Pomona American Studies Major

We're intelligent. We're dedicated and driven. We think we go to an Ivy League school. We believe we're elite or smarter than students from the other 4 Claremont colleges. We're not competitive with each other. We're either incredibly involved, perhaps even over-stretched, or apathetic. We're socially awkward. The school encourages student driven work and research and supports such endeavors financially and otherwise. We're more diverse--in many senses of the word--than many other small liberal art schools because we are need blind. We're happy and laid-back.

Some of them, of course, are. Unlike some ivy league schools, getting into Pomona is not the only challenge--our courses are actually difficult (as they should be)! Our courses are certainly more rigorous than the classes at the other schools (and I've taken classes everywhere but Harvey Mudd so I know from experience). We are more diverse than most schools of our caliber and size. We're definitely more happy and laid back than students at other schools. The school does give a lot of support to students wanting to do their own research and gives out a lot of grants, etc, every year. Some of us are socially awkward, but what private college student isn't?!

Pomona is definitely a small school. It' s great in that we have a huge number of resources at our fingertips. A lot of students get grants from the school for outside research, we get more time with our professors, and a close community of friends that really look out for one another. I do wish Pomona were closer to Los Angeles. Aside from the recent expansion, Claremont isn't exactly the hustling epicenter of excitement and fun. There are some people who don't know about Pomona, but those that do know it's a rigorous and happy school. The administration is generally supportive of student initiatives. The school really cares for its students, and bends over backwards to make them feel welcome and supported. Pomona--after 3 years--sometimes feels stagnant or unexciting, but I've made so many good friends and taken so many great classes, that I don't really mind.

Academics at Pomona are stellar, and I'm reminded of/am thankful for that every time I take a class at one of the other Claremonts. At Pomona, the more time and work you put into a class, the more you get out of it. This, of course, seems logical, but it definitely isn't the case for classes at other schools. Participation is expected and encouraged, and is rarely a burden. Since classes are generally small, participation is friendly and interesting. I learn almost as much from listening to my peers as I do from my professors. Every professor usually has 2 to 5 office hours a week, and I have often made appointments or had lunch with professors. The whole school kind of has this feeling of "learning for learning's sake". I definitely have intellectual conversations outside of the classroom every day, and that's how most Pomona students feel it should be. I have friend that are majoring in everything from Black Studies to Molecular Biology to Linguistics, therefore we have a lot of different things to talk about and we all have a genuine curiosity for what each other are learning. I will say that the education is definitely focused on learning and not on job placement, but I think that's what Pomona students applied for and what they desire. If you want to go to college just to get a job...go to CMC! Intellectual is not part of their vocabulary. Zing!

We are definitely a liberal school. There is a small number more politically or religiously conservative students, and I suppose they might feel out of place sometimes. I think Pomona is diverse in terms of race, sexual orientation, religion, socio-economic status, etc, but not as much as it could be. Since Pomona is need-blind, there are defintiely all kinds of students that go there, but that often causes students to tend to hang out with students that are more like themselves, like all other schools. However, sponsor groups provide a good environment for a cross section of students to know each other.

There are a lot of politically and socially active students on campus. There is a wierd population of frat-y boys that kind of live amongst themselves. Some students are more focused on their future as i-bankers, but for every one of them there is a student who will apply for a Fullbright to go research in West Africa or Vietnam.

There is a strong community of activists, people that are involved in different student organizations. Organizations work together to put on lectures, workshops, study breaks, etc.

I would say sponsor groups provide the first way for people to meet their closest friends. 3 years later I am still very close with students in my sponsor group. We are a pretty friendly campus. I am still excited to meet new people as a senior. There are plenty of students who work hard and party hard, and there are students who spend time with there friends by doing homework together on some weekend nights before relaxing. You don't have to drink to have fun on campus. There are weekly parties on some weeknights. Tuesday nights there's Table Manners, where student dj's show off their schools and people dance. The school has an alcohol fund for beer and wine, which is great. People do try to go into LA or Pasadena on the weekends.