<p>Please help!!! I have to choose between Carleton and Pomona. I am from middle class family. Both schools offer about the same financial aid.
I want to major in biology and go to graduate school later. I know the weather is a big difference, but the most important factors for me are academic environment and social atmosphere. I want a school where I can make good friends, but not a party school.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!</p>
<p>This should help make your decision: <a href="http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/acadoview/key/%5B/url%5D">http://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/acadoview/key/</a></p>
<p>I'm confused. How are you still deciding this on May 24? Surely your decision was due weeks ago?</p>
<p>I'm confused. Research opportunities at Carleton are limited for biology majors.
It is recommended to find summer research at research universities which is not sure thing and such internship usually lasts for only a short period (10 weeks?) which is probably not enough for meaningful experience.</p>
<p>I know that research experience is the most important factor in graduate school admission.</p>
<p>Pomona parties more, but places slightly better into grad schools.</p>
<p>Irene,</p>
<p>I got off the waitlist at Pomona.</p>
<p>If you are not a "cool" kid who was popular in high school, then Carleton might be the place for you. If you would fit into a Southern California lifestyle, then Pomona would be a more pleasant place to go b/c of the weather.</p>
<p>Both great schools, but with very different atmospheres.</p>
<p>Two very similar schools. May come down to climate.</p>
<p>Data from USNWR 2007 edition:</p>
<p>School: #6 Carleton College(MN) #7 Pomona College(CA)<br>
Public/Private: Private Private<br>
Founded :1866 1887<br>
Religious Affiliation: N/A N/A<br>
Total Undergraduates: 1,959 1,533<br>
City/State: Northfield, MN Claremont, CA<br>
Setting: rural suburban<br>
Student-to-faculty ratio: 9/1 8/1<br>
Full-time faculty: 198 172<br>
Classes with under 20 students: 66% 68%<br>
Classes with 50+ students: 1% 1%<br>
Graduation rate: 87% 95%<br>
Private tuition and fees: $34,272 $31,865<br>
Room/Board: $8,592 $11,291<br>
Students receiving:
Need-based grants 58% 53%<br>
Need-based self-help aid 58% 53%<br>
Percent of need that was met 100% 100%<br>
Average financial aid package: $26,649 $29,784<br>
Average need-based grant: $20,842 $25,484<br>
Average need-based loan: $3,691 $2,920<br>
Selectivity most selective most selective<br>
Acceptance rate: 29% 19%<br>
Number of applicants: 5,036 5,050<br>
SAT/ACT (25/75 percentile): 1320-1500 1380-1530<br>
Freshman retention rate 97% 99%<br>
Alumni giving rate 65% 49%<br>
Diversity: yes yes<br>
Fraternity members: 0% 5%<br>
Sorority members: 0% 0%<br>
Students living off campus: 10% 3%</p>
<p>Seems Pomona has higher SATs and lower acceptance rate. Carleton has higher alumni giving.</p>
<p>From WSJ 2003 ranking of "Top Feeder Schools", Pomona was #13. Carleton didn't make the top 50.</p>
<p>Pomona is ranked #5 highest endowment per student; Carleton is not in the top 20.</p>
<p>the WSJ ranking system for "the top feeder schools" is seriously flawed.</p>
<p>Carleton and Pomona are very similar schools, and both great! My daughter, just finished her freshman year at Pomona. Many of her freshmen friends are biology majors and already have exciting research opportunities this summer at Pomona and elsewhere.</p>
<p>Carleton bio students don't seem to have much trouble getting into grad school. I knew a number of bio majors (there are a lot of them, as it's generally one of the top two or three most popular majors). Off hand, I can think of one at Stanford, two at Berkeley, one at MIT, one at Harvard and one at Brown. The med students I know of are at Mayo, Chicago, UMN and UT Southwestern. So I wouldn't worry too much about that. If you have any specific questions about the social life or environment, let me know.</p>
<p>MerryXmas said:
"Both great schools, but with very different atmospheres".</p>
<p>What is the difference in atmospheres?
Thanks.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted at both Pomona and Carleton. She ended up choosing Carleton. It all depends on what you feel is right for you. Both are wonderful schools.</p>
<p>"I'm confused. Research opportunities at Carleton are limited for biology majors.
It is recommended to find summer research at research universities which is not sure thing and such internship usually lasts for only a short period (10 weeks?) which is probably not enough for meaningful experience.</p>
<p>I know that research experience is the most important factor in graduate school admission."</p>
<p>Summer research experience through an REU or similar program is definitely good enough, make no mistake about that. Carleton bio majors who choose to go to PhD or med school programs generally get into very good schools.</p>
<p>Hindoo,
What influenced your daughter's decision to choose Carleton over Pomona?</p>
<p>While both schools offered great academics, my daughter was ultimately drawn to Carleton for several reasons. She loved the campus itself, found the students to be very fun and friendly, and had a great overnight visit. Originally, she thought she wanted a big city environment, but found that the beauty and serenity of Carleton suited her much better. (Our visit to NYU was a real eye-opener for her! Too fast-paced and hectic for a girl who is pretty intense and driven in her own right.) ... After seeing Carleton, my daughter really didn't want to consider another college, so Pomona and several other terrific schools fell by the wayside. ... Good luck in your decision-making process. Just think long and hard about what type of environment might be best for you!</p>
<p>rsuslo:</p>
<p>On campus at Carleton and Pomona I saw negligible differences in overall academic quality and opportunities for/encouragement of school-year/summer research. Both are top caliber, highly respected, and place extremely well into the most competitive graduate/professional programs in the country. Carleton tends to send more graduates on to PhD programs, Pomona a bit relatively more into the professions. If you are focusing on the number of research positions on campus during the summer, you are focusing on the wrong concern. Are you really sure Claremont or Northfield is where you will want to be one future June once your classmates have departed to home pastures and the local pace slows to a crawl? Similarities on these two campuses overshadow differences on academic fronts - other issues should dominate your decision about where to go.</p>
<p>The student bodies ARE somewhat different and do seem to live up to their respective stereotypes. The Sagehens I’ve met leave an impression of East Coast edgy softened by LA/SoCal sunshine. Edgy is a term I doubt anyone would ever attach to a Carl. There is little question that one religion dominates the Northfield campus – students worship the god of quirky fun. From broomball to Tofu Princesses to Friday flowers they are as unpretentious and individualistic a group as I can imagine (or as MerryXmas posted this Tuesday, “… the friendliest and least cliquish of any college students I've seen.”).</p>
<p>I still believe there are more similarities than differences between the 2 schools, some almost eerie. The current Pomona president has a daughter at Carleton, the previous Pomona president was, before his appointment, a Dean at Carleton, and just last week the Pomona choir visited Carleton for a joint performance. Be honest with yourself about where you will fit in best and be most happy these next four years and you will find the answer you seek.</p>
<p>ruslo:</p>
<p>My son also had the choice between Pomona and Carleton. The overnight visit is what "sealed the deal" for him. </p>
<p>Biology surged ahead this year as one of the most popular majors at Carleton. If the research/grad school options are limited I doubt this would have occurred.</p>
<p>I am transferring from one of the 5Cs to Carleton, so I can provide a recent perspective:
Pomona's student body is very different from Carleton's. There are more people from California, it's a little preppier. The people are smart, bigger partiers... Pomona has its own science department (three of the other 5Cs share a science facility). I've heard a few complaints from Pomona neuroscience majors--they've said that the program is somewhat limited, and it's more cellular than behavioral, but if you're into biology, that wouldn't be a problem.
A big thing that I didn't like about Claremont was the town. I don't know if you've visited, but Claremont doesn't have much in it unless you have a car. Pomona IS closer to the village than the other colleges, but it's still a fair walk. They're building a movie theater and stuff, but you really <em>need</em> a car in Claremont. My impression of Carleton was that you could do very well without one (town has the essentials, it's within walking distance, and there are shuttles).
Food at both places is probably very similar.
I'm biased because I'm leaving one of the 5Cs for Carleton, but I really think that Carleton has more people who like learning for the sake of learning, while Pomona students are more grade-centric. I'm in the former category, so Carleton is a better fit for me (I love academics). It just depends on your attitude about learning.
Finally, health services is AWFUL at the 5Cs.</p>
<p>tough choice...pomona has the prestige, climate and fun factor advantages while carleton is possibly a little more earthy and definitely more quirky. Also, Pomona may be more liberal.</p>