Get Into Pomona
About Pomona College
Pomona ranks #5 for National Liberal Arts Colleges according to the most recent issue of U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1887, Pomona hosts about 1,671 students on its 140-acre campus in Claremont, California, which is situated 35 miles east of Los Angeles. Pomona is the founding member of the Claremont Colleges, and as such, students at Pomona are free to take classes at the two graduate colleges, Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute, or any of the remaining 5C’s: Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer. Together, the Claremont Colleges are situated on 546 acres of land, and their 8,500 students enjoy 7 campuses that are all within a mile walk of each other.
At Pomona, 98 percent of students live in one of 16 residence halls all four years. 20 percent of students at Pomona compete on varsity teams alongside Pitzer varsity athletes in the NCAA Division III. The 21 varsity teams of Sagehens (students from Pomona and Pitzer) compete against Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Scripps, but students on club teams play together with members of all the 5Cs. In addition to varsity and club teams, Pomona offers intramural sports and outings through their Outdoor Education Center. Students looking to join a small community on campus can join one of the Claremont College’s 308 clubs and organizations. Through athletics and these extra-curricular clubs, students at Pomona meet peers that hail from 59 nations, 50 states, and 2 territories. The incoming Class of 2023 boasts a diverse class including 57.9 percent domestic students of color, 51 percent women, 19.8 percent Latino, 17.9 percent Asian American, 13.6 percent black, and 13.5 percent international students. These students enjoy campus traditions together, like “fountaining,” “Nochella”, and departing on school-sponsored trips to explore the 47 must-see’s in the area.
Pomona College offers 600 courses every year across 48 majors and 41 minors, but across Claremont College there are more than 2,700 courses available for students at Pomona. Students interested in pre-med, pre-law, or pre-engineering can’t pursue a specific program at Pomona, but they can take advantage of Pomona’s selective coursework, advising, and application guidance. Pre-engineering students can also take advantage of Pomona’s 3-2 plan with the California Institute of Technology and Washington University or the dual-degree program in conjunction with Dartmouth College. Students who stay on Pomona’s campus enjoy the 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 15.
Applying to Pomona College
Pomona offers applicants three rounds of admissions: Early Decision I (due November 1st), Early Decision II (due January 1st), and Regular (due January 1st). Both Early Decision rounds are binding, meaning once admitted, applicants must withdraw all other applications. In the case of Early Decision II, applicants will hear back from Pomona around mid-February, at which point, if admitted, they must withdraw from their Regular decision schools. The Regular round, on the other hand, is non-restrictive and non-binding, meaning students can apply to as many additional schools as they’d like. Applicants can self-report super-scored SATs and ACTs to Pomona, but if admitted, applicants must send official scores. Students can also schedule an off-campus alumni interview until December 1st. Pomona states that they do not track “demonstrated interest” through scheduled interviews, but interviewers still submit a statement as part of a student’s application.
Pomona College Admissions Wrap Up
Pomona does not release a break-down of admissions rates for its three rounds of admissions in 2019, but the overall admissions rate for the Class of 2022 was 6.9 percent. As is the case at other Early Decision schools, it’s likely that applying Early Decision increases an applicant’s odds. For 2023, they admitted 726 students of which 13.5 percent are international and 58 percent are students of color. First-generation college students make up 20.3 percent of the class.
