Pomona College Reviews

I honestly feel that the academics...

I honestly feel that the academics are the best aspect of Pomona. You will certainly learn a lot if you come here. This doesn't say much for the social scene, though.

There are definitely good teachers...

There are definitely good teachers here, but you have to seek them out. I generally ask upperclassmen or people who have had the professor already before taking a class. On the whole, I have had more good profs than bad, and there are certainly some outstanding ones, but there are some less desirable ones, as well. You just have to be discerning.

The teachers, for the most part,...

The teachers, for the most part, are fabulous. They definitely want to help their students and are readily available outside of the classroom. I developed several close connections with my professors and am very grateful for their intelligence, enthusiasm, and patience.

It’s fine. I never felt unsafe,...

It’s fine. I never felt unsafe, and I would frequently walk around at night alone. Naked.

The town is quiet, and generally,...

The town is quiet, and generally, it is an entirely separate community from the colleges. There are stores, restaurants, banks, and other services that college students use gladly and often, but they’re not specifically catered to the students. Visiting the other four Claremont Colleges adds a lot of variety to life and helps us meet new people. A lot of people take trips into LA on the Metrolink train, which has a station right in town. For about eight dollars round trip you can get to Union Station in LA, and from there take the light-rail line on your Metrolink ticket to places like Long Beach, Hollywood, and Redondo Beach. People also drive to the usual attractions like movies, the mall, and Disneyland. The ASPC office has discounted movie and theme-park tickets. We also have easy access to both skiing and beaches.

The town sucks! Most of it isn’t...

The town sucks! Most of it isn’t geared to college students, despite the fact that we have a significant presence in the town. There’s nothing to do at all. You need a car to seek any kind of off-campus entertainment.

The atmosphere is sunny and sleepy...

The atmosphere is sunny and sleepy in Claremont. It’s an upper-class retirement community. Thank goodness we have the other Claremont Colleges with which to socialize. It’s fun to go to Bert and Rocky’s ice cream place, and to browse the tiny shops in Claremont, but everything is too expensive to buy.

Now that you are living in...

Now that you are living in Claremont, this will be a good time to expand your porcelain kitten collection.

The other four colleges of the...

The other four colleges of the Claremont Consortium are all within walking distance and drastically expand the social horizons of what would otherwise be an exceptionally small social group. The town of Claremont that immediately surrounds the colleges does not have much to offer students other than a few good places to eat. Fortunately, the college is near the mountains and a network of hiking/mountain-biking trails that provide plenty of opportunities for recreation if you like those types of activities. Also, the colleges are close enough to LA if that is more your style, as long as you don’t mind fighting the infamous Inland Empire traffic.

People should visit LA. (Like...

People should visit LA. (Like anyone’s going to go to Pomona and not go to LA.) They should go to the La Brea tar pits. They should go to the Norton Simon in Pasadena which is more interesting and ‘do-able’ than LACMA. They should go to the Getty when, and only when, the garden is in bloom. They should see Venice Beach. They should just drive around through LA and ponder its weirdness. They should also go to Joshua Tree and hike, rock climb, get dehydrated, and call it a spiritual experience or whatever.

Everything is very nice. The...

Everything is very nice. The school renovates all the time. Smith Campus Center is only a few years old and has lots of good facilities and resources for students, like the Career Development Office, Student Government Office, study lounges, two restaurants, a store, an ATM, the mail room, and even a small movie theater in the basement.

All facilities are...

All facilities are state-of-the-art and well maintained.

There are a lot of places in town....

There are a lot of places in town. There are traditional restaurants, like for Italian and American food, but there are also a couple of Greek places, some Mexican places, a Chinese take-out, and pizza joints. I don’t go into town to eat much, but when I do, I often get a boba drink from the Chinese place and a sandwich from Full of Life bakery next door.

Be sure to visit your prospective...

Be sure to visit your prospective room before you draw for it. Avoid Harwood 189, as its only window opens onto a concrete stairwell. You should also try to avoid the room next to the dormitory door. When people are too drunk to operate the card scanners, they will often pound on the nearest window until somebody comes out.

The campus is diverse for a very...

The campus is diverse for a very selective liberal arts college. However, many social and racial groups are still underrepresented.

People’s ethnic backgrounds are...

People’s ethnic backgrounds are somewhat diverse for a college in Pomona’s category, but there is little diversity in people’s values, socioeconomic status, or political stances.

The campus is considerably less...

The campus is considerably less diverse than the surrounding community and the nation at large. There are different kinds of diversity—racial, sexual, biological, ecological, geographical—and Pomona can boast only approximately equal numbers of men and women.

Everyone here is pretty...

Everyone here is pretty attractive. I don’t know why it’s like a black hole of hotness. Of course, I’m attractive, so I may be biased.

There are plenty of beautiful...

There are plenty of beautiful people, but in general, students dress very casually and don’t wear a lot of makeup.

People are pretty laid-back, and...

People are pretty laid-back, and generally attractive, but with few students, the ‘menu’ can seem pretty barren, sometimes.

Lots of hot girls, lack of hot...

Lots of hot girls, lack of hot guys. Most of the hot guys are gay!

Sports are not that important...

Sports are not that important here. We are Division III. Most of the teams have good years and bad years. People go to games not so much because we’re good, but because they know everyone on the team. IM sports are popular. Some of the IM options include ultimate Frisbee, flag football, and inner tube water polo.

Parties on campus are good, with...

Parties on campus are good, with free alcohol. Off campus, well, LA is not too far away and has lots of opportunities for nighttime fun as long as you have access to a car.

Varsity sports don’t receive a lot...

Varsity sports don’t receive a lot of emphasis at Pomona. If you have a friend, you generally go see him or her play, but huge crowds are not the norm unless teams are playing CMC (the across campus rival). IM sports on the other hand are very popular and a lot of fun.

Parties are fun for the first...

Parties are fun for the first couple of years, but by the end, they begin to feel like freshman meat-markets. Alcohol is always available.