<p>Out of 12 colleges I applied to, I was denied at 4 and 5 provided insufficient aid packages. Essentially, it has now come down to a choice between Pomona, Rice, and the University of Texas at Dallas (OOS). The cost of attendance at each should be around equal, so there shouldn't be any financial issues.</p>
<p>-I plan on majoring in neuroscience (or cognitive science) and would like to attend a medical scientist training program (MSTP/MDPhD program) after I graduate if possible.
-LA is my favorite place in the world!
-A school where it is easy to become involved in research as an undergraduate is a must.
-Prestige and how well-known the school is are not major concerns.
-I'd prefer smaller classes as long as intellectual diversity isn't compromised - environments where I'm put on the spot are much more challenging.
-I'd also prefer professors that focus on teaching undergraduates.
-A nerdy student body is preferable - a place where every person is weird in his or her own way :P
-My mother wants me to go to Rice; I am leaning toward Pomona right now.
-I want to be able to learn for the sake of learning but also be free to explore many academic disciplines.
-I'd prefer a place where social activity revolves around intellectual discussion and creativity to one where drinking and partying are the primary social events. (Most schools probably have both?)</p>
<p>If possible, could you post suggestions as to which school I should attend or reasons for attending each? Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Personally, I would say rice as well. But then again, you are the one going to college. </p>
<p>Rice has some of the best premed opportunities from what I know. There is a nearby hospital and there is really a focus on medicine at Rice. Also, research seems to be pretty commonplace at Rice. As for the city, I wouldnt really consider Pomona to be “LA.” I mean it is LA county, but Pomona is like its own little world. It really is quite peaceful, and dare I say it, boring at time.</p>
<p>I must disagree with the above poster. You VERY MUCH sound like a GREAT fit for Pomona and Pomona for you. Although he is right Pomona is not L.A. (it’s actually in Claremont - not Pomona) but in describing yourself, you have Pomona written all over you! What is great about the Claremont Colleges is that you will have access to classes at each of them which means HARVEY MUDD! So you will be fine. Oh and Death by Chocolate! Who can beat that! ;-)</p>
<p>We visited both and there are striking cultural differences. Rice still has strong cultural affinity with Texas (I believe some 50% of the student body is from there) whereas Pomona is, for obvious reasons, a lot more west coast oriented-about 40% of the student body is from there. D was a lot more comfortable with the vibe at Pomona. (We are from an east coast metro area by the way.) Religious engagement, for example, felt like it was more common at Rice-it didn’t matter what religion, as much as being affiliated. </p>
<p>The housing is also quite different. Rice has adopted Yale’s house system. Kids at Rice seem to like it but there is a lot of ‘house spirit’ stuff that was anathema to D. Of course, we visited Rice during the first week of school, so these house activities were omnipresent. It probably settles down after a few weeks. As an aside, we loved the food at Pomona. Didn’t eat in the cafeterias at Rice, so we can’t compare but another visitor complained that there was a lot of fried stuff on the menu during her visit. It seems trivial but you have to eat every day.</p>
<p>Final note on Pomona: While you can take courses at Harvey Mudd, the number you can take is limited, so it would be a mistake to go to Pomona thinking you were going to cross-register often at Harvey Mudd.</p>
<p>Slight clarification-- Rice’s res college system is actually modeled after Oxford/Cambridge (as is Yale’s) and the residential college system is wonderful, and the dining halls at Rice are either in the colleges or in the big north/south serverys. </p>
<p>Yes So Cal is very different from Houston. If you prefer the So Cal vibe, the that may be the place for you. The village shops near the Claremont schools are charming, but so is Rice village. Intellectual stimulation can be had at both, ans yes, you can cross register at the 5 Claremont schools. The opportunity to work at the Houson Medical centers (the 13 hospitals and clinics across the street from Rice) cant be beat, though, if you want to go into medicine. Both schools are full of fun, quirky intellectuals. Good luck!</p>
<p>I think Rice is the better choice. It offers a perfect college experience with lots of opportunities to take advantage of what Houston has to offer- more so than Pomona does with respect to LA. The food is fine at Rice- lots of healthy choices and wonderful off-campus eating (inexpensive options, too). D1 sports (well, sort of) adds somewhat of a fun athletic vibe.</p>
<p>If possible, visit both… you can find cheap fares to Houston-Hobby airport on Southwest. For Pomona, I bet you can find cheap fares flying into Ontario International Airport (located near the Claremont Schools).</p>