Pomona College or Tufts?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I got into both of these schools, and while I once was leaning towards Pomona, it seems that I'm now at an impasse. I have lived in New York City all my life, and my desire for warmer weather and new culture is what inspired me to apply to Pomona in the first place. However, I really appreciate the city life, and from what I've seen, Pomona is in a really quiet neighborhood while Tufts is closer to Boston. I think in general, since I've lived on the EC for all my life, I could just suck it up and bear the cold weather at Tufts. But are the academics similar? I know that it's a case of liberal arts school vs. large private U, but is there much of a difference between a degree from either school? I plan to major in either Chem, Philosophy, or International Relations</p>

<p>a pretty convoluted rant, but hopefully someone can help me out.</p>

<p>edit: also, do you think that there would be enough things going on at pomona to keep me occupied on campus through the semester, anyway? one of my fears is getting so bored and having no escape.</p>

2

<p>While Pomona isn't as close to L.A. as Tufts is to Boston, I'm sure the less than 45 min. drive would be bearable on weekends and such.</p>

3

<p>Pomona is in the middle of NOWEHERE, the closest attraction is a drab strip mall on the other side of the freeway. My D needed exactly 30 minutes to decide that she never, ever, wants to set foot there again. It was not driven by the locale, but by the insular atmosphere of "personal attention". Some kids want it, others despise it. Make sure you know on which side of the isle you fall.</p>

4

<p>For Pomona, if you have a car you can go to LA or the beach. I'ts about an hour away. Lots of things to do in LA. However, Boston is a college town. It has baked beans. :D</p>

5

<p>Hm, well I suppose I would be swamped with work throughout the week anyway, and the 5C's do have weekend parties. I don't mind driving, also. But finally, which school can give me better resources: I dig that Pomona has a huge per capita endowment (free music lessons :)) and research opportunities, but can Tufts deliver that as well? I noticed that their endowments are actually similar (1.7 v 1.6), which is somewhat shocking since Pomona is a LAC. But still, where do the greater opportunities lie, especially for my potential major...?</p>

6

<p>If in doubt, I would take Tufts. Would you even have a car at Pomona? That is a long way to drive from NY.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
I noticed that their endowments are actually similar (1.7 v 1.6), which is somewhat shocking since Pomona is a LAC.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I would think Pomona. Also the 5Cs thing is a big plus. You can take class at other colleges. Most LACs are very small but the consortium of colleges near Pomona might make up for it.</p>

8

<p>It's silly to choose a college based on endowment...Georgetown's endowment is only 1.1 billion and it's an amazing school.</p>

<p>I would choose Tufts hands down. Almost no one has heard of Pomona. A degree from Tufts would be more advantageous if you come back to NYC or go anywhere for that matter and apply for a job.</p>

<p>Also, Tufts has the BEST international relations department in the NATION. Tufts' philosophy department also kicks butt...Daniel Dennet is a professor there. You can't really beat that. Plus, Tufts has amazing science departments.</p>

9

<p>It depends on where you from. Some or most people in CA never heard of Tufts either.
OP, Pomona is about 1 hour to LA and it is definitely a very big city. So there are lots of opportunities for internships.</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
Almost no one has heard of Pomona

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</p>

<p>This is very true. I graduated from Pomona 30 years ago and in all that time I could probably count on one hand the number of co-workers who have heard about Pomona. Most people, even in Southern California, assume that Pomona is the same place as Cal Poly Pomona. </p>

<p>Typical exchange:</p>

<p>"Where did you go to school?"</p>

<p>"Pomona College"</p>

<p>"Oh, you mean Cal Poly?"</p>

11

<p>While it is true that Tufts has more of a reputation among the average "verns" than Pomona, Pomona is very up and coming. I don't think it will take long before the average person knows about it. Moreover, Tufts is NOT a LAC. There are very differerent cultures and learning styles between these two schools not to mention a big difference in the weather. You really, really need to check out both schools. Personally, as much as I really like the Claremont cluster, I would go with Tufts primarily because it is much better known and will give you a larger number of courses and majors to choose from. Besides, Boston is a fabulous college town.</p>

12

<p>EffectiveMind -- it is true the general populace has not heard of Pomona College. More actually have heard of Claremont Men's College in the same complex, which droppped the Men's moniker I think about thirty years ago.</p>

<p>However, those who take education seriously, and that would be Fortune 500 recruiters, Wall St., graduate school adcoms, know Pomona very well and would rate it ahead of Tufts in most departments. Combined with classes and faculty at Claremont and Harvey Mudd, it is significantly more respected than Tufts. In fact if USNWR and other rating services were allowed to combine the faculty, facilities and students of Pomona, Claremont and Harvey Mudd, each with very high scoring students and selectivity among the top 40 Uni/LACs in the country, they would rate collectively ahead of Amherst/Williams/Swarthmore, on a par with Princeton/Dartmouth/Brown.</p>

<p>I've never understood why anybody cares about what the "general populace" knows or doesn't. You should care about how you and your college are perceived by you, and then by the people that esteem education, and that will hire or work with/for you.</p>

13

<p>thesmiths --</p>

<p>You have a legitimate concern about the difference between NYC (pace, culture) and the residential area called Claremont. People accostomed to life in any international metropolitan city (NY, Chicago, London, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, etc.) will have a severe culture shock in an area with ZERO external stimulation. It's almost like sensory deprivation.</p>

14

<p>
[quote]
I know that it's a case of liberal arts school vs. large private U...

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Large? Tufts isn't large. It has under 5000 undergrads. I've heard that it's the smallest of the Carnegie Classification Research Universities.</p>

15

<p>DunninLA- so in order for Pomona to rank higher than Tufts it needs to be "combined" with resources from two other colleges? In that case, students at Tufts can take classes at Brandeis University, Boston College, Boston University, The New England Conservatory of Music, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. Plus, Tufts students can spend a semester or a year at Swarthmore College ( a LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE ranked way higher than Pomona), American University, Lincoln or even Oxford University if they would like a change of scenery for a little while.</p>

<p>That says enough.</p>

<p>I have no idea why you feel such a need to defend Pomona. Pomona is a wonderful school but it simply cannot be compared with Tufts - not because it's inferior, but because it's liberal arts and like a billion times smaller. I was simply responding to thesmiths request for information based on the majors she's considering. Tufts definitely beats Pomona when it comes to International Relations, Philisophy, and Chem. But if she'll be happier at Pomona, then she should go to Pomona. </p>

<p>And if most people in Cal have never heard of Tufts then how come California sends the largest contingents to Tufts behind Mass and NY? Pomona is definitely more of a regional school than Tufts considering that 33 percent of Pomona's students are in-state students.</p>

<p>Plus, I highly doubt that fortune 500 recruiters would rate Pomona ahead of Tufts unless the company is based in California.</p>

16

<p>I feel you should also consider what you want to do after graduation. Yes, the general populace concerned with big names has certainly heard of tufts more frequently than pomona, but pomona is certainly becoming a more well-known name among employers and graduate schools. A ranking of graduate feeder schools ranks pomona 13, while tufts 45. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wsj_college_092503.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wsj_college_092503.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>"Small College, Big Job</p>

<p>Then there's tiny Pomona College in California, which sent a higher proportion of its kids to Harvard Law this fall than Columbia or Duke. No. 13 on our list, it's created a separate office to handle grad-school admissions and fellowships, including its own full-time director. They do everything from grilling students in mock interviews ("How do you deal with stress?") to hounding professors who've fallen behind on their recommendation letters. Dean of Students Ann Quinley pens about 100 testimonials a year herself. "It's a huge job," she says."</p>

<p>The</a> Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition</p>

<p>Continuing, pomona leads the nation in fulbright fellowships. - </p>

<p>California</a> Chronicle | Pomona College is No. 1 in Fulbright Fellowships among Liberal Arts Peers</p>

<p>To the argument of pomona </p>

<p>Though my rant largely ignores your concerns about the atmospheres of the schools, i feel like the claim that nobody has heard of pomona should not dissuade you from attending. </p>

<p>If you are making your decision based on how urban and stimulating the surrounding area is, then sure, you should probably go to tufts. Keep in mind though, Pomona is securing a contract with Zip-car, so transportation to LA, which is 45 minutes away, should be a bit more accessable.</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
And if most people in Cal have never heard of Tufts then how come California sends the largest contingents to Tufts behind Mass and NY?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>CA is a large state that explains why there is a large number of Californian there.</p>

18

<p>effectiveMind,</p>

<p>Pomona ranks higher than tufts in nearly ever category of USNWR without needing to be grouped with any other colleges. The other colleges just give Pomona added diversity of curricula (although Pomona's departments are for the most part, self-sufficient). </p>

<p>What are you basing your assessment off of, that Tufts definitely beats pomona in International Relations (this may be true), philosophy, and chemistry. I applied early decision to pomona, with the intent to major in chemistry, and i never even considered tufts. I was told that its international relations program was its strong, flagship program. </p>

<p>By the way, Pomona has a higher proportion of out-of-state-students than Stanford. And if you think Stanford is a regional school, then there is no arguing with you. </p>

<p>to columbia_student yes, which is also why tufts has more californians there. </p>

<p>Please feel free to disregard most of my argument though, becuase as a future pomona student, i am obviously biased.</p>

19

<p>EffectiveMind -</p>

<p>Although I agree that for IR Tufts is a better option your argument is WAY flawed. You spoke of the variety of classes able to be taken at Tufts being WAY bigger than at Pomona, and Pomona being WAY smaller. Pomona's resources alone are equal to Tufts. Add in the resources of the consortium(where you can actually major at another campus, and take up to half your classes at them) and the course offerings and social offerings are easily comparable.</p>

<p>To say that Pomona is more regional than Tufts because 33% of students are from California is a comical argument. California has a population of 36.5 million, Massachusetts 6.5. Pomona is 33% Californian, Tufts 21% Massachusets. Tufts' percent from New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts(bordering states with a total population approx. 30 mil) is 43%. So Tufts is statistically significantly more regional.</p>

<p>The mid-50% SAT's of Tufts are 1340-1490, 86% are in the top 10%, and there is a 27.5% acceptance rate.</p>

<p>For Pomona that is a 1380-1530, 90%, and 16.3%.</p>

<p>Add in the WSJ survey(very flawed, but biased towards the Northeast, so Tufts should be at an advantage) has Pomona at 13 and Tufts at 45. <a href="http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wsj_college_092503.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wsj_college_092503.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>And considering Pomona's students that go into business do as well or better than the very prestigious Haas School of Business of UC-Berkeley and Tepper School of Business of Carnegie Mellon. (Pomona - <a href="http://www.pomona.edu/cdo/2007wheregradsgo.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.pomona.edu/cdo/2007wheregradsgo.pdf&lt;/a> UCB - <a href="http://career.berkeley.edu/Major/2006SalaryReport.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://career.berkeley.edu/Major/2006SalaryReport.pdf&lt;/a> CMU - <a href="http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/ca.../salary/ba.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/ca.../salary/ba.pdf&lt;/a> ) I got my these profiles from another CC thread(if you are curious why I used these schools): <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/468409-where-do-graduates-go-official-thread.html?highlight=graduate+profile%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/468409-where-do-graduates-go-official-thread.html?highlight=graduate+profile&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>So, Tufts is a fantastic school, but you seem to be more ignorant of Pomona rather than making an informed point of view.</p>

<p>Oh, and that Swarthmore semester you bragged about, Pomona offers it too. And you can do a 3/2 engineering program with CalTech, a higher ranked university than Tufts(if you want to play that game).</p>

20

<p>I do not want to play a "game". This is ridiculous. Did I not say that Pomona is a wonderful school? This thread is obviously filled with people biased towards Pomona. That's fine...obviously Pomona students or soon-to-be Pomona students are going to assert that their college is good. And it is. But to say that Pomona is better or has more resources than Tufts is absurd. My first post simply stated that almost no one has heard of Pomona. It's true. You can argue all you want, but Pomona is not considered prestigious by the masses. Not that anyone should choose a college based on level of recognition, but if you are choosing to go directly into work force after undergrad it does matters. It's just a helpful bit of advice.</p>

<p>The reason why Tufts is only number 45 on the list of top feeder schools is that Tufts students are more globally focused than other universities and colleges. Tufts graduates generally dont aspire to hold desk jobs on wall street or obtain law degrees from a traditional law school, instead Tufts has ranked as one of the top Peace Corps suppliers and 40 to 50 percent of juniors study abroad. </p>

<p>Tufts is definitely a niche school, and ordinary students do not attend Tufts. And comparing Tufts' stats with Pomona's is a classic case of apples and oranges. If Tufts were as small as Pomona it's acceptance rate would most likely be around 16 percent as well - if not lower. And only 86 percent of the class of 2011 at Tufts may be in the top ten percent, but only 95 percent of Harvard's class of 2011 was in the top ten percent. It wasn't because Harvard couldn't attract 1,600 students that graduated in the top ten percent.</p>

<p>Also, yes, Tufts does have more resources than Pomona by virtue of being a research university. Can pomona students undertake research one-on-one with faculty from a graduate school in biomedicine or a school of medicine. Can Pomona students take classes at the most prestigious graduate school of international relations in the nation? Can Pomona students study at the only independent graduate school of nutrition in the country that leads the world in research between the way genetics and diet interact? Can Pomona students sit in on lectures at New England's largest Dental School? Pomona is a LAC - it's limited by nature. But for some, an LAC is the desired undergraduate experience. I respect that. The small student body at Pomona cannot be experienced at Tufts. The isolated (I know that word has a negative connotation, but I don't mean it that way) location is not available at Tufts.</p>

<p>And the reason why Pomona's stats are so high is that there are very few highly regarded private colleges on the west coast. Therefore, many accomplished potential college students who want to stay relatively close to home apply there. Obviously, Pomona has benefited from this, and it's not a bad thing. Tufts has also benefited in that it's close to Boston - an ideal college city.</p>

<p>Anyway, back to my first post - thesmiths stated that she was considering a major in either IR, Philosophy, or Chem. And I simply pointed out that Tufts is better than Pomona in those areas. </p>

<p>If thesmiths said that she was interested in literature, then Pomona would most likely have the edge.</p>

<p>I'm sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes by stating the fact that Tufts is better in those departments. It's true. If a Pomona student said "hey, Tufts doesn't have a very good architectural studies major" I doubt that I would become so incensed and write a scathing come back.</p>