<p>I'm an incoming student next year and I'm just curious as to what you guys wish you could change about one aspect of the school. I'm incredibly excited to attend and Pomona is far and away my top choice, but I don't see a lot of stuff on here for the downsides. Also, can you see any of these changes being implemented in the future?</p>
<p>No one has responded to this, and for good reason. The number of current students on CC are few, and on paper, Pomona looks like a perfect place.</p>
<p>I think the worst part about Pomona is that we attract incredibly talented folks- folks who could have easily got into another Ivy League school, but once they get here, many of them suffer from a sort of “apathy”. I think the best analogy is to Google, which attracts the brightest minds to the field, but then gives most of them work far below their potential. Few complain due to the benefits and luxury of Google, but the ex-Google employees leave because they just don’t feel that their talents are being used to full potential. </p>
<p>Pomona is very similar. It’s a beautiful place with a very “country-club” feel. In general, we have fairly rampant grade inflation, so few get exposed to failure, and keep living in this sort of bubble that they’re the best and that they’re entitled to the best. This is extremely dangerous for the real life, but Pomona sort of feeds into that atmosphere. Because they’re at such a privileged and well-resourced place, few are motivated to challenge themselves because the happiness and material benefits are right there.</p>
<p>Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that Pomona is not rigorous- the students work extremely hard to get their high grades. But I feel that there is a big stigma towards the idea of “failure”, when it is really failure that produces true growth and development. I also don’t think the problem is that Pomona lacks the resources to get their students to be at full potential; if anything, the resources can be a little overwhelming once you realize that. But there’s not much drive or challenge given to the students, and when they’re told things like “you’re so smart” or “you were so deserving of your spot here” (as is often said during convocation), you’re setting up a dangerous atmosphere.</p>
<p>The atmosphere is also toxic for those with real problems, or those experiencing a lot of trouble, as you feel that you’re doing something wrong. You feel that you don’t fit in with the student body. You feel alienated. </p>
<p>@debakianmj would you say that Pomona would be better off if it had a little bit of the stress from the really rigorous schools such as Princeton or Berkeley?</p>
<p>I can’t really say because I have no personal experience with that sort of atmosphere.</p>
<p>The best system seems to be some place like Mudd, which is rigorous (their average GPA is almost .6 points less than the average at Pomona) but also very supportive, based on my limited experience with their classes. And look where their grads go- to earn the highest starting salaries of any college in the country. </p>
<p>This is from a Mudd student, but from what I know of Pomona, it might be better if the freshmen were more integrated with the rest of the students at Pomona and the other colleges. The freshmen are all put in dorms together on the far south side of campus away from the other schools to the north, and they all seem to hang out with other freshmen.</p>
<p>@debakianmj
I’m a new member, just read that thread. Can you explain a little bit more? You said that Pomona students work extremely hard and that Pomona is rigorous but the students don’t “challenge” themselves (to work harder? to explore the world?)
If Pomona students need more stress, as Classof2018app has pointed out, then would the extra stress push them to challenge themselves? (or just stress for the “pleasure” of stress to be similar to other rigorous school?)
I don’t think that any smart students would buy into the “you’re so smart” discourse although it’s nice to hear that.
I’m just trying to understand. </p>
<p>As the parent of a high school senior planning to apply ED, I would also like it if @debakianmj explained a little more about the post. Maybe @nostalgicwisdom can weigh in as well. I remember an interesting thread a while back about Mudd vs. Pomona where nostalgic wisdom said that “Pomona is what you make of it because of the flexibility it emphasizes, and for some, that isn’t necessarily a good thing due to a fear of not being able to make the best decisions by themselves.” <a href=“Pomona vs. Harvey Mudd for a math/physics major - Pomona College - College Confidential Forums”>Pomona vs. Harvey Mudd for a math/physics major - Pomona College - College Confidential Forums;
<p>I’m reading debakianmj’s response kind of late in this thread, but I take his comments as pointing out an issue that one might find at most of the very selective colleges in the country. When students come from the top of their classes, as most of Pomona’s have, they’re used to doing extremely well. Sometimes this can create bit of “fear of failure” because it’s so foreign to them. When they encounter problems they may feel especially out of place as it seems no one else is.
I don’t think this is crippling for most students at top schools, but it might be for people with more perfectionistic personalities. But this is not unique to Pomona; these same students would also have insecurities at a Yale or Stanford, etc. As a parent, I think I’d caution any kid with a history of anxiety or intense perfectionism to be careful what you wish for when it comes to the elite colleges. </p>
<p>My son graduated Pomona a few years ago. I’m sure he worked for his grades at Pomona; he didn’t feel there was grade inflation, so maybe that’s telling. I think he found the relaxed atmosphere worked for him and gave him room to grow, but he never felt it wasn’t challenging or that he didn’t have support. He had good relationships with several profs and felt very connected to the school and made several deep friendships that he’s maintained over the years. On the other hand, he never felt like he was “one of the best,” or anything like that. If anything, being surrounded by so many bright kids is pretty humbling.</p>
<p>Ds has been out of college for a few years now, and in retrospect, it was a great choice for him. He has had a pretty interesting career trajectory that he couldn’t have predicted, in part because of the preparation and connections made at Pomona, but also because of his independent nature and his willingness to take a few risks. </p>