Yale vs Pomona and Wes/Swat

College Search & Selection
21

<p>There are plusses and minuses to each locale/school. Good luck with your decision.</p>

22

<p>It should boil down to where you want to spend four years of college. Forget prestige, especially if you’re going to grad school, where Pomona holds just as much prestige as Yale.</p>

<p>I am currently a sophomore econ major, EA minor at Pomona. Never had a class over 30 students. Its very possible that for every class you take at Pomona, the professor will know your name. Coming from a high school where every class was at least 34 students, I experienced quite a change having 7 kids in my French class and 10 in my American history class freshman year.</p>

<p>CMC’s economic dept. is not superior to Pomona’s unless you really want to go into accounting/finance, which they have more courses in. Other than that, the departments are at least equal, and I would argue Pomona’s theory courses are taught at a higher level. There is a misconception that CMC’s econ dept. is superior to Pomona’s just because CMC basically revolves around econ, but thats like saying that oranges from a country that solely produces oranges are better than those of say, a more diversified agricultural economy that also produces oranges.</p>

<p>I know Pomona is an amazing place, and I really like the student body here. Mostly everyone is relaxed, friendly, and social. There is no competition whatsoever. There are problems with Pomona, as with any school, but I doubt I personally could find a better collegiate experience anywhere else (the food here is also amazing I might add).</p>

<p>I cannot comment on what I do not know, so I will not speak of Yale. Just giving a personal perspective. Best of luck!</p>

23

<p>I disagree with the previous poster regarding the comparative merits of the economic departments. If you look at the Spring course schedule for both schools, I think that will give you an objective basis to compare as opposed to our subjective opinions. You should also focus on the fit between your personality and the school. The kids at CMC tend to be very social and extroverted, probably because many of them were involved in leadership activities in high school. I sense that the kids at Pomona are not as social and may be considered a bit wonkish. CMC is known as the school where you work hard and play hard. Also, the CMC students are involved in many extracurricular activities, such as internships, student govt, research institutes, etc. The schools are quite different and you need to see which one is a better fit. Some kids visit, look at the buildings and make a decision without really understanding the inherent qualities of each of the schools</p>

24

<p>The statement by anon91 that CMC revolves around economics is absolutely false. The school has many other strong depts, such as english lit, psychology, history, international relations, asian studies, religious studies, PPE, philosophy, languages and a very good joint science program. The politics,philosophy and economics program is patterned after the Oxford tutorials and is considered one of the best in the country. The poster (anon91) who made the above statement is obviously clueless regarding CMC and should be ignored.</p>

25

<p>Engineerbill, maybe I didn’t make myself clear but I was referring to anon91.</p>

26

<p>What is it exactly that CMC students do besides throw parties?</p>

27

<p>So Mr. Wesley you seem to be hankering for a fight. Rather than answer your smart aleck question, why don’t you visit the campus and figure it out yourself.</p>

28

<p>I don’t have to. The folks at CMC are busy enough tooting their own horn. I especially like the one where everyone’s standing around, taking pictures of a car:</p>

<p>[YouTube</a> - Claremont McKenna: Life as you don’t usually see it](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[YouTube</a> - CMCNation: Claremont McKenna College](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[YouTube</a> - Claremont Mckenna College embraces 83seconds.com](<a href=“Claremont Mckenna College embraces 83seconds.com - YouTube”>Claremont Mckenna College embraces 83seconds.com - YouTube)
[YouTube</a> - My Favorite CMC Moment](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[Roller</a> Force Tutorial - Bing Videos](<a href=“http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/roller-force-tutorial/425550379029eeb6c8fd425550379029eeb6c8fd-763282129709?q=claremeont-mckenna&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR18]Roller”>http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/roller-force-tutorial/425550379029eeb6c8fd425550379029eeb6c8fd-763282129709?q=claremeont-mckenna&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR18)
[YouTube</a> - Time Lapse of Green Beach](<a href=“Time Lapse of Green Beach - YouTube”>Time Lapse of Green Beach - YouTube)
[YouTube</a> - Claremont Concours '05 - Ferrari 360CS](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

29

<p>^It looks like the car video is of a public car show (Concours)… I would think anyone interested in going to a car show would take pictures.</p>

30

<p>Yes. Near as I can make out, this was sponsored by the Claremont Colleges Automotive Enthusiasts Club (CCAEC) It was open to the public. The proceeds went to charity. VROOM, VROOM:
[YouTube</a> - Claremont Concours’ 05 - Lamborghini Gallardo](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[YouTube</a> - Claremont Concours '05 - Ferrari 360 Spider](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>

31

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<p>Do you have any concrete examples that Pomona students weren’t involved in leadership activities in high school ? Or that they aren’t social? Wonkish? All of them? Did they acquire these “senses” when you stepped on Pomona’s campus for 10 minutes? Or by hearsay?</p>

<p>I don’t know whether you are a true CMC parent or not, but you are the first of any Claremont Colleges’ parents who’s biased to the point as to denigrate the other school in the same consortium.</p>

32

<p>parent,BTW, I am not hankering for a fight as you asked another poster. I do think some comments you made here are totally untrue and irresponsible.</p>

33

<p>Hi cbreeze, didn’t mean to upset you. CMC emphasizes leadership and looks to admit students who exhibit these qualities. Many times they will reject students with better grades and test scores who don’t demonstrate these leadership qualities on their application. Although I am sure Pomona is not indifferent to this aspect of a student’s application, it is not explicitly emphasized to the same degree. Consequently, CMC students tend to be very social and extroverted and may have a more vociferous social life than Pomona students. If you go to the Pomona thread, many of the people there disparagingly criticize CMC ( unfairly, of course) for the party atmosphere. As for me being the first parent who has compared schools in a subjective manner, I suggest you research the Pomona thread. There have been countless examples of Pomona parents and students over the years who have belittled CMC in the many CMC/Pomona comparative threads. I can remember one Pomona parent who said that CMC is a macho school, whatever that meant. Just so you know, I think Pomona is a great school and a student will receive a great education there. The schools are different and some students will love one and not enjoy the other due to the all important “fit”. Let’s not rile up the jwesley poster, you never know what you are going to get with him.</p>

34

<p>Hey engineerbill, Beat up? I don’t know - I think I give as good as I get. Didn’t you know that CMC folks are well-known for their pugilistic skills. Since we have been accused of being macho by a Pomona parent, it must be so.</p>

35

<p>

hey, you’ll get no argument from me; there are plenty of bros at Wesleyan:
<a href=“http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XlLhnDRpOmc/RuxJnnVfHlI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5Qp5c281DvM/s400/pastedGraphic.jpg[/url]”>http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XlLhnDRpOmc/RuxJnnVfHlI/AAAAAAAAAQw/5Qp5c281DvM/s400/pastedGraphic.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

36

<p>You have a problem with those kids? I think you could use that picture as a recruiting poster for Wesleyan.</p>

37

<p>Okay guys, I had fun but I think I have better things to do now. See you on another thread in the future.</p>

38

<p>I got into Pomona and CMC yesterday :)</p>

39

<p>Have you already been accepted to Yale? </p>

<p>Looking at the schools, all things equal, I would pick Yale. However, a visit might make all of the difference in the world. The schools have major differences in atmosphere. My son who is at a small LAC picked it over an ivy, hands down because he just loved the school. Loved everything about it and felt it was home. Didn’t feel that way about other more selective, more well known colleges. And you might feel that way about some of the other schools, particularly Pomona which is very different from the east coast schools. If you spend a day at Yale and feel at home there, it’s a fantastic pick. If you don’t like it there, and, yes, there are kids who don’t, see if you feel much better at the other schools. In your case, don’t visit on Accepted Students Day, but on an ordinary day, and ask to shadow a freshman there that would have a schedule similar to what yours would be.</p>

40

<p>Yale decisions haven’t come out yet… I just posted this to fill the time. I’m not that worried about it now that I’ve got into a lot of great schools. I’m actually leaning towards Pomona right now. I think I’d be happiest there. But if I get into Yale I am going to try to overnight there.</p>