<p>Pardon my posting a college-specific question on the parents forum, but a mom in the Pomona threads suggested posting here and perhaps catching the eye of a CC parent (with whom she corresponded) whose son was w.l.-ed last year and knows something about Pomona's w.l. Question: anyone know how many kids are typically waitlisted at Pomona and whether Pomona's a school that typically does or doesn't dip into its waitlist.</p>
<p>That information should be available in the school's Common Data Set filings to all the college guides. Unfortunately, Pomona does not appear to make their Common Data available on their website. I also checked the US News and Pomona did not provide data for the waitlist. </p>
<p>However, I can give you info for a comparable small liberal arts colleges. Swarthmore has taken anywhere from 20 to 50 off the waitlist in each of the last five years. Unless they totally miscalculate, schools like Pomona and Swarthmore have to undershoot and then fill the class off the waitlist. There acceptances overlap so strongly with Havard, Yale, and Stanford that it is impossible to predict their final yield with sufficient precision.</p>
<p>My guess is that your real question would be, "is there a chance of getting in off the waitlist". That is so hard to tell, because, when they go to the waitlist, it's a one-on-one situation. Did they come up short in potential Physics majors? OK, grab the next Physics major off the waitlist.</p>
<p>I do think that the small LACs provide an opportunity to express your very serious desire to attend and stay in communication. So my advice would be to work that angle, but mentally shift gears and start talking up the other schools on the list. In other words, get on with life and look at it as a pleasant surprise of Pomona calls with a waitlist offer. As a parent, I would be very hesitant to create any hope for a waitlist situation, even knowing that it could happen.</p>
<p>I am certain that you are looking for me. I can tell you what I was told last year: my son was 1 of 3 offered a spot off of the Pomona WL. I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the reason he was offered a seat was because of the strong relationship he had with a varsity head coach who was blind-sided by the admission's office decision to W.L. him. His stats alone made him a very strong prospect, his sport should have put him over the top. But, as such a small, and selective school, nothing is a given -- even with strong internal support. </p>
<p>As most who know me know, I had wished that he would have taken that seat. But, he did not. And the very real advice we were given -- even by those who were pulling strongly for him internally -- was to not get our hopes up as in the preceeding years they had not gone to their W.L.</p>
<p>I am sure you were hoping for some brighetr ray of hope, but that is the reality. Of course it costs you nothing to send in the postcard and stay on the WL. It is far better to understand however that the chances are low.</p>
<p>Sorry,</p>
<p>CD</p>
<p>I also hear on the SoCal freeways that the Claremont colleges like to see demonstrated interest, even if they don't publicize it as much as some other schools. Thus, if you haven't visited, it might help.</p>
<p>But, as I-dad notes, if they need another oboe player, and your kid just won the state violin concerto, the oboeist comes off the WL...... :(</p>
<p>ID,CD and BB: Been meaning to post a reply thanks for the information, but work has prevented me from feeding my CC addiction for a couple of days. It's hard to believe that there actually are folks out there who aren't focused on this stuff right now! In any case, I appreciate the prompt replies; good luck to you and yours.</p>