<p>I do not know what I am really interested in. I have vague ambitions of becoming a professor, so I do see grad school in the future. I am into music/art, math/physics/cs, but also english/psych/philosophy :P I personally would have to take out about ~15k/yr loan (at a low interest rate) for Yale or Pomona, or free to Oberlin.</p>
<p>Is going in for the name (Yale) worth it? Based on my own research and preferences I think I would be more comfortable at a liberal arts school. However, Yale is pretty much the closest to what I'd like out of all the Ivies. How do Yale/Pomona's and Oberlin's academics compare? I've heard stories of people turning down Yale for Oberlin, but stat-wise it seems relatively sub-par. Was I even correct in grouping Yale and Pomona? Without factoring in finances or prestige I think that Pomona is the best for me, but I want to know if anyone has opinions on whether there is a small enough gap that finances/prestige can make the difference.</p>
<p>Prestige: Yale is far better known than the other two, but both Pomona and Oberlin do all right in graduate and professional school admissions. Name recognition by hiring managers for Pomona and Oberlin may be regional.</p>
<p>Academics: I’d put Pomona on the same level as Yale. Oberlin a notch down, but still very good.</p>
<p>Financial: It’s your parents who are going to be taking out the loan, right? $60,000 is still a lot of money for undergraduate debt. That makes Oberlin very appealing and is the biggest downside to Pomona or Yale.</p>
<p>Ambience: They are all very different. Have you visited? If not, do so before you commit.</p>
<p>I can’t imagine why Ponoma would be worth $60K more than Oberlin. (Full disclosure: I have a very happy D at Oberlin)</p>
<p>Not sure what stats you’re comparing Oberlin to that make it come out sub-par, but remember that most stats for Oberlin include the Conservatory where SAT scores are less important to admissions. I personally think you’ll find equally bright, creative, motivated kids at all three schools. </p>
<p>Also not sure what criteria you want to compare the academics on. You’ll get a great education at all of them and for a kid who wants to explore a lot of areas for a couple years, they all have the ability to do that via small classes, good teachers and great resources. You should look at the curriculum offerings in a couple departments that you are interested in and compare them.</p>
<p>Obviously the weather is warmer at Pomona, but Oberlin does give you a January term to escape the worst of the winter.</p>
<p>“I can’t imagine why Ponoma would be worth $60K more than Oberlin.”</p>
<p>+Better academics
+You’re already getting a 25000$ scholarship since a Pomona education costs the school 80000 but is given a sticker price of 55000$ (see tuition-free day)
+The consortium
+Better facilities
+Better food and dorms
+More diverse and well-rounded student body
+In a much better location
+Much prettier campus
+More prestige than Oberlin and places better on feeder lists to top grad programs
+Lots of research opportunities, many opportunities in general are free or subsidized.
+Much nicer weather
+Students are less preppy and snooty, and not as close-minded.</p>
<p>I’d think all that is worth the additional 15K per year but it depends on the person. Ultimately I say don’t underestimate Pomona, it isn’t your typical LAC.</p>
<p>To be fair, Oberlin is a WONDERFUL experience. Their academic programs are wonderful, the students are friendly, very accessible professors are there, and if you feel you fit better there than by all means consider it =) I really hope you visit all 3.</p>
<p>Yale and Pomona academics are definitely equal, but in terms of prestige, Yale takes a wide lead down the road, especially if you aren’t intending to go to graduate school.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s responsible to suggest a student take on 60K more in debt for a school that is not THAT much better overall. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>Pomona is more selective than Oberlin. What evidence suggests it has better academics? If it does, are they $60K better? </p>
<p>Most academic department rankings are for graduate programs only. I don’t think anyone has figured out how to objectively rank undergraduate teaching quality. Class sizes at the two schools are about equally small. If you look at the Oberlin English department’s faculty listings, you’ll see a bunch of PhDs from the same elite universities you’ll see on the Pomona pages. US News lists the graduate schools most frequently attended by recent graduates; many of the same names show up for both colleges (such as Berkeley, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, JHU, Northwestern, UCLA). PhD production rates at both schools are both relatively high ([COLLEGE PHD PRODUCTIVITY](<a href=“Doctoral Degree Productivity - Institutional Research - Reed College”>http://www.reed.edu/ir/phd.html</a>)). By Washington Monthly’s count, Pomona is #7 and Oberlin #8 among LACs in PhD production per capita.</p>
<p>Have you visited Oberlin? It might help you make up your mind.</p>
<p>Sounds like you are a real liberal arts person, with a wonderfully wide range of academic interests, and I appreciate your honesty about it.</p>
<p>If Oberlin is interested in you enough to cover 100% it means they see you as a perfect fit. I would go with Oberlin. Yale’s Ivy league name would be hard to pass up, also Pomona’s California atmosphere, but I bet you will be very glad in 4 yrs not to have a $60K debt hanging over your head, especially if you are not set on becoming a highly-paid professional like a doctor, dentist, etc.</p>
<p>You will be happy wherever you end up because obviously you put in the effort (which is why you ended up in such a wonderful predicament of choosing from three fantastic schools).</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies everyone It does make sense that especially since I’m not planning on becoming a “highly paid professional” the 60k would actually be very important. Still, I have to agree with most of what nostalgicwisdom said for Pomona (especially since the food is great XD) but I’m visiting the other two in the next few days, so we’ll see.</p>
<p>Also I find it interesting that there is relatively little support for Yale, hm…</p>
<p>I have no connection to any of the three schools, but your last comment prompted me to respond. I hope you realize that a great many people from all walks of life, in every corner of the US and in much of the world, would automatically accord you respect and give you the benefit of the doubt on learning that you earned a Yale degree, and that perk will likely stay with you for the rest of your life. Fair or not, that is not true of the other two schools you are considering. I never had such a choice, though I wish I had. I am thinking the benefits are worth far more than 60K.</p>
<p>OP talks of wanting to go into academia - not an expert, but aren’t name and connections EVERYTHING when getting into a PhD program with an academia track - liberal arts humanities, that is. I would think Yale would be the hands down choice in that instance.</p>
The fact that anyone considers $60,000 of debt for a humanities degree “hands down” the best option absolutely boggles my mind. </p>
<p>Many students enter college thinking they’re going to become professors, just like others want to become doctors or lawyers or bankers. They’re young and naive and haven’t been exposed to many things yet. </p>
<p>Take Berkeley as an example. Last year a whopping 24% of the freshman class claimed to want a PhD. Each year, the number of Berkeley alums receiving PhDs amounts to…5.23% of a senior class. So much for the illuminating effects of being exposed to top-notch research and faculty. </p>
<p>Professors are generally pretty college-savvy, at least more so than the average joe. Oberlin is a highly respected college.</p>
<p>
Let us all hope that the OP has a lot more to brag about in 10 years than where (s)he went to college. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>FWIW, H is a professor at UC Berkeley. Two years ago, the #1 pick of graduate applicants in his department was from Yale. Last year’s was from Oberlin. What gets you into grad school is not the school’s reputation, but your record of accomplishments. Any of these schools can give you what you need to be a competitive applicant for a PhD.</p>
<p>Have you visited all three schools? Because they are radically different from one another, and it may be easier for you to make your decision based on the feeling you get once you’ve spent some time and maybe attended a class on each campus. And feelings do count in this process–there is no formula that can tell you how much you will like or dislike each school, even if it is possible to draw certain conclusions based on aid, stats, majors offered, etc.</p>
<p>My daughter is a junior in HS and looking at some of the same schools you are. Right now, because of a very positive experience at Pomona, she is convinced she will apply there early decision, but she hasn’t even seen Yale, Oberlin, or Wellesley yet. Because of this, we are encouraging her to wait until she has seen each campus before deciding what her top choices will be.</p>
<p>I think it matters just how complicated this $60,000 loan from your parents is. If the terms are very generous, it may really be like borrowing a lesser amount.</p>
<p>Personally, I think Yale and Pomona are a cut above Oberlin, and would be worth taking on some debt if you like them better. Between Yale and Oberlin, I think what mainly matters are whether you want a small LAC or a research university, which coast you want to be on, and whether general prestige matters to you. I’m a Yale grad, and think it’s great, but Pomona’s good too–as is Oberlin.</p>
<p>Absolutely none of our business, but are your parents not contributing non-load aid to you for school? If they can afford to pay the 60K without taking loans themselves, guess I don’t see why they would want you to be saddled with loans of that size. But please refer to sentence 1. It’s your family. I can imagine reasons… such as if you have younger siblings and they have to essentially “reuse” the college fund for future kids… </p>
<p>Otherwise - guess I’ll vote for Oberlin here. In our family we’re probably going to choose to pay 60K more for Pomona over a great - but not AS great - LAC that offered substantial merit aid. But we’re not doing loans to do so.</p>
It does make sense that especially since I’m not planning on becoming a “highly paid professional” the 60k would actually be very important. Still, I have to agree with most of what nostalgicwisdom said for Pomona (especially since the food is great XD) but I’m visiting the other two in the next few days, so we’ll see.</p>