<p>What does the PhD list have to do with anything. Most kids I know headed for top colleges have no plans to seek a PhD for one simple reason-money.</p>
<p>"Pomona's location is both a blessing and a curse."</p>
<p>Exactly! I was born and raised in a community just a couple of miles northeast of Pomona, so I'm very familiar with the area. I live in Kentucky now, and my daughter was accepted to Pomona last year. I had mixed feelings, knowing that it's an extremely strong academic school and highly respected--years ago, the Claremont Colleges were referred to as the Ivies of the West. Also, the cultural life in So. Cal is wonderful--the museums, the theater, etc. , etc. On the other hand, the idea that she'd be routinely navigating the congested and/or high-speed, deadly dangerous Southern California freeways to get from Point A to Point B scared the be-jeebers out of me. And although I've heard that the smog problem has improved somewhat since I was a teenager there (1970s), how much better? It was a lung-crushing nightmare back then, especially in the summer and fall. My daughter ultimately chose Carleton, in Minnesota, another great school, where she freezes half to death in the winters. Alas.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Most kids I know headed for top colleges have no plans to seek a PhD for one simple reason-money.
[/quote]
Agreed.</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>Well said newyorka.</p>
<p>There is indeed a large component of self-selection in the PhD list. But when over one-third of CalTech undergrads later earn a PhD, we can probably conclude that the level of undergrad teaching is high enough to support this proportion of future PhDs.</p>
<p>Again, the stats were collected to show that LACs are not at a disadvantage compared to the big universities; they're not meant to be a ranking of quality.</p>
<p>Forget HYPS!</p>
<p>You all should apply to PAWS!!!!
(Pomona, Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore)</p>
<p>
[quote]
am not so sure Bowdoin is that same level, just like Middlebury isn't.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, in regard to Middlebury, I've only recently learned of President Leibowitz's new initiative to build the crap out of the campus and make full good use of its endowment. I wager "Middlebury University," as it is sometimes criticized, will surpass Pomona, Amherst, Williams, and Swat in all categories of excellence soon enough.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I recently heard something very interesting from an extremely informed college counselor, who has been in this business an excess of 30 years. He said that with the exception of possibly Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Princeton, Pomona and Williams are the two preeminent liberal arts colleges in the nations and every bit as good as the other Ivies/ top universities.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No ****? You needed someone in a position of authority to explain this to you? Next step: realizing that Cornell is "every bit as good as the other Ivies/ top universities."</p>
<p>Middlebury's endowment is nowhere close to Amherst's, Pomona's, Swarthmore's, and Williams'. It has quite a ways to go before it reaches the top of any (albeit arbitrary, stupid ranking)...especially considering its less conventional admittance policies. That is not to say its academic quality is any lower; people really are splitting hairs here.</p>
<p>Kwu, Bescraze will never realize that - unless, of course, this "extremely informed college counselor, who has been in this business an excess of 30 years," tells him so</p>
<p>
[quote]
Middlebury's endowment is nowhere close to Amherst's, Pomona's, Swarthmore's, and Williams'.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Correct. Middlebury has some serious catching up to do in terms of financial resources. The trustees made a decision to increase the size of the student body by nearly 20% in the early 90s. This increase in student body size meant that the college had to pour significant resources into infrastructure improvements. It also diluted the per capita endowment numbers.</p>
<p>That being said, Midd's endowment passed the $1 billion mark late last year, and the capital campaign has raised more than half of its $500 million goal.</p>
<p>
[quote]
That is exactly one of the points of my post. I used to believe the same fact, that because of east coast bias Pomona could not stack up prestige wise with AWS, but what I am hearing is in fact the opposite.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not quite. In fact, Pomona's peer assessment score in the [flawed] U.S. News rankings is tied with Middlebury and behind Bowdoin.</p>
<p>^^^That could be the result of east coast bias?</p>
<p>Coolman123 thanks for changing the purpose of this thread. For the record I always have said that Cornell is a great school, but simply it is the worst of the Ivies. It just so happens that other people agree in large numbers.</p>
<p>Other people in CC agree in large numbers. And you said you would have to get shot to go to Cornell - it doesn't sound like you think it's a great school.</p>
<p>lol it was a joke--everyone realized it. have a sense of humor. Also if you look at my posts I always said that Cornell is the worst out of the Ivies, so the worst of the best is still great. I think I know what I said better than you...but unlike you I do not blindly follow my love for Cornell to the exclusion of all logic.</p>
<p>that makes no sense. What I said is completely logical</p>
<p>
[quote]
^^^That could be the result of east coast bias?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, it could. Although other non-East Coast schools (like Carleton) have much higher peer assessment scores than Pomona. </p>
<p>But I thought the point you were trying to make is that East Coast bias doesn't seem to come into play when dealing with Pomona. To quote you:</p>
<p>
[quote]
I used to believe the same fact, that because of east coast bias Pomona could not stack up prestige wise with AWS, but what I am hearing is in fact the opposite.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yes, it could. Although other non-East Coast schools (like Carleton) have much higher peer assessment scores than Pomona.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's surprising. I'd imagine Midwest schools would draw stronger criticism than schools on the West Coast.</p>
<p>I'd add Grinnell, Davidson, Oberlin, Whitman, and Colorado to the discussion.</p>
<p>And, as with politics, there is a vast 'fly over country' between the two coasts that often get overlooked by the mass media, since the centers for advertising and television tend to be in LA and NYC. CNN out of Atlanta is the exception. So, it is not surprising that there would be bias towards the East Coast and West Coast colleges.</p>
<p>You guys are splitting hairs. Do you really believe your life will be significantly different, or your goals will be less or more attainable if you go to Pomona or Bowdoin, Williams or Dartmouth? Pick the(intellectually rich, challenging, academically excellent) school that fits with your personality, your interests, and makes you feel most at home.</p>