<p>This is going to be a kind of long thread so please bear with me. These three schools are my top college choices and I'd appreciate some outside perspectives on the academics, quality of life, and social life at these schools, with a focus on Santa Clara.
Okay so I'll start with what I feel is the biggest difference between the three schools, quality of life. I come form Tucson, AZ so I'm really used to warm weather year round and I'd like to know what the climate is like in the Bay Area. How tolerable is the winter and how nice is the fall and spring? How comfortable are the dorms? Are there many options for the outdoorsy type? Is the weather in the Bay Area and LA really that much better than NY?
On to the social life. I've heard some supposed Santa Clara alumni talk about how the social life is so-so, they say that most people at the school are preppy, which I'd describe myself as, that the administration cracks down on parties, and that there is not much tolerance of alchohol. Is all of this true? How many clubs are there, I'm interested in the College Republicans, Debate, religious, or Outdoorswomen organizations, and is there a variety of guest speakers or bands? How relaxed is the student body because I visited Pomona and saw people outside barbecuing and relaxing underneath the trees and warm CA sun so is Santa Clara anything like this? Also, I come from AZ so I'd have to make a fresh start knowing absolutely nobody at Santa Clara or even in any of the colleges in the Bay Area so am I going to be going to a school where everyone knows everyone and is not interested in making any friends?
Finally, academics. I'm under the impression that there really isn't that much of a difference between the academics at Santa Clara, Fordham, and Pomona, aside from the fact that you'll probably have more contact with the faculty at Pomona but I can deal without having dinner with my teachers, is this true or is Santa Clara really inferior? I'm Catholic and went to public schools all of my life so I'd really love to be able to take some courses in theology to better understand my faith and see it more clearly, that's why Santa Clara and Fordham are two of my top choices, so is Santa Clara's theology department of good quality? Also how is the classics, philosophy, and economics departments at the school, are they pretty good?
Oh and I forgot to ask one of the most important questions, how's life in Santa Clara? How close is SCU to SF and the beach for a person with a car?
That's about it and thanks in advance to anyone willing to answer my lengthy post!</p>
<p>i have no answers for your long post but all I know is that Santa Clara is about an hour away from San Fran and probably around the same length to the beach if not shorter. At least this'll serve as a bump lol. :]</p>
<p>If you are statistically qualified for Pomona, then you would be in the running for the Honors Program at Fordham, which ideally meets your academic desires.</p>
<p>Santa Clara is not comparable to either Fordham or Pomona in terms of academic or even overall quality.</p>
<p>If you want to delve into theology, I recommend Georgetown, which is Jesuit, as well.</p>
<p>I think Santa Clara is better than Fordham, but probably not Pomona.</p>
<p>I am definetly looking into Fordham for its honors program, that's about all I like about the school, but I'm looking into Santa Clara because I've heard nothing but good things about the academics at the school and it's in the Bay Area so that's definetly a plus. As for Georgetown, I really don't want to study in DC and it seems too competitive, although I don't really care enought about the school to look too much into it.</p>
<p>Santa Clara & Fordham are no where on the level of Pomona College, are you sure you're not confusing Pomona College and Cal Poly Pomona?</p>
<p>For someone to put all three and call them top choices seems weird compared. Pomona, Brown, and maybe Amherst look like schools that could be top choices for a person.</p>
<p>Pomona Santa Clara and Fordham seem very random.</p>
<p>See my response to you on the Fordham thread.</p>
<p>As a native southern cal person who has been tranplanted in NJ for 20 years, I like it. It is cold in the winter, but spring, summer and fall are fantastic.
My son is seriously considering Fordham, we have visited and he has upper class friends who attend and enjoy it. Can't comment on your area of study, but their Business School is top shelf.</p>
<p>Santa Clara has a far, far better religion and theology department than Pomona.</p>
<p>So does Fordham. They're both Jesuit schools, after all.</p>
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For someone to put all three and call them top choices seems weird compared.
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<p>This is probably someone who embraces happiness and personal preference over prestige.
It's admirable, what can you say?</p>
<p>"Prestige" is HIGHLY over-rated.</p>
<p>If you are thinking anout "Cal Poly Pomona" i think you shoul definatly fo there im a first year electrical engineer major and i really like it. I use to live in the bay area before (san francisco) but pomona, is so much more relaxing. And there are very good out looks for graduates of this college, given there are only two cal poly's ion california.</p>