<p>The only thing thats making me choose Vassar over Pomona is the open curriculum. So, are the GE requirements too harsh,or can you finish them pretty quickly ?</p>
<p>[Pomona</a> College : Academics : Overview : General Education](<a href=“http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Registrar/Overview/GeneralEducation.shtml]Pomona”>http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Registrar/Overview/GeneralEducation.shtml)
[Pomona</a> College : Office of the Registrar](<a href=“http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Registrar/gradrequirements.shtml]Pomona”>http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/Registrar/gradrequirements.shtml)</p>
<p>Summarized:</p>
<p>Students take at least one course in each of five areas: Creative Expression; Social Institutions and Human Behavior; History, Values, Ethics and Cultural Studies; Physical and Biological Sciences; and Mathematical Reasoning. </p>
<p>All first-year students take part in one of Critical Inquiry seminars, which emphasize writing and critical discourse in a small discussion setting.</p>
<p>A Physical Education activity course is required of all students in the first year at the College, except for transfer students who have been given credit for a Physical Activity through another institution.</p>
<p>The College also has a foreign language proficiency requirement to further our aspiration that students develop global perspectives and the capacity for intercultural understanding. Students demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language by passing a third-semester college-level foreign language (modern or classical) course (normally within the first two years), or by appropriate scores on eligible language exams.</p>
<p>As a student at pomona i can honestly say our curriculum is much more liberal than at my friends’ schools…</p>
<p>And dance class fulfills the PE requirement.</p>
<p>Ah no, the requirements are not a big deal at all. If you’re a humanities student, it’s a bit easier, because you’ll most likely fill 3 out of 5 requirements just through the classes you choose to take, so you’ll have to make a conscious effort to take a math/science course, but there are some cool things to choose from.</p>
<p>are the science requirements easy for non-science majors ??? I’m really good at humanities and social science but I suck at science…thats what I’m a little scared of…</p>
<p>D, who is a non-science major, took astronomy and statistics to fulfill those Areas 4 and 5. She enjoyed astronomy so much that she briefly considered a double major or a minor in that field! That said, she also enjoyed taking physics in high school. I’m sure you can find a course that will fulfill the areas but still appeal to you.</p>
<p>The area requirements are pretty easy to fulfill. Most students manage to hit them all by the end of sophomore year, but it is definitely possible to complete all of them as a freshman. </p>
<p>Very few GE requirements, you really ca more or less take whatever you want while you’re here.</p>
<p>are the science reqs for a non-science major difficult ???</p>
<p>There are a lot of ways for non-science focused students to complete the area requirement with minimal strain. Joint sciences (the department for Pitzer/CMC/Scripps) has a number of gut classes that are pretty easy A’s, and there are some “non-premed” classes at Pomona like oceanography, archaeoastronomy, etc. that won’t kill you if science isn’t your thing.</p>
<p>All you have to do is take one science-y course. Geology, oceanography, astronomy, and “Bio, Gender and Society” are super popular for students like you and me who are not into science at all. These classes are easy and surprisingly fun/interesting. I promise isn’t a big deal. Besides, I like the philosophy behind it–Pomona is all about encouraging students to try new things.</p>
<p>By the way, you can take archery or playground games to satisfy gym, and you can place out of language with a 4 of a 5 on the AP exam, a 7 or 8 on the IB exam, or a 650 or above on the SATII. </p>
<p>Most students satisfy all of their requirements in their first year or two without even realizing it! </p>
<p>Also Pomona is just amazing.</p>
<p>thanks all !! I’ve pretty much decided to apply to Pomona this year (class of 2014). Whether ED or RD,only time will tell.</p>