<p>Hi there!
I like both schools but I can't find many differentiating factors b/w the two as they're pretty similar. One thing I like about Pomona over Swat is obviously the weather. I'm a hot weather person.
I'm thinking about ED2 at either and there has to be something that tips the scale in either's favour. Any opinions? :)
(Why Pomona over Swat? I don't expect swat over pomona since this is the pomona forum :p)
For the weather I'm leaning toward Pomona, but is there anything I might miss out on/ anything that differentiates Pomona from Swat in a big way?
I'm looking for a good intellectual student body and a school with rigorous academics.
PS- Sorry for the typo in the heading. I can't edit it now.</p>
<p>I like both. If I don’t get into Pomona ED, I’m applying to Swarthmore. I chose Pomona over Swat (and Amherst, Wesleyan, etc) mainly because of the weather and the consortium. Swat has its own trifecta, but its mostly inconvenient and unused. The Claremont consortium is designed to be integrated academically and socially. You can eat at the other dining halls (when I visited I went to Pitzer for lunch and Scripps for sushi night). </p>
<p>Both have access to cities. Swat probably has an advantage in that regard, but LA is still accessible for Pomona students.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any significant difference between Swat and Pomona in education. Swarthmore in particular has a reputation for being extremely rigorous (to the extent students complain), but Pomona students have told me that academics are difficult. Both have large endowments, both have good reputations. </p>
<p>Good luck making a decision. :]</p>
<p>To the extent these things can be measured and/or generalized about, Swarthmore and Pomona are very similar in academic reputation, quality of faculty, financial stability, beauty of the campus, and opportunities for learning outside of campus. My D (Pomona first-year) and I visited Swat for only a day, so I’m not sure this is a fair basis for comparison, but here are some things we noticed.</p>
<p>Swat students seem to take themselves very seriously. The students I talked to and the ones I overhead didn’t seem particularly joyful, which struck me as odd, given the gorgeous spring day. They talked a lot about how hard they work. How they could stay at dinner only briefly before going to the library. And so on. Pomona students seem like serious students, but fairly light-hearted, as a group. They have a ton of fun, and have lots of whimsical activities. (Puppies and bunnies are coming to campus as a stress-reliever before finals, which I think is hilarious!)</p>
<p>The town around Swarthmore looked pretty blah. Claremont, small as it is, has more to appeal to both students and their parents, I sense. And the weather is an undeniable plus! </p>
<p>But Swat has great access to downtown Phillie, and by extension to transport by rail and air to anywhere. I think it’s harder to get around in southern California; although there’s a train to downtown LA, that begs the question of how to get where you really want to be.</p>
<p>Both are wonderful schools, though, so I can see how it would be a tough decision. If visiting both didn’t give you a gut feel that one fit you better than the other, I don’t know if we can be of much help. Good luck!</p>
<p>Pomona and Swarthmore have an exchange program where you can spend a semester at the other school. So no matter what you decide (assuming you get in), you can at least sample the road not traveled!</p>
<p>D (Pomona '09) chose to apply to Pomona EDI over Swat primarily due to the Claremont Consortium. Cross-registering and attending classes at the other CCs is much easier; you can just walk to the campuses vs. taking the bus to Haverford and Bryn Mawr, or the train to Penn. Also, even though there’s an intellectual atmosphere at both schools, the attitude at Pomona was more laid back, and you can’t beat the weather!</p>
<p>Both are superb schools. Swarthmore is unique in both the academic seriousness of its students and an atmosphere of social activism. Both student bodies have similar academic qualifications on entry, but Swarthmore produces proportionately more PhD’s and academic leaders (and more per capita nobel prize winners) than virtually any other LAC or university in the nation. By contrast, a higher proportion of Pomona grads go into the entertainment industry. That said, the same student with the same interests will be extremely well served at either school.</p>
<p>True, but Pomona produces more Fulbright Scholars and Goldwater scholarships…</p>
<p>One turn-off with Swarthmore was the unresponsiveness of the Los Angeles alumni interviewer. He failed to answer several email and phone messages after a tentative interview date was set up. Apparently we weren’t alone. Left a bad impression of their admissions process.</p>
<p>^That’s a little ridiculous. One unresponsive alumni volunteer is a “turn-off” for the entire school? or even the admissions process? Swarthmore consistently gets top students, so I doubt there is a significant problem with their admissions process.</p>
<p>It’s a turn-off when you don’t have that experience with the other top schools you are applying to.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>And, Swarthmore produces more Rhodes scholars and Nobel winners. So what?</p>
<p>Relax, I’m just adding some context. (in answer to ivydoc)</p>
<p>I’m applying to both as well, but I think I’m leaning towards Pomona.</p>
<p>Daughter has visited both campuses, interviewed @ both–and is applying to both Swarthmore & Pomona RD.</p>