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The best thing about Pomona is the people...and the milkshakes. Claremont is not your typical college town. It doesn't have lots of bars, stores aren't open late, and things are pretty expensive (though there is plenty of cheap food/clothing to be found). Claremont has three really important things going for it, though: it's beautiful, convenient, and safe. There is no need for a really exciting college town near Pomona because a. The train station is two blocks away. With a few dollars you can be in Santa Monica or L.A. in no time. b. there is plenty going on right here on campus, or on the other campuses. Claremont and the rest of California are just added bonuses.
Pomona has been an excellent academic adventure for me where I have been intellectually challenged but still able to have fun and to learn outside of class. The atmosphere is more laid back then other places I had visited and a healthy balance between work and play is easily maintained at this school. The size of Pomona is perfect for me because the class sizes are very small so you can get plenty of attention from professors and the chance to really get to know your classmates. The four other schools in the Claremont consortium provide additional people to meet which is great for people who might like bigger schools (total number of students at the 5 C's is about 5000). One great thing about Pomona is that the town is very student friendly. While there aren't too many things to do in this small town (although downtown Los Angeles is only about 45 min. away) if you need supplies, clothing, or just to get off campus it is only a 8-10 min. walk. I have had such a wonderful time at Pomona that I really look forward to the next three years I have here.
Gab Freshman
Pomona is a fantastic fit for me. As shallow as it may be, weather helps a lot. 90% bright sunny days out of the entire year makes for great relaxing weather, and at least personally I find it hard to be motivated to do just about anything when it is dreary and cloudy out. Especially coming from cold and snowy Minnesota, spending 8 months of the year in the beautiful SoCal climate is a wonderful change. It also makes outdoor sports an option for recreation year round, which is a boon to players of frisbee, basketball, soccer, beach volleyball, etc. Pomona also maintains a good balance between being a small liberal arts school of 1500ish students while being a member of the 5 Claremont Colleges for a total students body of 4-5 thousand students. The consortium offers the resources of a bigger school (larger student body to interact with, huge library access, cross registration at all the schools) while the smaller college allows for personal contact with the admin and small class sizes. The college's location in relatively close proximity to LA (and the beaches!) while reisiding in a small town lends offers the opportunities of a major city and the safety and community of a smaller suburb with its own flavor. Except for a slight tendency to be a little too activist-oriented on what to me are trivial political correctness issues, Pomona has no major faults.
Danno Junior
Pomona is an incredible school that offers an experience that only a handful of other schools do. It a has a beautiful campus, great faculty, incredibly friendly and talented students, and fabulous weather. Though being part of the 5Cs consortium definitely makes more activities (rugby, ultimate frisbee, a cappella groups, dance, queer resource center etc.) and courses available, the consortium as a whole lacks some departments you might find at schools with hefty graduate programs such as Stanford and Yale (i.e. architecture, diverse types of engineering, languages such as Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, or Swahili). It also means that most non-intro courses are offered once a year, or once every two years. However, the Trustees are considering expanding the student body by 100 to 200 students which hopefully they well. There is definitely a lot of school pride. Most students love the place to death. Pomona's administration is GREAT at running the school. However, they also aren't super open to experimentation, and will rarely push the envelope and try out new things or change their ways...
ChelseaH Senior
The best thing about Pomona is that the college wants you to do whatever you want to do. You can get funding for practically anything and because people here are passionate, chances are you'll be able to easily generate interest in the activity. Campus Security is here to make sure you're safe but not to get you in any serious trouble. The size is just right because of the consortium. The small college gives a great homey atmosphere and if you want to meet more people there are plenty of opportunities. There's a quaint college town that's great for a meal out but not much else. Campus is great for everything else and it's really easy to take trips off campus to mountains, beaches and deserts within hour drives. My favorite place on campus is Marston Quad - a wide open field in the center of campus where you can always find a sunny spot to work, play frisbee, slackline, or meet friends. It's Great.
dej Sophomore
The best things about Pomona are the small class sizes that center around discussion - and the weather, which hovers around sixty to seventy even in December. If I were to change anything, I would first increase the number of students of color and first-generation college students on campus, then move campus closer to Los Angeles or at least out of the rich, white retirement community of Claremont. When I tell people I go to Pomona, they generally don't recognize my small liberal arts college and ask me instead why I chose to attend the local community college. On campus I usually spend most of my time in the computer lab; as a senior with a thesis, most of my socializing is done in study parties. The administration here runs wonderfully smoothly; I've only once in my four years had a problem, but it was quickly resolved. There haven't been any very large controversies on campus, but there have been a string of incidents with racial or homophobic epithets or swastikas being drawn on doors around the college throughout the semester.
Francesca Senior
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