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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Again Pomona is the only warm weather elite lac on the west coast.  Whether or not it’s actual location is desirable to the posters of dcum, that is enough to drive up a lot of interest, which combined with a class size of 1500 or so, leads to a very low acceptance rate.  [/quote]

This is the main factor that makes Pomona special, says this Pomona College alum, but not the only one. As someone else said, there are no strong competitors to Pomona (a twin of Amherst and Williams in many respects) in the west except for perhaps CMC. We went everywhere--to LA, San Diego, hiking at Mt. Baldy, the Angeles National Forest, Vegas, Joshua Tree, Catalina, all of the beaches, skiing at Mammoth Lakes, the Getty Center, Huntington Library, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Center, Angels baseball games, Disneyland, USC games, cultural events in LA, you name it. Students on exchange from Swarthmore and Colby would comment on how the culture at Pomona was academically rigorous just like at their colleges but still had a more laid back feel because of the location and weather.

As a former first gen, low income student (before that was even a thing with a label), I can also attest to the fact that Pomona stands out because it provides generous merit and financial aid--extremely generous financial aid. Its endowment is very large for a SLAC. I would not have been able to afford my local flagship university, but with very modest student loans, large grants, and work-study for all four years (during which I worked with Pop--Gregg Popovich), I could afford Pomona. Go figure.

The third ingredient in Pomona's secret sauce is the five-college consortium. I took classes at all five schools, and used all of their dining halls and libraries as well. (Loved Denison Library at Scripps, and dinner at CMC.) Five-college parties were also a blast back in the 1980s (Harvey Mudd knew how to throw parties); I can't speak to what they are like now.

Another key factor is (or was) the professors. They are incredible as a rule. I experienced one or two exceptions, but the vast majority were outstanding educators who truly enjoyed working with students. That stands in contrast to my kid's experience at a top 4 public university (on the smaller side). Radically different experiences with so much less regular professor contact in the university environment, though both SLACs and universities have their strengths and weaknesses. Some students don't want close contact with their professors.

Applicants needs to understand that a liberal arts undergrad degree often requires additional advanced education. At the time I was at Pomona, about 97% of students went on for higher degrees. Many of the majors make it difficult to secure a high-paying job out of the gate, which many college grads are seeking these days. Those who had the easiest time were the math, econ, and comp sci majors. Without pre-professional majors, Pomona doesn't have the name recognition to carry it. For example, there has been an ongoing debate over whether to teach data science courses at Pomona (not establish a major, but rather offer courses at all). Without certain courses that become keywords on a resume (often filtered by AI before they ever reach human resources departments), Pomona students can be at a disadvantage immediately after graduation when seeking employment. [/quote]

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