<p>I recently submitted my Pomona app. and am fretting about SAT scores. My verbal and writing scores were quite good, but my math score was a 620. I felt that my application was very strong - I was very proud of my essays, I have a feeling my recs will be strong, I have a lot of strong ECs, etc. I have very strong grades at a competitive boarding school in NJ (although I reside in So. CA). I have my alumni interview soon and from what I know about the alumna, I think we will connect very well. I can't help but feel I have a seamless save for that scrubby math score. I've heard SATs matter a lot to Pomona, but I've also heard that they don't. What's the deal?</p>
<p>i submitted an ACT. was that a bad choice?!?!</p>
<p>i thought alumna interviews were over...when's your interview?</p>
<p>A week from this Sat. The 14th is the deadline.</p>
<p>oh really?! do you think they're still taking in applicants? cause last time i called, the lady told me exactly this, "sorry, but we have no more interviews available and i called dec. 10th..."</p>
<p>There is a deadline to sign up for an interview which is different from when the interview is actually scheduled. Hotpiece my S who is currently a sophomore there ,only sent ACT scores so you are fine!</p>
<p>rtash--
Don't let your math SAT score cause you too much anxiety. Each applicant is considered individually, and Pomona doesn't want a class filled with kids who got perfect scores, etc.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Little Mother - really? They would turn down a class of perfect scores, no matter what? Somehow, I doubt that.</p>
<p>I feel your pain: have a 650 in math myself. While our scores aren't terrible by any stretch of the imagination, I'm worried too; Pomona's my top choice... Luck to both of us...</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about those scores too much, guys. I get the sense that Pomona really takes the time to get to know you as a person and not as another number. They're not going to let one score on a test you took one Saturday morning make-or-break your decision. As long as you've shown you're academically prepared elsewhere and will be able to significantly contribute to Pomona's community in someway, you should have a decent chance. Do keep in mind, though, that Pomona is a very competitive school. Don't let yourself get discouaged with whatever happens.</p>
<p>Good luck in your decisions!</p>
<p>(I got in ED with a 670 verbal and 660 writing; although a number of other things probably worked in my favor).</p>
<p>drbott--</p>
<p>Heard from the mouth of Bruce Poch, Dean of Admissions, at a reception for accepted students. That's why they review every application individually.</p>
<p>drbott, I wouldn't be so pessimistic. I think schools like Pomona recieve so many well-qualified applicants that they don't need to accept a class of exclusively perfect scores. It's probably in their advantage to do otherwise, in fact, by seeking students that have shown they will be academically successful at Pomona (although not necessarily with perfect scores) and who also will be able to contribute to Pomona and its community. Keep in mind, this is a liberal arts school of only 1500 students.</p>
<p>Well, I have to disagree. If, for whatever reason, 1500 people with perfect SATs and GPAs applied to Pomona, I would guess that at least 9/10 of those applicants would be accepted. After all, wouldn't this be to the advantage of Pomona? It would vastly increase its reputation, at any rate, would it not?</p>
<p>I stand firmly by my position. The following is a worthy read for all of you, but particularly drbott: </p>
<p>"Make Yourself a Winner"
<a href="http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/articles/brief/02cbstrategy_brief.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/articles/brief/02cbstrategy_brief.php</a></p>
<p>If I may pull a couple quotes:</p>
<p>"More than 80 percent of the valedictorians who applied to Harvard last fall didn't make the cut."</p>
<p>"...even near perfection might not get you in at selective institutions."</p>
<p>"Students who start preparing early, and who look beyond the brand-name schools to find the right match, will almost certainly be accepted by fine institutionsand they'll get the most out of their high school education as well."</p>
<p>One of the reasons Pomona was my first choice was becasue of its atmosphere and the attitudes of its student body. I get the sense that the attitudes of the student bodies of many "brand-name" schools like Stanford or Harvard differ from those of Pomona students. While these schools are probably are great fits for many students, I get the sense that a lot of students apply to schools like Stanford and Harvard for their name and the academic excellence that is associtaed with that name. On the other hand, I think a lot of students apply to Pomona primarily because of its values and the community it has created. With the number and quality of applicants that it is currently recieving, I can't imagine Pomona is very concerned about its reputation. In fact, I think that it would hurt itself to accept the theoretical group you have described above on the basis of grades alone. I think this would increase its reputation, making it much more of a "brand name" school; I don't think Pomona or its students want that.</p>
<p>Does anyone else have any thoughts?</p>
<p>Having served on the alumnae admissions committee for my alma mater (Wellesley), I know first-hand that selective schools do aim to have a well-rounded class comprised of individuals with a variety of backgrounds and talents. How dull it would be to have a school totally composed of "perfect" people!</p>
<p>Plus, many students have yet to reach their full potential by the time they enter college. Think about how many late bloomers emerged to become leaders in their fields.</p>
<p>Years ago, I was on adcom at my Ivy grad school. I remember when we discussed, and then rejected, someone with 800-800 GRE scores because his essays sounded pompous. We went around the room: none of us wanted to be in a class with him.</p>
<p>Hey, calm down, I got in to Pomona ED I with an aculmative GPA of 3.58 and SAT scores: 670 W, 680 CR, 630M. Using me as an example, Pomona does look at more than just your numbers, as a 1980 is pretty far away from 2400.</p>
<p>redlightbulb- not to be "personal" but just curious what else-what "hook" you may have brought to the table. Please, please, please believe me that I mean NO disrespect (and congratulations to you) but your gpa/sat are fairly out of line with the typical Pomona profile-</p>
<p>Hey, just a word of encouragement for a 620 math score. I got into Pomona EDII with a 620 in math so it definitely doesn't cut you out completely. Good luck.</p>