The Professor Visits Pomona College

Pomona College 

The Professor has landed on the West Coast at Pomona College in Claremont, California.  http://www.pomona.edu/

Founded in 1887, this small, private college, of about 1500 is considered a residential college; the majority of the students live on campus all four years in one of the residence halls.  In fact, students have to apply to live off campus! 

With such a small school, the teacher student ratio at Pomona is very low – 8:1 but given the size of the school, Pomona is selective.  Ninety percent of their incoming freshmen class was ranked in the top 10% of their high school!

Pomona has consistently ranked in the top 10 on the US News and World Reports list, since the list’s inception.  Currently they are ranked #4 in National Liberal Arts Colleges.  http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/pomona-college-1173/rankings 

The cost to attend one year at Pomona is approximately $50,000 (including room and board).  Unlike other institutions, the financial aid office http://www.pomona.edu/administration/financial-aid/index.aspx

at Pomona does not offer student loans.  Instead, as of 2008, they only offer a financial scholarship, which means if you have financial need you will get money to go to this school.  In fact, over half of their student body receives some form of scholarship – (they don’t need to repay the money!).

Pomona’s location near the San Gabriel Mountains and within driving distance to the Pacific Ocean allows for a unique annual spring event – Ski-Beach Day.  http://www.pomona.edu/about/pomoniana/ski-beach.aspx

For the past twenty years, students have been bussed to a nearby ski resort to spend the morning skiing.  After lunch, they board the bus again to be transported to an Orange County or Los Angeles County beach to lounge around at sea level for the rest of the day.  Where else can you be a ski bum and beach bum on the same day?! 

For more information on Pomona’s admissions requirements and deadlines, please check out their website at http://www.pomona.edu/.

Crystal Anderson is the president of Crystal Clear College Planning, which helps Seattle-area families plan financially and academically for college. Learn more about our free local workshops on planning for college.