<p>Hi-
Could any current Pomona students help me out with a few of my concerns?</p>
<p>I am currently planning to apply ED to Pomona because I love most things about it. However, I have a few concerns about going there.</p>
<p>1.) I am quite a smart kid, I get all As and I've done well on the standardized tests (2150 SATs) , but I'm not a kid who likes to spend his whole life studying. I'm concerned that the workload at Pomona will be too much to handle. I'm not saying I'm looking to party all the time obviously, but I'd like to have a fair amount of fun in college.... I think college should be fun. Also, I am a very serious basketball player, and I'm hoping to play Varsity basketball for Pomona if I get in. Would the combination of basketball and the workload leave me with no social life and several mental breakdowns?</p>
<p>2.) I've heard that the people at Pomona are VERY studious and VERY non traditional. I am by no means a "jock" but I'm into playing sports and partying when I'm done with school work. Do you think I'll have trouble fitting in with most people at Pomona?</p>
<p>Absolutely not. Actually, you sound a lot like me and what I was looking for when I went to Pomona. I won’t lie, playing a varsity sport takes up a LOT of time, but as long as you handle your time well you’ll still get all your work done and make time to party. I played a varsity sport, a club sport, was a science major/premed, and went out a couple nights every week. Not an easy task and I certainly had several times of near mental breakdown, but totally doable. A lot of the varsity athletes seem to have a similar mentality and make it work! Also - if a varsity sport ends up being too much, there are always a lot of club sports and intramurals. I ended up dropping my varsity sport junior year to play a club sport and loved it.</p>
There are definitely a lot of non-traditional and highly studious people at Pomona, but you would have no trouble finding people who don’t fit that label. Especially as a member of a varsity team.</p>
<p>Don’t worry, there are plenty of athletes at Pomona who like to party, you’ll fit right in. And the workload depends on which classes you take. If you choose wisely, you should have time to romp around. I’ve had one semester so far where I had an obscene amount of work, and even so I managed to go out every saturday night and have fridays free of homework.</p>
<p>I’d recommend you visit overnight sometime before you apply. You sound like the kind of person who would love Pomona, but you want to make sure before you apply ED.</p>
<p>thanks for the helpful answers. i hate to be asking all these questions about the party scene, but I have a few more :)</p>
<p>are there any house party type parties at Pomona or any of the 5 Cs? Do people in off campus housing ever throw parties? Ive heard that most of the school sponsored parties are sort of drunken raves, which don’t sound like the best oppurtunity to actually socialize and meet people. Is that the case?</p>
<p>Also, do students ever go to LA/other neighboring cities to take part in the nightlife there?</p>
<p>There are house parties, but they are big events that don’t happen very often. Most drunken socializing (not dancing) takes place in low-key dorm rooms and during the walks between the official parties. I’ve heard of some students clubbing in LA but this isn’t very common. People do go to a concerts a lot. This is all based on the experience of a freshman.</p>
<p>my D says she worked harder in high school than she does at Pomona. that’s probably an oversimplification, but if you have the brains and work ethic to get in you’ll have no problem staying there, even doing the activities you want to do.</p>
<p>My DD is on a varsity team as well as involved in a few groups. Her workload is quite demanding but this will also depend on your major requirements. She needs quite a lot of required classes. I won’t lie, there are some stressful times but she loves it and could not be happier overall.</p>
<p>Time management is key, you have to focus and plan your time carefully. She always tries to keep Friday and Saturday open for fun stuff. Most of the time she can accomplish this, the exception would be around mid terms or finals. </p>
<p>The party scene is what you make of it and the friends you hang out with. It can be as little as you want or as much as you want and everything in between. If the party scene is not generous enough for you then some of the other campuses are quite happy to oblige.</p>
<p>For the record, at said drunken raves, it is still easy to meet people and most of the socializing occurs during pregaming at dorm parties as someone mentioned. You do meet new people, and a lot of them.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Pomona. He took the hardest AP classes his HS offered, Chem, and Calc for 2 years. He’s doing fine at Pomona. He’s taking Chemistry and Multi-Variable Calculus, Psychology and the required Frosh Colloquium. Sure he studies a lot, but he is also on one of the varsity athletic teams and practices 20+ hours a week, including games. </p>
<p>He’s been to several of the all university social functions, and says he’s met people from all 5 of the campuses. He’s looking forward to the end of his athletic season so he will have more time for studies. I don’t think he studies any more or less than my other son who is attending another private college in the NW – that is much easier to be accepted into than Pomona. </p>
<p>My youngest son’s greatest challenge is learning how to write papers at the collegiate level. Fortunately his older brother, a senior, has helped him. But if his brother wasn’t available, then there are writing tutors on campus. In addition, my son takes advantage of the tutors and study sessions available. </p>
<p>If you’re a serious student, you should be able to balance academic, social, extra-curricular and do fine in all phases.</p>
<p>As a senior my son only has classes on Tues and Thurs. However remember that the classes are only a small part of your school work. He has a ton of reading and papers are due almost every week. He has his thesis to work on and his readings for the senior examination in addition to the class requirements. Next term brings on a sports team and he has had an outside job every semester along with music lessons and practice. With all that being said he has had no problem on the social side. There is plenty of time for partying if you have developed the skills to get your work done in a timely matter. I was concerned because he did not go to what would be called a challenging high school. At Pomona he quickly realized what would be needed and did the work required. I am sure if admitted you will have the ability to do the work and experience what the LA basin has to offer. Best wishes.</p>