<p>I got into WashU in St Louis but got waitlisted at Pomona. Which one is better for pre-med/biology major? I want to know if I should stay on the waitlist for Pomona</p>
<p>Definitely WashU. I’m not biased cause I got into both, but you can’t deny that WashU is among the top schools for students who want to go into med. You’ll have plenty of research opportunities there along with professors at the top of their field. Pomona is a great school too but doesn’t provide as much.</p>
<p>Isn’t it easier to get research opportunities at Pomona though?
Will you be attending WashU then?</p>
<p>Friends at WashU have told me it’s not that hard, but be prepared to study a bit. Haha I’m not going to either–it’s most likely Johns Hopkins for me :)</p>
<p>“WashU is among the top schools for students who want to go into med”</p>
<p>Please. How many times will this be repeated either here or on the Hopkins site? Wash U does well because it’s a top tier school with strong students who work hard. You’re no more or less likely to get into med school from Wash U than Pomona (or Wesleyan, or Rice, or Emory…). You’ll face a similarly stressful 4 years wherever you go. So go where you’ll be happiest. It’s there that you’ll probably academically achieve best. That will be the most important determinant of success applying to med school.</p>
<p>The biggest difference would be accessibility to research. With the WUSM just down the road, there are hundreds of research labs to choose from. By sheer numbers alone, it would be easier to find a lab that is perfect for you at a larger research university than at a smaller school such as Pomona. Every WashU student I know that wanted to do research found a lab that they really enjoy being in.</p>
<p>Myself, I’ve actually worked in two labs. The first was a neurobiology lab, but then my interests shifted more towards cancer pathways. I had no problems joining either lab. Most labs actually really want undergrads to work there, and not just for the cheap labor. Depending on the PI, a fair number end up publishing, some even first author.</p>
<p>I looked at both Pomona and Wash U and agree that you’ll get a fantastic education at either institution. That being said, here are a few facts I can offer you about Pomona:</p>
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<li>Biology is the most popular major here. Part of the beauty of Pomona, however, is its emphasis on a liberal arts education. Not only will you get great depth as a bio major here, but you’ll be encouraged (though by no means required) to get breadth and take an assortment of other interesting classes too. You’ll also meet lots of cool, well-rounded people. I have a friend here who is a sophomore and is majoring in Japanese, but is pre-med and actually already got into Mt. Sinai med school through a special program.</li>
<li>Because of Pomona’s small size, relationships between faculty and students are simply outstanding. Professors here are doing incredible things within their fields and are highly respected in academia, and yet they also really know and respect YOU. As a result, professors are very enthusiastic about working with undergraduate students outside of the classroom. Research opportunities abound here, even in your freshman year, since there are no graduate students to compete with. Furthermore, these esteemed professors write their students genuine, personalized letters of recommendation. That’s part of why Pomona literally rivals the Ivies in terms of acceptance rates to all graduate schools.</li>
<li>I agree with wbwa, who recommended that you go where you’ll be happiest, because it’s there that you’ll achieve your best academically. I can’t speak for you, because I don’t know you, but I’ll tell you that choosing to apply early here was the best decision I’ve ever made. From the levels of community (Pomona is nice and small, but the adjacent Claremont schools add to create a larger community feel) to the prime location (the beach and the city and the mountains are all an hour away) to the weather (why not get the extra endorphins?), it’s easy to see why people are just really happy here.</li>
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