Pomona Vs Williams

[Anonymous]

DC is down to these two options.
Prospective Math major, loves hiking and exploring places. Dc really wants an environment where there’s a good math community and opportunities (read: interesting math specialties or courses or research opportunities). DC loves small school environment and smaller classes. He loved the tutorial system/WEPO when he toured Williams but found the students kind of cold. We’ve yet to visit Pomona, but he really likes what he’s seen so far.

Anyone with experience with both and how you’d go about choosing?

[Anonymous]

Pomona cross registration with Mudd would be a good thing for this student.

[Anonymous]

Very difficult, because the two are so similar for what you’re looking for. It might come down to a campus visit

[Anonymous]

I'd consider the remoteness/isolation piece for Williams. Some people thrive on it, but it's not for everyone. Pomona is obviously a little different with the CCs.

I know a current math major at Williams. Amazing academics. Some social struggles initially. I don't know to what extent that was just circumstances or bad luck. I do think the social environment at these schools with so many intense kids can be tough.

[Anonymous]

Pomona parent here. One thing I hear from parents all the time is the feeling they’re throwing an opportunity away with WEPO, but Pomona has a similar program at Cambridge, where students sit as visiting students and can use all the resources at Cambridge with a Cambridge faculty supervisor! I’m not sure why Pomona doesn’t promote it, but it’s big on campus.

DC loves the math department and often overloads courses to take more math. There’s a ton of resources at Pomona, computational/applied courses at CMC, all kinds of math at Harvey Mudd, and graduate courses at each of the schools and at Claremont Graduate. It would take a lot for a student to run out of classes

[Anonymous]

Easily Williams. Best math department do any lac

[Anonymous]

We did not tour Pomona, but did tour Williams. Both my child and I also found the students cold, cliquey, and all the students who play sports--which is a HUGE percentage-- limit themselves socially to these sports teams. So the non-athlete students have a much smaller pool to choose from socially. As a non-athlete, my child was so turned off that the school caters to the athletes, ie. no classes during certain hours that are deemed practice hours, so that athletes don't need to choose. Excuse me? this is supposed to be a school known for academics. We also found the campus very unattractive/unappealing, the town non-existant, and it is in the middle of nowhere. Go with Pomona.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Easily Williams. Best math department do any lac

This is news to Harvey Mudd. Id actually argue that Pomona and Reed have a better math department than Williams. Williams is a better shining star at Economics

[Anonymous]

Students at Pomona really love math. There’s a potential new section opening for real analysis because the 45 section is completely full and had 30 more students trying to get in. Math is a top 3 major at Pomona, and it has a great community

[Anonymous]

If your DC wants to go into IB, they should choose Williams. Pomona isn’t on the map like Williams for those type of careers. If they want to go to grad school, it’s a tossup

[Anonymous]

I posted upthread but you should visit Pomona. It's easy to idealize southern Cal and there are lots of pluses to Pomona but Claremont is not a beauty spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted upthread but you should visit Pomona. It's easy to idealize southern Cal and there are lots of pluses to Pomona but Claremont is not a beauty spot.

What are you talking about? Claremont is gorg. The rest of the IE? Groggy, but Claremont is a lovely place. Kinda similar to Williams in that respect because there’s some real dilapidated corners just outside of Williamstown. Only difference is a Williams student is stuck, unless a weekend trip to Albany is their vibe

[Anonymous]

Surprised no one is defending Williams. Its student body is incredibly warm and they have the cutest mascot/merch. The math department is highly rated, and Williams has very good outcomes on the level of ivies. Id be worried DC wouldn’t be able to get a job on the east coast if they went to Pomona

[Anonymous]

Hiking is Williamstown has nothing on SoCal. There’s just so much nature in Southern California that’s once in a lifetime beauty. Not a great reason to pick a school but a factor to consider

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they have the cutest mascot/merch

Well, then, I guess it's decided.