsors won’t pressure you to do anything you don’t want to do. Professors are friendly and acessible. Because classes are small, if you skip class it’s likely to be noticed and the professor may ask you out of concern if everything’s okay. Just by virtue of the small size of classes, the professor tries to get to know you. It’s not as easy to “hide” as in a class of 100, but that is one of the points of going to a LAC. There are lots of resources like the writing center, the quantitative skills center, and student led mentor groups (basically study groups for specific classes led by an experienced student). But those things are resources, not requirements.
@Corinthian Thank you very much for the answer.
“Just by virtue of the small size of classes, the professor tries to get to know you.”
Could you please elaborate this? And also, what exactly is the role of sponsor groups? Are they there just to help new students, or do they try to talk to you and build a friendship with you?
@EllenWu Media Studies is an intercollegiate major, with more than 80 classes offered across the 5Cs (Critical studies/Theory tend to be at Pomona, history/journalism at CMC, and production at Pitzer, Scripps, and HMC). In addition to the academic production facilities, there are several student-run organizations/facilities including the Media Guild, Studio 47, CCTV, and KSPC-FM. There is also an active alumni group, which is officially called Claremont in Entertainment and Media (but is also knows as the Claremont Entertainment Mafia). Do a search for “CEM Sizzle Reel 2016” to get an idea of what grads have been up to (the 2015 reel is there too).
What is the religious atmosphere like a Pomona? Are followers (I’m Christian) looked down upon, not liked, etc? Does anyone know about what the Christian groups on campus are like?
@Glorfindel1 My Pomona kid was involved continuously in various bible studies from sponsor group through graduation. Never made a secret of it, and never reported any issues. My kid’s groups did seem to lean a bit liberal and, in fact, the Pomona-Pitzer Christian Fellowship just disaffiliated itself from the national InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (which still has a CMC/HMC/SC chapter) after IV-USA announced it would fire staffers who disagreed with its new anti-LGBT policies. You can do a search for “The McAlister Center” to get an idea of the other religious activities and organizations at the 5Cs.
@otisp Thank you, I love Pomona, but my parents and I are just concerned how accepted I would be and how I could find like minded people as a centrist (conservative at most colleges I know), Christian, male. Would I find others like me? Would I be pushed out for my beliefs?
We visited CMC and Pomona with our son, a rising high school senior. We went to info sessions and tours for both, on the same day.
As it happened, the admissions officer from CMC was excellent, and the tour guides were seniors. The Pomona official was a poor public speaker, and all the tour guides were freshmen. I feel that we did not get a fair view of the differences between the colleges. Can you tell us a little about how you perceive the two college cultures? For example is CMC a bit of a fratboy culture, and Pomona maybe a teeny, tiny bit snooty?
Basing your perception on a one day visit consisting of guided tours is doing yourself a disservice. Talk to many students and faculty on campus in informal settings such as in the snack areas, dining halls, athletic fields. Go beyond the glossy brochures and scripted tours to get a more candid view of the different schools. Apply to both and also Pitzer and if you are admitted, you will gain access to tours for admitted students only. These will provide you yet another channel to discover the cultures of these campuses.
My experience with Pomona College is that the students are extraordinarily bright, curious, interesting, accepting, collaborative, diverse and modest. Same goes for the faculty at Pomona College. My experience with CMC is that they are extraordinarily bright, more focused on career preparation, and fraternities play a larger cultural role. CMC is less diverse socio-economically, ethnically, and more conservative politically.
I’m currently on the shortlist (most people have been rejected from the waitlist on June 1, but there are still a few on this “shortlist”) and they are still giving me a chance, asking me to wait until July 15. Any advice on what I can do until then to boost my chances?
Do something unusual, but sincere…the 47 reasons why you and Pomona make a good match/fit. Or the 47 things you will bring to the class of 2021??
Hello, I’m a parent of a sophomore transfer to Pomona College and it seems like Pomona does not do a good job in assisting transfers, can someone please clarify this for me: transfers are not given priority over freshmen in class registration so how can one be expected to graduate in three years (our case) if they can’t get into their prerequisite class? Is it true that you have to complete your undergraduate in 4 years and are not allowed to extend your stay at Pomona if needed? How does one navigate this, to whom should this concern be voiced if the professor won’t allow the student to register for the class?
Please enlighten me and any help or suggestions is appreciated. Thank you very much.
@GTOCali So sorry to hear this. Just to quell any immediate worries- all majors are designed to be completed within or before 2 years (and majors receive enrollment priority for required courses), so your child has plenty of time to complete their desired major and even study abroad if they so wish. Pomona wants everyone to complete graduation within 4 years and has one of the highest 4 year grad rates in the country, so they will most likely graduate in time if they plan it out. If they need more than four years, the option is there, but it’s really only for those who have poor academic performance or who switched into an alternative major extremely late (say, in their senior year). They want to get students out within four. Your child will be given corresponding priority in later semesters (so in their second semester, they’ll have a similar time as other sophomores, and so forth as the years go by).
Onto resolving the situation. Contact the chair of the department and the transfer director of the admissions office (put a PLEASE RESPOND ASAP in the subject header since the add deadline is coming up) and have your child visit them as well. Make it very clear that they need a particular prerequisite class in order to begin the major and that they were admitted as a transfer student who didn’t receive a timely course registration. If they haven’t already declared a major, have them do so at the registrar’s office.
First year registration is the most inconvenient time because all the older students have already registered. Your child likely wasn’t able to immediately sign up to a lot of courses they desired. That’s okay- I’ve been in that situation as a first year and was ultimately able to take everything I wanted. Here’s what they should do in addition: comb through the course catalog thoroughly and identify a list of the 10 or so courses they would be delighted to take (use the ASPC review site as well to identify the best professors). Have them request a permission to enroll for all of them and email the professor with the situation (something like "As a transfer student, I received late registration and was unable to add this class alongside others in my year. I’d love to take it. Could you please update me on whether or not registration would be possible?). More likely than not, spots will open up in the coming days and the professors will be happy to accommodate your child.
Ultimately, this is inconvenient and not what your child needs in the hectic first week of school, and it is a shame that you and your child did not receive better communication. Please know that Pomona parents and recent alumni are here for you in ensuring that your child has the best experience possible! Feel free to private message me anytime about any questions related to Pomona.
Hi there! I have what perhaps is a silly question. So, instead of having my daughter email Pomona admissions, I thought you or someone on CC would know the answer. My D is applying ED and just looked at her “Applicant Status Page”. Under ACT or SAT Score, there is a check mark “Received” and a date. The thing is, she sent two different test sittings a month apart. How would we know that they received BOTH scores if the date only reflects the approximate day she sent the first sitting? Do all scores received after that first date just go into that " date basket" or would there be another date listed if they received a second one? Asking because her second score was better than the first and would help her superscore. Thank you! Hopefully that all makes sense…
Please don’t be offended by this question, but – is the pronoun thing really a big deal at Pomona?