<p>Pomona has a very low acceptance rate (~14%) and is a top liberal arts college ofcourse. But how holistic is it's admissions process?</p>
<p>Rather simply put: Have kids with low GPAs gotten in because of steller essays/interviews?</p>
<p>BW,</p>
<p>If you look at the admissions thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pomona-college/1428609-pomona-class-2017-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pomona-college/1428609-pomona-class-2017-a.html</a>, you’ll see that some kids with higher GPAs were declined whereas some with lower GPAs were accepted. Some of them may have had stellar essays/interviews, but most likely, they demonstrated their ability to persevere/succeed/overcome obstacles in the past or showed their capacity to do well at Pomona. But GPAs don’t tell the whole story. A lower GPA consisting of harder courses at a highly competitive HS may carry more weight than a higher GPA consisting of easier courses at a less competitive HS.</p>
<p>The process is holistic for sure- the admitted students are so diverse and unique that it makes me question sometime how important test scores really are. I know a 3.3 GPA person who was accepted because of incredible essays. </p>
<p>That being said, Pomona isn’t a guarantee for anyone. With average SAT admitted ranges of 2100-2360, admitted ACT ranges of 31-35, 92% in the top 10%, and 25% valedictorian, Pomona is not a safety school for anyone, nor is it a match.</p>