Swarthmore, Williams or Pomona

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All very different locations and vibes. My DC personally liked Pomona due to the consortium and ability to cross-enroll among the 5 C’s. LA is a day trip away for beach and cultural life.

Williams is almost all athletes (like 40% or so) and if you aren’t an athlete can be socially barren plus school in middle of nowhere.

Swarthnore has a grinder reputation and doesn’t seem to be popular around the DMV. Or maybe just no one getting in! In a good part of Philly and also has a consortium. Lots of other SLAC’s nearby plus Penn.

That's not almost all, that's less than half.

Fine-a large percentage for such a small school and is reportedly stifling. Read the student newspaper.

Plus, while there are 32 varsity intercollegiate teams (16 men's and 16 women's), they also have 5 junior varsity teams, 24 club teams, and a large intramural program.

Anyone can play intramurals, not just Chad's and recruited athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which is the best fit for a straight male (non-recruited athlete) who is social (would do Greek life if offered elsewhere).
Work hard, play hard attitude.
Environmental sciences or studies /Econ majors. Maybe history or Am Studies type minor….interested in sciences & humanities.

Obviously, this would be a dream to have this choice, but thinking ahead for my junior….

Looking for some sort of quick distinction between the three.

Planning to visit all next year.

Have you taken a look at naviance to see if students from your child’s HS ever get into these schools?

[Anonymous]

Was also going to say Pomona is strong on environmental analysis and the 5Cs are a big plus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:None of those three sound like a good fit. Williams can also be an insane grind academically. Try Hamilton or Trinity.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Williams and Swarthmore are legitimately elite schools. Pomona is not in the same league

By your limited experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Amherst- a small harvard

Swarthmore- a small princeton

Williams- a small yale

Colby, bowdoin- like Dartmouth but without frats!

Carleton, grinell, oberlin, Kenyon- small Brown

I went to Williams and I would say it's more like Dartmouth without frats. That was actually what we would often say.

[Anonymous]

Williams has amazing Econ and PoliEc departments and a great Environmental Study program. I work in an area connected to Econ and Environmental Studies and do what I can to help Williams grads in my field.

[Anonymous]

Of the three schools mentioned, I'd say Pomona is the best match. Really good environmental science and economics departments and way more social opportunities than W or S.

Swarthmore is an irrefutably great school, and I'm sure its ES and Econ departments are strong. But it's not particularly known for ES and is probably the least social of the three colleges.

I reckon Williams fits between those P and S on both counts. It's Econ department is particularly strong.

Other schools I'd consider:
*Dartmouth: This seems like the ideal fit. It's more like Williams than its fellow Ivies. Exceptionally strong in ES and Econ and very social.

*Bowdoin: Great ES and strong Econ. Less isolated than Williams and probably a little less of a grind.

*Midd: Maybe the best LAC for ES and strong Econ. Seems like a social school.

[Anonymous]

Pomona is the least likely admit from the east coast particularly if your son doesn’t add to diversity. The fact that it’s super small makes admissions particularly tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pomona is the least likely admit from the east coast particularly if your son doesn’t add to diversity. The fact that it’s super small makes admissions particularly tough.

Agreed! Pomona is near impossible to get into. Amazing school.

Avoid Swarthmore unless you’re a glutton for punishment. DD was so miserable that she transferred out after one year. We should have paid closer attention to the campus vibe — students don’t smile and interact minimally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter. He won’t get into any of them.

This. If you're UMC+ and not a recruited athlete, you're looking at <1% acceptance rates at each of these schools; your bucket is pre-filled by recruited athletes. So why waste time visiting three far-flung schools just to decide which one will ding you in ED? If you're going to invest those kinds of resources in visits, go instead to places that are likely vibe-fits where acceptance chances, at least in ED, range from plausible (e.g., Middlebury, Colby, Colorado College) to great (e.g., Whitman).

[Anonymous]

While I agree that Pomona is the hardest of the three to get into statistically, I don't think it matters in reality. All three schools are longshots for the unhooked. It's like saying that Texas's lottery is harder to win than Florida's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter. He won’t get into any of them.

This. If you're UMC+ and not a recruited athlete, you're looking at <1% acceptance rates at each of these schools; your bucket is pre-filled by recruited athletes. So why waste time visiting three far-flung schools just to decide which one will ding you in ED? If you're going to invest those kinds of resources in visits, go instead to places that are likely vibe-fits where acceptance chances, at least in ED, range from plausible (e.g., Middlebury, Colby, Colorado College) to great (e.g., Whitman).

Why not Bucknell, Union, or Gettysburg?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t matter. He won’t get into any of them.

This. If you're UMC+ and not a recruited athlete, you're looking at <1% acceptance rates at each of these schools; your bucket is pre-filled by recruited athletes. So why waste time visiting three far-flung schools just to decide which one will ding you in ED? If you're going to invest those kinds of resources in visits, go instead to places that are likely vibe-fits where acceptance chances, at least in ED, range from plausible (e.g., Middlebury, Colby, Colorado College) to great (e.g., Whitman).

Why not Bucknell, Union, or Gettysburg?

May well also be good calls. I'm just not as familiar with their enviro or econ programs.

[Anonymous]

Do Middlebury or Claremont McKenna instead. CMC gives merit aid for interdisciplinary science majors (full tuition)

Pomona, Williams, Swat don't really fit a fratty/work hard play hard personality.