Pomona College Top Questions

Pomona's pretty great in terms of on-campus resources and attention paid to students. The per-capita budget is a truly absurd amount of money, and generally it shows. The financial aid office has also been ridiculously helpful. I literally wouldn't be at the school without them given it's rapidly increasing price tag. On the downside, the administration, or rather the highest levels of the administration, do a really poor job of responding quickly and well to student opinions. The responses I've gotten from them usually amount to something like "Oh, that's nice, you have an opinion. Now go play and let the adults deal with this." Obviously this is a slight exaggeration, but only slight. Several recent cases of this are: an ongoing workers' rights campaign in which the administration has been incredibly slow to even consider what the students have been saying, or a recent decision in hiring a new XC coach that basically completely ignored the opinions of the entire team. Claremont is kind of a suburban yuppie haven too, so if you're into that kind of thing it's fine, but for anyone who doesn't have 10 dollars to spend on every meal it can be a little frustrating sometimes. I find myself eating a lot of 5 dollar burritos at the Taco Factory when I eat out, which is actually fine because they make a damn fine burrito. Most of the really good stuff to do is outside of Claremont though, or at least not in reasonable walking distance. My life got much more interesting after I got a car last semester, because it's very nearly impossible to get much out of the LA area otherwise. That said though, I like a lot of things about Pomona. The size is pretty much exactly what I wanted, the campus is beautiful and pretty much treats us like we're in a country club most of the time. Finding a group of friends has been a bit of trial-and-error, but I've met some great, smart, cool people there. As far as school pride...I honestly think a lot of Pomona kids are almost too introverted for much of that. There's a lot of egocentricity, but more in the sense that people are really focused on themselves and their careers.

Pomona is what you make of it. While the school itself may seem small, there are four other schools right next door for students to explore. Some students choose to stay indoors instead of spending time out on the beautiful quad and taking advantage of the amazing Southern California weather. Also, there are two different ski slopes within 45 minutes of campus and the beach is less than an hour away.

Broadest. Survey Question. Ever. The best thing about Pomona in pretty much every way are the people. They are awesome. You don't really get jerks or other people you wouldn't want to spend time with. (Okay, there are a few, but they're a definite small minority.) Not only will you have a bunch of really good close friends, but just being around people in general will be a positive experience because they're so great. Random interactions will be pleasant and make you new friends no matter what kind of person you are. For what it's worth, most of my friends have at least partially regretted their college choice. I have never regretted my decision to attend Pomona.

Pomona has been an excellent academic adventure for me where I have been intellectually challenged but still able to have fun and to learn outside of class. The atmosphere is more laid back then other places I had visited and a healthy balance between work and play is easily maintained at this school. The size of Pomona is perfect for me because the class sizes are very small so you can get plenty of attention from professors and the chance to really get to know your classmates. The four other schools in the Claremont consortium provide additional people to meet which is great for people who might like bigger schools (total number of students at the 5 C's is about 5000). One great thing about Pomona is that the town is very student friendly. While there aren't too many things to do in this small town (although downtown Los Angeles is only about 45 min. away) if you need supplies, clothing, or just to get off campus it is only a 8-10 min. walk. I have had such a wonderful time at Pomona that I really look forward to the next three years I have here.

The best part of Pomona is the student population. People are good and bad, but they're extremely real and they won't hide it. I'm always asked what I don't like: I don't like that I have to go home for breaks. If Pomona were year-round, I'd like it better. Pomona is a small, inclusive environment, and I love it. The small school atmosphere is nice when I can walk into a dining hall and know people, or walk down the streets and say hi to everyone. When I tell people I go to Pomona, most frequently, they get a confused look on their faces. Pomona is not well known among the average person, but very well known among employers. On campus, I spend most of my time in my dorm or at the library. We lack a college town; the bubble is called "Claremont" and it's a retirement community. It's not really a problem, since you can take the Metrolink to LA. There is always some controversy on campus, usually dealing with what is "politically correct." The last one dealt with the music to our alma mater, which apparently was used in black minstrel shows at one point in history. Generally, there is a lot of attachment to Pomona on campus, but not a lot of sports pride. There's a handful of unusual things about Pomona - from our rabid obsession of the number '47' to fascination with the sagehen, we're not your average cup of tea.

Pomona is small, but the only problem that causes is a lack of classes available in a special area or when looking to do research. I have personal relationships with some of my professors, and enjoy seeing them out of class at events and such. One comment I might make is that sometimes diversity is not helpful unless is engenders a diversity of opinions in the classroom. Pomona has very good diversity stats, but a liberal is a liberal; we could use greater ideological diversity.

Pomona is a small, very residential liberal arts college. Pretty much everybody lives on campus, and no one ever seems to leave the campus for anything. It's small enough that it can feel like high school sometimes, but it also has that wonderful aspect that professors really get to know you and really do become invested in your edlucation. Pomona is part of the Claremont Colleges, and that is cool because you have like 5 different dining halls, restaurants, cafes to go to around the colleges. You also do not have far to go to watch rivaly athletic events against CMS. (Claremont-Mudd-Scripss). Pomona and Harvey Mudd are known for being the smartest and most difficult to get into of the five schools. Pomona also has this very weird infatuation with the number 47. For some reason, this number always pops up in conjunction with Pomona and therefore, it is on everything. Bear this in mind on tours and stuff!

I wish Pomona cared a little bit more about athletics. The athletic website is horrible, and I think the athletic programs should be better funded.

I love everything about this school. You name it.

The best thing about Pomona is the people...and the milkshakes. Claremont is not your typical college town. It doesn't have lots of bars, stores aren't open late, and things are pretty expensive (though there is plenty of cheap food/clothing to be found). Claremont has three really important things going for it, though: it's beautiful, convenient, and safe. There is no need for a really exciting college town near Pomona because a. The train station is two blocks away. With a few dollars you can be in Santa Monica or L.A. in no time. b. there is plenty going on right here on campus, or on the other campuses. Claremont and the rest of California are just added bonuses.

The students here are all very smart and sharp, but they also know how to have fun (mostly, we're just efficient with our time); I think the other students are a big draw of Pomona. The weather can't be beat and there aren't any exclusive dinner clubs or snotty old money sorts, so it beats the Ivies. There isn't much of a college town (i.e. bars) but that's just fine since out school takes care of us. We have our fair share of controversies (many environmental issues have come up in the past year -- e.g. our beautiful lawns being water hogs) and the administration is not always responsive to students, but overall I feel it's pretty sane around here. The sports scene is a little dismal some seasons but it's nothing you can't get over by rooting for a few of the less-usual sports teams which excel here (Water polo, ballroom dancing and volleyball, for example.) Sagehens have pride but aren't irresponsibly offensive about like some schools we know (ahem, CMC.) And we're a little more introverted than the other four schools here but it makes us more tight-knit as a community.

Pomona is very politically correct. the biggest controversies usually have to do with acceptance. This is nice, but sometimes it's taken to the extreme.

The best thing about Pomona is the layers and layers of support they give you, so that you can feel comfortable as you grow into yourself, explore new interests, and begin to change. Professors will bend over backwards for you: they'll help to get you into classes that fill up/ have prerequisites, they'll give you honest advice about which profs to avoid which ones to takes, and are always available to discuss class material outside of class. The sponsor program is wonderful: it ensures that you're immediately socially integrated into the school, and really creates this sense of a "college family" where you feel completely comfortable with the people you're living with. On top of this there are mentors to help with specific issues (I had a mentor because I was an international student to help with things like homesickness), academic, advisers, deans... Pomona really cares about every student, and it shows.

I love Pomona. It really is the best possible place I can imagine to go to school. I love that we're a small school with small classes and faculty who are really involved in our education. But we're also part of the Claremont consortium, and with the other 4 schools, we have a student population of 5,000, which makes social life and clubs and sports very diverse and exciting. I think Pomona escapes the feeling of isolation that a lot of smaller school get. Best day of my life? Ski-Beach day. 4 hours skiing in the morning (and I'm from Colorado, i know skiing. this was the real thing), a 2 hour bus ride, then the afternoon at the beach, with a bonfire and s'more roast as the sun set over the Pacific. Brilliant. And it only cost $20, I think.

Best thing about pomona is the size and location. Can't really think of anything I'd change. It's the perfect size. Most people aren't familiar with Pomona, but the more educated they are, the more likely they are to have heard of it and when they have heard of it they are impressed. Although many people confuse it with Cal Poly Pomona. Most time is spent in my room when I'm not at class or working. There is no college town. We are in the suburbs and there isn't really a community feel with the town, but we have everything we need within the 5 colleges. I like Pomona's administration on the whole but like any, there is red tape. Haven't been on campus this semester, so I don't know about the recent controversies but from last semester it would have been whether or not the Pomona Student Union should have invited a Minute Man to campus. There is a lot of school pride in the sense of being proud of where you go to school, but not much rivalry in terms of sports. Can't think if anything unusual about pomona except for the fact that it buys our alcohol, gives us cars to drive, and pays for our outside activities. I'll always remember Death by Chocolate and Ski/Beach day. Not really sure what students would have to complain about!!

I love this school, in all honesty. A lot of people get very frustrated about the size; if you aren't 100{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} sure that you want a small school, DON'T COME HERE. It is very small. You will see every single person that you hook up with at least once a week. We definitely don't have any sort of college town--the village is really more of a retirement community. There is a little bit of something for everyone, from the jocks to the stoners to the nerds. People bitch about the lack of a dating scene sometimes (they claim that you either have a bunch of random hook-ups or you're essentially married), but I, for one, don't miss the high school dating scene of dinner-and-a-movie.

The best things about Pomona are the small class sizes that center around discussion - and the weather, which hovers around sixty to seventy even in December. If I were to change anything, I would first increase the number of students of color and first-generation college students on campus, then move campus closer to Los Angeles or at least out of the rich, white retirement community of Claremont. When I tell people I go to Pomona, they generally don't recognize my small liberal arts college and ask me instead why I chose to attend the local community college. On campus I usually spend most of my time in the computer lab; as a senior with a thesis, most of my socializing is done in study parties. The administration here runs wonderfully smoothly; I've only once in my four years had a problem, but it was quickly resolved. There haven't been any very large controversies on campus, but there have been a string of incidents with racial or homophobic epithets or swastikas being drawn on doors around the college throughout the semester.

The best thing about Pomona is that the college wants you to do whatever you want to do. You can get funding for practically anything and because people here are passionate, chances are you'll be able to easily generate interest in the activity. Campus Security is here to make sure you're safe but not to get you in any serious trouble. The size is just right because of the consortium. The small college gives a great homey atmosphere and if you want to meet more people there are plenty of opportunities. There's a quaint college town that's great for a meal out but not much else. Campus is great for everything else and it's really easy to take trips off campus to mountains, beaches and deserts within hour drives. My favorite place on campus is Marston Quad - a wide open field in the center of campus where you can always find a sunny spot to work, play frisbee, slackline, or meet friends. It's Great.

Most people don't know about Pomona, or the Claremont Colleges. I often hear, "Oh, so you go to Cal Poly Pomona?" No, I definitely don't go there. Pomona is very concerned with being politically correct and is extremely image-conscious. Campus discussion is not typically regulated by the administration, but student activists will protest and rant and rave for a lot of different reasons, some of them unwarranted. The atmosphere can at times stifle you with how politically correct it is.

Pomona is everything you could want in a liberal arts college, but is located in sunny Southern California.

Pomona has an incredibly strong sense of community, in part due to its size. It's got 400 students less than my high school, and the faculty and staff are incredibly accessible. The other Claremont Colleges also contribute to this feel. I'm not likely to be able to walk even twenty feet on campus without seeing someone I know. It's really nice to be able to go to a school where there is a very strong network. To the outsider it may seem like high school, and I think it might be a little, but a high school where students are more interested in Chaucer and Amartya Sen than they are in bickering in the halls. Also, we have a really pretty campus.

I think the best thing about Pomona is the opportunities. Professors are accessible, there are fun things to do in the area, On the Loose, Clubs, and others. I love to play sports and have the pleasure of playing two and being a D-III school is perfect for that. I would love to change the advertising of the college. Pomona needs to do a better job of selling itself and it's students to businesses or the nation in general. For the quality of the school, Pomona should be better known nationwide. I think the size of the school is great because resources are not spread too thin. RECENT COMPLAINTS! One of the biggest selling points about our school was freedom in all aspects of student life. I was under the impression my freshmen year that as long as I was safe, not harming others, or causing problems I could do almost as I please. Our drinking policy has become much more stringent and has caused a very up-tight party scene and encouraged students to drink in their rooms instead of the safety of a school run event. Pomona administrators should realize that if a keg is at a party and underage people get beer slowly by asking others or waiting in line and showing a college id that is safer than if they could not get beer at the party and drink ahead of time. Also, parties used to be held outside in courtyards which is unheard of. Alumni are surprised about how strict Pomona has become. Also why can't RHS throw birdseed on freshmen as they walk through the gates. That is a fun tradition, NOT HAZING. We should not bring people into this college that in their first year decide to do away with tradition.

There are many great things about Pomona and very few negative things. My favorite thing is the people, followed by the academic and athletic opportunities. Great professors, small classes, great weather, beautiful campus, small student body with a bigger college feel from the other surrounding schools. The list could go on. The negatives are much more slight, including poor air quality and a little less sports fans and sports resources than I'd like.

The best thing about Pomona is definitely the people. I have made some incredible friends during my time at Pomona. Also, the professors are exceptionally intelligent and really make an effort to connect with the students. I love the people here at Pomona.

The reasons I came to Pomona - the small size and the rigorous academics - are both the best and worst things about Pomona. Sometimes it feels very small, like everyone knows your business, and once you make your friends freshman year, you're done branching out. But on the other hand, sometimes I think I have way more friends than I would at a bigger school, because we all kind of know each other, which is fun. And, the 5Cs give you the chance to "get out" if that's really what you want to do. Our sports teams are shared with Pitzer, which has been a great way to meet friends from other campuses, and lots of other clubs operate between the 5Cs. Our campus is almost completely disconnected from the Claremont community, both literally and figuratively. We have a lot of fun in our "Pomona bubble", but sometimes it would be nice to go out to bars, work, or play in the town. The academics are really great - you get lots of opportunities to learn from and work with professors and other students - just remember that it's going to be hard. People take their work very seriously, and while there are plenty of kids who go out many times a week, there are also people who never seem to go out. People tend to play it cool, but as chill as they are on the outside you know they are probably pretty stressed out. If you want to take academics really seriously, come here, if you want to have lots of free time, go to CMC or Pitzer!

When people hear that I go to Pomona they are immediately impressed or immediately confused. Pomona is a relatively new school that is gaining a household name but it's so small that our name is still working its way up. If they are from California they may think that I go to Cal Poly Pomona-not even close to Pomona College, or they are impressed. Administration: There are very few departments that have people within them or are on the whole, crappy. Pomona takes a lot of time hiring the people that students have to deal with during their time here. This allows for a great screening process which entails many meetings with faculty, students and staff to evaluate people for higher positions in the institution. They look for people that 'mesh' well with the type of student that goes here which ends up being people that are really nice and knowledgeable.

Pomona is amazing. It has a unique small college environment mixed with a big college social life due to the Claremont Consortium, while consists of five schools. We can take classes at any school in the Consortium and go to their parties, while still having small classes and close relationships with our teachers. It somewhat sad that when I tell people I go to Pomona the normal response is "Oh is that a community college?" Pomona is very selective and amazing, but virtually unknown. The town is small and has some good restaurants and some small boutiques, however students spend most all their time on campus and often neglect the town and Los Angeles which is only a 30 minute drive away. That said it's easy to get off campus and into LA if one wants too. There is not a lot of school athletic pride. Many students don't attend athletic events or even know what's going on with the school teams.

going to a small school is great because you get a lot of attention from the faculty and the administration. of course, it can feel small at times, but for the majority of my time spent here, i've enjoyed the small-school atmosphere. i love how people here are so passionate and have so much interesting information that they are willing to share. when people here i go to pomona and they have heard of it, they are often very impressed. it has helped me get a job already. pomona is definitely a bubble and i rarely go off campus, even though i have a car. there is stuff going on here all the time, and i keep extremely busy as do all my friends. even when we go out, we mostly stay on campus. however, it is nice to know that LA, pasadena, and the beach are so close if you get bored or just want to get off campus. there are tons of good restaurants nearby as well.

If there was one thing I would change about Pomona, I would make it bigger. Socially, it can be quite stifling. You can branch out to the other 5 colleges, but that often takes more effort than most are willing to give. If anything embarrassing or tragic happens though, everyone knows about it pretty much immediately. When I tell people I go to Pomona, they have no idea what I'm talking about. Don't come here and expect people to recognize it as a big name. Pomona's administration tries to be hands on but is really not tuned in to the students needs at all.

It's tough to pick one best thing at Pomona. The campus is beautiful and the atmosphere is great. I think the academic philosophy is one of the most beneficial or rewarding aspects of the college. I love being able to get an excellent science education and being able to explore other areas of study too. Pomona gives you a lot of freedom in your course selection. Even as a premed (whose schedules tend to be a bit restricting) I feel like I've been exposed to so many other ways of thinking. Also, the professors at Pomona are very committed not only to teaching you the material but to making you apply it to new situations. I think that is what makes Pomona an academically challenging school but I think that is the main reason that our graduates are so successful. Really, we'll probably hardly use most of what we learn in college, but problem solving, creative thinking, interpersonal skills, and applied learning are helpful in any situation. But I might have to say the actual best thing about Pomona is the people. I think the college does a good job of bringing in really well-rounded students from different backgrounds. Of course everyone is really smart but they all have something else to bring to the table. Being exposed to such a variety of attributes and attitudes in people I think adds to the liberal arts experience.

The best thing about Pomona is that whatever your intellectual goals might be you will find support in pursuing them.

The best thing about Pomona is the community. The people here are intelligent, interesting, inspired, and fun to hang out with. The school is, admittedly, a bit on the small side, but luckily the 5C environment allows us to participate in a larger community as well. If I were to tell some random person on the street that I go to Pomona, I could almost guarantee their reaction would be either "Huh? Whats that?" or "Oh, Cal Poly..cool." Luckily, among your more "academic" types, Pomona is a well-recognized and well-respected name. Most of my time I spend on Campus is in my dorm. The people in my dorm are pretty awesome, so I can always have a great conversation just by hanging out in my hall. The town of Claremont is undeniably "quaint." Pomona is just a few short blocks away from the "village" or a couple blocks of shops, restaurants, cafes, etc., that make for a very adorable college town.