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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]DS did not do ED1 but now is considering EDing. He is looking for an LAC with access to backpacking and a strong math program and occasional . He toured both and loved both, struggling to choose which to ED2. Any personal experiences? [/quote]
My outdoorsy DC's final choices came down to Pomona, Swarthmore, and Dartmouth (which is very similar to Williams), all of which were RD admits for DC. As others have advised, I'd caution against using ED2 unless your DC is very confident. The so-called advantages of the "ED card" are overstated here, and ED offers little advantage at either Pomona or Swat. Also, preferences can change and often do between now and decision time in late April.

My DC really liked all three schools, which in many ways were more similar than different. I'd say that Pomona and Swat in particular are like coastal cousins of one another.

Pomona has an exceptional math program and produces the most math PhDs outside of Cal Tech, Harvey Mudd, and MIT. And, by the way, Pomona students can easily enroll in Mudd math classes through the consortium. Pomona's math program trends a little more toward academic and intellectual, as compared to, say, Williams, which trends a little more toward quant jobs on Wall Street. Pomona's orientation program offers a 3-day backpacking trip for incoming freshmen and has a very active outdoors club, which it shares with the other 5C schools. The backpacking within an hour or two of Pomona (Big Bear, JTree, Borrego, etc.) is desert and moderate mountains and is fine to good. And I think you can do desert backpacking in the winter, if so inclined. But the backpacking within 5 hours of Pomona is world class. As an avid backpacker myself, I genuinely believe that there is no better backpacking on earth than in the Sierra Nevada and particularly the Easter Sierra. In fact, just before I dropped DC off for college, we did a 7-day, 70-mile unsupported trip through the deep Sierra that included a side trip to the summit of Mt. Whitney. Pomona is also 6-ish hours away from Southern Utah (Zion, Escalante, Grand Canyon, etc.).

Swarthmore also has an exceptional math program and is right behind Pomona in terms of PhD production. Like Pomona, Swarthmore is more intellectual and academic that career focused. DC really liked Swat's campus, people, and proximity to Philly. While Swat has a reputation for intensity and stress, DC found it a bit exaggerated. DC found plenty of normal, fun-loving kids there when visiting. That said, in terms of backpacking opportunities, Swat is going to rank fairly low. It has a lovely arboretum for walks and trail runs. But I'm guessing the nearest backpacking is going to be in the Poconos, which are probably fine, but I don't think many people travel across the country to backpack there. And while I'm sure there are some backpacking Swatties, I'd bet that its a much smaller proportion than the other schools.

Williams/Dartmouth/Bowdoin: All three schools are outdoorsy and, like Pomona, have freshman orientation backpacking trips. Bowdoin in particular has an really impressive of backpacking trip options, and Williams and Dartmouth are both right next to the Appalachian Trail. There are a multitude of backpacking opportunities and most of them are likely to be closer to campus than the ones near Pomona. But, while there are definitely people who prefer and love New England backpacking, IMO, it fails to compare to the Sierra Nevada or Southern Utah. It has its charms, but New England backpacking features a lot of time in the "green tunnel," meaning that you're walking through long stretches of forested canopy and your sightlines are dominated by clustered trees, as opposed to sweeping vistas. The Sierra are much more dramatic and much of the backpacking is done at or above tree line. The vertical relief in the Sierra can run from 14,000'+ alpine summits to sagebrush at 5,000'. As for math, I know Williams is particularly strong.

Again, all of the schools above are amazing and each has its distinctive and unique charms. My DC chose Pomona because they liked the laidback reputation, the weather and location, and the 5C consortium, which is probably Pomona's standout feature. [/quote]
OP here! Thanks so much for this comprehensive comment. How does your DC feel the resources are at Pomona? I am not very knowledgeable about west coast colleges, and I am nervous she won't get the same opportunities as on the east. How would you describe the students at Pomona?[/quote]
I haven't heard any complaints from DC about the resources. I'd venture that they are very similar to Swat's, which were also very impressive. DC has a faculty advisor, a student mentor, and has consulted with career services about a couple things. DC has also talked with a number of her faculty about future opportunities, and they've been mostly helpful. DC is in line to get an on-campus job next semester that directly relates to DC's major. As mentioned previously, Pomona has a week-long orientation, various orientation trips, free airport shuttles, a lot of free food, etc. DC is in a double with another student in a dorm room without A/C. It was pretty hot in September, but DC was fine. Some students were affected by the heat though. Again, I'd expect Swat's resources to be very similar. Swat's cash-free campus seemed particularly cool.

Judging from orientation and DC's reports, Pomona students are very diverse in terms of ethnicity, geography, and income. Most Pomona students are very politically liberal, including DC, but one of DC's close friends supports Trump even though they are a low-income POC. It seems like most students are fairly humble and laidback. Per DC, not many people brag about their past achievements or compete with one another. I think most kids study hard, but they definitely get out and do fun things--parties, events, trips, etc. Pomona seems like a social school (students doing things together) more than a party school (big parties with lots of drinking).

I think the students at Swarthmore are fairly similar to Pomona. Beyond location, the biggest difference is the 5C consortium. Swat is a school of about 1,650 students in relative isolation. Pomona is a school of about 1,750 in a greater community of ~6,000 undergraduates. It certainly seems like the 5C students comingle and cross-register a lot. DC has good friends at Mudd and Scripps.

To be perfectly clear, I think Swarthmore is an awesome school.[/quote]

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