<p>Hi,
I have been accepted to both Pomona and Duke and I am currently trying to decide which one to attend. I am going to visit Duke this weekend, but I will not be able to visit Pomona. So any input on why one school is better than the other is helpful!</p>
<p>I was also accepted to both, and I’ve decided on Pomona over Duke (so far Pomona vs Columbia for me). </p>
<p>I wasn’t a fan of some of what I’ve read about the Duke social scene.</p>
<p>like the big Greek life and all the drinking? I heard its a big party school, too. The thing is, I want to go to Pomona, but my mom wants me to go to Duke. So I’m really looking for good reasons why Pomona is better.</p>
<p>^ Duke is evil… for one (haha… but really…). However, Pomona is over Duke (and Columbia) in sending grads to top grad schools (such as harvard/yale), and the happiness rating (according to many guides) is 99, opposed to Duke’s 70 something. Duke may be known more, but thats almost entirely for its DI Basketball success, and not as much for its academics (I didn’t even know they were ranked 8th until i was well into the application process). However, this is not to say Duke isn’t respected academically by academia around the nation, its still a very reputable school for those who know more than basketball.</p>
<p>durham vs LA??</p>
<p>I went to Duke and my kids are at Pomona. I would choose Pomona over Duke without a second thought. In all honesty, I hated Duke – huge party school, lots of drinking, frat/sorority scene. Pomona is simply fabulous – a world-class education, very laid-back and noncompetitive, great social scene, a truly wonderful place to go to school. I wish I had applied years ago. In short, I have never, ever met anyone who didn’t love Pomona. That is not the case for Duke.</p>
<p>A very good friend of mine has said the happiest day of his life was when he got off the waitlist for Pomona. He had put a deposit down at Duke, let them keep his money, and never looked back as he headed to SoCal.</p>
<p>I have first hand exposure to the culture at Pomona and only hearsay at Duke. From what kids tell me who transfer out of Duke, it’s a pretty focused, pre-professional environment. There aren’t necessarily free-flowing discussions in class. It’s not a place that puts a premium on intellectual exploration. It’s about getting your ticket stamped and being successful in life.</p>
<p>Pomona is very laid back. It doesn’t have the academic intensity of Swarthmore or Bryn Mawr, but the students are motivated by a genuine love of learning. They work very hard, but not for grades. It’s in the air at Pomona to work at a very high level. Of course the classes will also be smaller at Pomona and you won’t have faculty who are balancing their research requirements with teaching. At Pomona, teaching undergraduates comes first.</p>
<p>Although this is a controversial statement, the general intellectual calibre of the kids at Pomona is likely slightly higher than the kids at Duke. Pomona is one of those places with super-smart kids. These aren’t grade-grubbers. They are kids who are genuinely very bright. This probably isn’t such a big factor, since the culture of the school affects the intellectual environment more than the sheer brainpower of the students.</p>
<p>These two schools are really not in the same category – one is a private research university, the other is a liberal arts college. Many people (maybe like your mom) don’t understand the difference but the priorities and feel are very different. Good luck with your choice.</p>