<p>i currently have this "problem". I love both of them, but obviously they are incredibly different: opposite ends of the country, small LAC vs a prestigious university, DI v DIII, etc.
What do you guys think? pros and cons of each?</p>
<p>One input, I guess: According to someone who goes to my church who attends Pomona, it has not the best food and rooming. Princeton, I've heard, gives much attention to the students and their well-being. I also confirmed this with my interviewer and the website.</p>
<p>Good luck choosing!</p>
<p>^ lol, I've heard the opposite. My Princeton interviewer said that a lot of the facilities at Princeton weren't the best but it was a price worth paying.</p>
<p>Here is a thread you might find helpful for some of the general principles in it:</p>
<p>Instead of Princeton though, it's Harvard vs Pomona</p>
<p>Well the quality of our dorms can vary quite a bit, but our food IS pretty palatable, especially when you talk about eating clubs.</p>
<p>Oh come on. Princeton! If you live in the east, most people have never even heard of Pomona. Princeton’s campus is like a fairy tale. They have Paul Krugman. There is NO contest.</p>
<p>What’s Pomona?</p>
<p>I’m in the same situation… going to visit pomona on the 13th and princeton on the 25-27. As far as i can tell, you really have to look at your personality. pomona seems laid-back and california-esque which is good if you’re a type B. Good luck in deciding =)</p>
<p>Pomona is an academically better school. It’s campus is more attractive, and so are its facilities (in my opinion).</p>
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<p>So, your arguments are: choose Princeton because people have heard of it, durr hurr.
Now, if you were comparing Harvard to Pomona, maybe you could make that argument, and it would be compelling.</p>
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<p>Internationally, Pomona counts for little. Domestically, Pomona counts for a hell of a lot less than Princeton – and not just among laypeople. Be a realist for a second: a Princeton education will win you significantly more money and postgrad opportunities than Pomona will. </p>
<p>And if you’re not one of those people who believe in grad school placement and alumni income surveys, think of it this way: the Princeton brand will make it easier to accomplish your goals in life, and the academic challenges and opportunities you’ll encounter might even make a “smarter” person (who knew a Princeton education would be good for anything?)</p>
<p>Forgo all of this sentimental stuff about going where you think you’d be happiest. You’re dealing with two schools of disparate calibre, so if you think you’d be only marginally happier at Pomona, consider the other factors and choose Princeton. Better yet, I’d go to Princeton unless I got the feeling that I would be unhappy there, and that that would affect my motivation.</p>
<p>I disagree with the philosophy held by most people on this website that an applicant, when faced with a tough decision, ought to go where he’d be “happier” or where he’d “fit in” better. First, it’s virtually impossible to tell, even from a two-night visit. Second, people and personalities are highly adaptive and malleable. Third, the place where you think you’d feel marginally unhappier might be the place that will challenge you the most and thus cause you to grow the most. Finally, the “go-with-your-personality” philosophy is all about “the now”: it discounts the future, forgetting that undergraduate education is a preparation for it. </p>
<p>In Canada and in most parts of the world, the choice of which undergrad institution to attend is usually a matter of which school will best help you achieve your goals in life (think academics, reputation, short-term pain for long-term gain). I take it that some people think there is no significant difference between Princeton and Pomona in that regard. I disagree and believe that you should choose Princeton unless you envisage yourself miserable there.</p>
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<p>What have you read, heard, or experienced that suggests that? Professors and employers – whose opinions really matter on this one – say otherwise.</p>
<p>Just to clarify, I don’t think it unwise to choose the school where you’d think you’d be happiest – provided that your options are of similar calibre. I just don’t think that’s the case here.</p>
<p>Reputation matters.</p>
<p>Mustafah…if the OP is planning on going to graduate school, then the reputation factor between the two is almost nonexistent, because both Princeton and Pomona have excellent reputations for putting people into top grad schools (which matter more for finding jobs).</p>
<p>Pomona is actually fantastic at graduate school placement. So it doesn’t really matter where you go. Go where you are happiest. The fact that you created this thread indicates you have your misgivings about Princeton, so I would say just head to Pomona.</p>
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<p>I know the percentage of Pomona students that go on to graduate school after five years is very high, but with respect to the quality of the grad schools that alumni attend, and their subsequent income, Princeton wins. The two indicators positively correlate.</p>
<p>What major are you thinking of?</p>
<p>Leaders in their fields, renowned and well-published scholars, prestigious prize-winners: they deserve our admiration and respect for their accomplishments, but I hardly think those are guarantees or qualifiers of teaching ability or quality.</p>
<p>Professors love Princeton because it is their wet dream to work there, but tenure, sadly, is based entirely on research output and publication, and not teaching quality.</p>
<p>Employers love Princeton because they perpetuate a system of landed intellectual aristocracy, and some are simple-minded enough to conclude that the Ivy League label is a stamp of pristine quality in all cases.</p>
<p>I’m not trying to feed you “fit” bullcrap here.</p>
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<p>No.</p>
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<p>Yes.</p>
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<p>You assume that Princeton is more academically challenging.</p>
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<p>What sort of “calibre” are you referring to here? I’ll admit Princeton’s got significant prestige among wealthier circles and academics. Its financial aid is great. Its East Coast location is great, although the gated suburban small town is a tad boring. I’ve spoken to two good friends of mine at Princeton, and both complain about teaching quality–I was amazed.</p>
<p>I’m a Princeton fanboy myself: it was my first choice. However, I also like judging schools somewhat objectively.</p>
<p>Therefore, I would recommend Princeton over Pomona, because I myself happen to be prestige-oriented, as an individual of Asian descent. However, it’s downright foolish to argue that the academic experience at Princeton is better. Pomona’s standalone academic strength, in addition to the wealth of resources it gets from the four other superb colleges in the Claremont system, make it the better choice if one were solely comparing academics.</p>
<p>However, we are not, and I concede that I am not being realistic.</p>
<p>Thus, Princeton.</p>
<p>I really do appreciate ALL of the feedback. To answer the question:
I am definitely going to go to grad school.</p>
<p>However, I am still incredibly undecided about what I want to study. I have had a demanding and varied high school curriculum and have honestly enjoyed all classes, whether math or history, science or english, etc. </p>
<p>as of right now, I am thinking: neuroscience, archaeology, and art history</p>
<p>what is your take on the importance of class size and research opportunities at both? I don’t want to have a class with 300 other students, or taught by a TA.
thank you!</p>
<p>In terms of research opportunities- princeton;s are fantastic-- you have to write 2 junior papers with faculty members and a senior thesis. That’s a lot of independent research, and thus princeton students are looked at very highly by grad schools. </p>
<p>No princeton classes are taught by TAs, although most classes have discussion sections (precepts), some or most of which are taught by TAs. However the professor always teaches at least one section if you care enough. The intro art classes are relatively large (~100?), but in all of your other interests, the classes will be small, 20-40— although I’m not actually sure about the requirements for the neuro- psych 101 for example is relatively large. However all departments have small upper level classes, and by your junior year or so you will know a lot of the faculty in your department (and they will know you).</p>
<p>The two schools are extremely different in terms of feel- both are very good schools, but you should visit and see which one you feel more comfortable at.</p>
<p>My daughter is graduating this year with a neuroscience certificate. There aren’t just research oppportunities, as ec1234 says, it’s required. They are building a new neuroscience insitute in the next several years. D’s advisor is a genius and she has adored every minute of her experience. BTW, we are Californians. Go look at this. <a href=“Princeton Neuroscience Institute”>Princeton Neuroscience Institute. And, then if you combine it with art history, take a look at the Princeton museum etc.</p>
<p>Anybody who thinks Pomona in any way compares to Princeton must actually be going to Pomona.</p>
<p>that is exactly the type of attitude i am trying to avoid.
great.</p>