2026 USNWR LACs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is slipping on every ranking. CMC is the new number 1 in the Claremont system

this ranking methodology is flawed. but even so, they are tied. can't you read? pomona is a full-service east-coast style liberal arts college. cmc is a directed curriculum (govt, econ) that doesn't have a full-service science dept. it's great for what it does, but it doesn't do it all. it doesn't have strong languages, music, or many other majors.

it doesn't matter that pomona is comprehensive, what matters is the outcomes and trajectory and on that regard cmc is leagues ahead

cmc is higher ranked on forbes, niche, wsj, linkedin, and wallethub this year. this was not the case in previous years. it's the first year ever that the two schools are tied on usnews. pomona is only ahead because of its reputation score- the moment cmc is perceived as the same league by the survey takers, it'll be ahead of pomona.

pomona is a great school and attracts top faculty/students, but it largely coasts on its historic reputation. it hasn't really done anything to improve. cmc is making enormous strides to expand, develop science/AI/data facilties, and faciliate a strong alumni network. all pomona gets attention for these days is being attracting obnoxiously pc students who disrupt the classroom and inhibit free speech. meanwhile, its next door neighbor actually cares about bringing the benefits of a LAC experience to the new era.

it's nice to be in a consortium setting with 3 top ten LACs and 2 top 40 LACs all within close proximity, but there's no real point to attend pomona. a pomona tier student could feasibly get into williams or cmc or a top 20 university, and all of them offer much better value today. sorry but it's the harsh truth.

Flat out wrong. Pomona has improved greatly on fellowship attainment and is in the process of building out a massive center for global engagement which will have visiting international scholars, allow for the expansion of Pomona’s politics department and public policy analysis reach, and currently funds are allowing students to travel internationally with faculty-led coursework.

Is cmc expanding greatly? Yes, but it also is a campus that’s summed up in 4 academic buildings and is uniquely homogenous in focus and thought. There’s many reasons to choose Pomona- it’s still the best consortium school for graduate admissions across the board, the environment is fun (it’s not uncommon to see a bunch of kids in suits at 1 pm in the blistering sun at CMC), and, for as much as people talk up CMC’s outcomes, Pomona produces consistently much more notable alumni.

Massive change in leadership coming at Pomona. The president has addressed in email how much this ranking is a blow to the school, parents, and alumni. The BOT is doing a confidence vote tomorrow to see if the president will stay in power. This is a serious problem, and it’s shocking Pomona let itself slide this far down. Hoping for a brighter future.

I hope this is made up.

[Anonymous]

Why is there no six? I don’t get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is slipping on every ranking. CMC is the new number 1 in the Claremont system

this ranking methodology is flawed. but even so, they are tied. can't you read? pomona is a full-service east-coast style liberal arts college. cmc is a directed curriculum (govt, econ) that doesn't have a full-service science dept. it's great for what it does, but it doesn't do it all. it doesn't have strong languages, music, or many other majors.

it doesn't matter that pomona is comprehensive, what matters is the outcomes and trajectory and on that regard cmc is leagues ahead

cmc is higher ranked on forbes, niche, wsj, linkedin, and wallethub this year. this was not the case in previous years. it's the first year ever that the two schools are tied on usnews. pomona is only ahead because of its reputation score- the moment cmc is perceived as the same league by the survey takers, it'll be ahead of pomona.

pomona is a great school and attracts top faculty/students, but it largely coasts on its historic reputation. it hasn't really done anything to improve. cmc is making enormous strides to expand, develop science/AI/data facilties, and faciliate a strong alumni network. all pomona gets attention for these days is being attracting obnoxiously pc students who disrupt the classroom and inhibit free speech. meanwhile, its next door neighbor actually cares about bringing the benefits of a LAC experience to the new era.

it's nice to be in a consortium setting with 3 top ten LACs and 2 top 40 LACs all within close proximity, but there's no real point to attend pomona. a pomona tier student could feasibly get into williams or cmc or a top 20 university, and all of them offer much better value today. sorry but it's the harsh truth.

Flat out wrong. Pomona has improved greatly on fellowship attainment and is in the process of building out a massive center for global engagement which will have visiting international scholars, allow for the expansion of Pomona’s politics department and public policy analysis reach, and currently funds are allowing students to travel internationally with faculty-led coursework.

Is cmc expanding greatly? Yes, but it also is a campus that’s summed up in 4 academic buildings and is uniquely homogenous in focus and thought. There’s many reasons to choose Pomona- it’s still the best consortium school for graduate admissions across the board, the environment is fun (it’s not uncommon to see a bunch of kids in suits at 1 pm in the blistering sun at CMC), and, for as much as people talk up CMC’s outcomes, Pomona produces consistently much more notable alumni.

Massive change in leadership coming at Pomona. The president has addressed in email how much this ranking is a blow to the school, parents, and alumni. The BOT is doing a confidence vote tomorrow to see if the president will stay in power. This is a serious problem, and it’s shocking Pomona let itself slide this far down. Hoping for a brighter future.

I hope this is made up.

It isn’t. I got the email as an alumnus. Apparently a major donor is threatening to pull all funds if Pomona doesn’t improve next year. I’m not sure what the college could do, but this seems serious.

[Anonymous]

It’s not serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not serious.

It is if the college is losing donors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is slipping on every ranking. CMC is the new number 1 in the Claremont system

this ranking methodology is flawed. but even so, they are tied. can't you read? pomona is a full-service east-coast style liberal arts college. cmc is a directed curriculum (govt, econ) that doesn't have a full-service science dept. it's great for what it does, but it doesn't do it all. it doesn't have strong languages, music, or many other majors.

it doesn't matter that pomona is comprehensive, what matters is the outcomes and trajectory and on that regard cmc is leagues ahead

cmc is higher ranked on forbes, niche, wsj, linkedin, and wallethub this year. this was not the case in previous years. it's the first year ever that the two schools are tied on usnews. pomona is only ahead because of its reputation score- the moment cmc is perceived as the same league by the survey takers, it'll be ahead of pomona.

pomona is a great school and attracts top faculty/students, but it largely coasts on its historic reputation. it hasn't really done anything to improve. cmc is making enormous strides to expand, develop science/AI/data facilties, and faciliate a strong alumni network. all pomona gets attention for these days is being attracting obnoxiously pc students who disrupt the classroom and inhibit free speech. meanwhile, its next door neighbor actually cares about bringing the benefits of a LAC experience to the new era.

it's nice to be in a consortium setting with 3 top ten LACs and 2 top 40 LACs all within close proximity, but there's no real point to attend pomona. a pomona tier student could feasibly get into williams or cmc or a top 20 university, and all of them offer much better value today. sorry but it's the harsh truth.

Flat out wrong. Pomona has improved greatly on fellowship attainment and is in the process of building out a massive center for global engagement which will have visiting international scholars, allow for the expansion of Pomona’s politics department and public policy analysis reach, and currently funds are allowing students to travel internationally with faculty-led coursework.

Is cmc expanding greatly? Yes, but it also is a campus that’s summed up in 4 academic buildings and is uniquely homogenous in focus and thought. There’s many reasons to choose Pomona- it’s still the best consortium school for graduate admissions across the board, the environment is fun (it’s not uncommon to see a bunch of kids in suits at 1 pm in the blistering sun at CMC), and, for as much as people talk up CMC’s outcomes, Pomona produces consistently much more notable alumni.

Massive change in leadership coming at Pomona. The president has addressed in email how much this ranking is a blow to the school, parents, and alumni. The BOT is doing a confidence vote tomorrow to see if the president will stay in power. This is a serious problem, and it’s shocking Pomona let itself slide this far down. Hoping for a brighter future.

I hope this is made up.

It isn’t. I got the email as an alumnus. Apparently a major donor is threatening to pull all funds if Pomona doesn’t improve next year. I’m not sure what the college could do, but this seems serious.

Can you post the text?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is slipping on every ranking. CMC is the new number 1 in the Claremont system

this ranking methodology is flawed. but even so, they are tied. can't you read? pomona is a full-service east-coast style liberal arts college. cmc is a directed curriculum (govt, econ) that doesn't have a full-service science dept. it's great for what it does, but it doesn't do it all. it doesn't have strong languages, music, or many other majors.

it doesn't matter that pomona is comprehensive, what matters is the outcomes and trajectory and on that regard cmc is leagues ahead

cmc is higher ranked on forbes, niche, wsj, linkedin, and wallethub this year. this was not the case in previous years. it's the first year ever that the two schools are tied on usnews. pomona is only ahead because of its reputation score- the moment cmc is perceived as the same league by the survey takers, it'll be ahead of pomona.

pomona is a great school and attracts top faculty/students, but it largely coasts on its historic reputation. it hasn't really done anything to improve. cmc is making enormous strides to expand, develop science/AI/data facilties, and faciliate a strong alumni network. all pomona gets attention for these days is being attracting obnoxiously pc students who disrupt the classroom and inhibit free speech. meanwhile, its next door neighbor actually cares about bringing the benefits of a LAC experience to the new era.

it's nice to be in a consortium setting with 3 top ten LACs and 2 top 40 LACs all within close proximity, but there's no real point to attend pomona. a pomona tier student could feasibly get into williams or cmc or a top 20 university, and all of them offer much better value today. sorry but it's the harsh truth.

Flat out wrong. Pomona has improved greatly on fellowship attainment and is in the process of building out a massive center for global engagement which will have visiting international scholars, allow for the expansion of Pomona’s politics department and public policy analysis reach, and currently funds are allowing students to travel internationally with faculty-led coursework.

Is cmc expanding greatly? Yes, but it also is a campus that’s summed up in 4 academic buildings and is uniquely homogenous in focus and thought. There’s many reasons to choose Pomona- it’s still the best consortium school for graduate admissions across the board, the environment is fun (it’s not uncommon to see a bunch of kids in suits at 1 pm in the blistering sun at CMC), and, for as much as people talk up CMC’s outcomes, Pomona produces consistently much more notable alumni.

Massive change in leadership coming at Pomona. The president has addressed in email how much this ranking is a blow to the school, parents, and alumni. The BOT is doing a confidence vote tomorrow to see if the president will stay in power. This is a serious problem, and it’s shocking Pomona let itself slide this far down. Hoping for a brighter future.

I hope this is made up.

It isn’t. I got the email as an alumnus. Apparently a major donor is threatening to pull all funds if Pomona doesn’t improve next year. I’m not sure what the college could do, but this seems serious.

I don't believe you. Paste the text of the email here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is there no six? I don’t get it.

Any time you have a ranked list, if there's a tie (as in, there are two at position #5), the next number (#6) will be skipped, so it goes 5, 5, 7. If there are three that are tied (as in #7), the next two numbers (#8, #9) are skipped.

[Anonymous]

Pomona is still 7th. I’m not seeing the drop. Carleton is 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oberlin is what makes me not put much stock in USNWR's rankings. Their endowment is 1.27B. Compared to the schools listed alongside them at #58- Gettysburg's is $314M, St. Lawrence's is $378M. Oberlin has had 4 Nobel laureates and has a world-renowned conservatory. I was hoping they would pop back up into the top 50, but to bump them even further down the list is ridiculous. You're just not going to convince me that my kid will get a better education at Berea College in Kentucky or Soka University (a dang cult) than at Oberlin.

51%- 51%!- of Oberlin students identified as LGBTQ in 2022 (link below). It was one of only 3 campuses (the others being women's colleges- Smith and Wellesley I think) where a clear majority of the students claimed not to be heteronormative. No matter how big Oberlin's endowment is, if it chooses to fill the niche of "the gayest college in America", applicants will lose interest, viewpoint diversity on campus will suffer, and eventually Oberlin will lose sponsorship from the wealthy/UMC families who are the lifeblood of liberal arts colleges.

If Oberlin wants to reverse its fall in the rankings, it will have to start with a radical reordering of priorities in its admissions and financial aid offices. I don't see that happening, so a long slow embarrassing decline it is for Oberlin.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/almost-40-percent-of-students-identify-as-lgbtq-at-liberal-arts-colleges-survey/

So to be clear, you are recommending they discriminate on the basis sexuality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is there no six? I don’t get it.

Any time you have a ranked list, if there's a tie (as in, there are two at position #5), the next number (#6) will be skipped, so it goes 5, 5, 7. If there are three that are tied (as in #7), the next two numbers (#8, #9) are skipped.

Ok thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is still 7th. I’m not seeing the drop. Carleton is 10.

Going from 4 -> 7 in a two year period is really concerning. It shows that peers don’t think it’s a quality college.

[Anonymous]

WTF is Claremont McKenna?

[Anonymous]

Among high brow NESCACs clear delineation. WAB reign supreme. Hamilton and Midd are second tier than in 3rd place Colby and Bates. By this years rankings Patriot schools Colgate and Holy Cross are in same tier as Colby and Bates. Lots of self promotion recently of Colby vs Midd that didn’t occur but might next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Among high brow NESCACs clear delineation. WAB reign supreme. Hamilton and Midd are second tier than in 3rd place Colby and Bates. By this years rankings Patriot schools Colgate and Holy Cross are in same tier as Colby and Bates. Lots of self promotion recently of Colby vs Midd that didn’t occur but might next year.

WAB?