Visit Report by burntsnowman (Member since February 15 2006 with 81 posts) Visit Date - July 2006
Visit to Pomona College in July 2006 by burntsnowman (Student, HS Class of 2005)
Visit Activities:
Admissions Interview:
Yes - Son felt that it was a very positive interview. Interviewer (who was from South America) was very friendly, and the two of them had a lively and enjoyable discussion about son's language/cultural immersion experiences in Argentina and Brazil, as wel Information Session:
Yes - Information session could have been better. Evinced an elitist attitude out of character with the rest of the visit and son's subsequent experiences. Campus Tour:
Yes - Campus is just plain gorgeous, and definitely a selling point, together with the SoCal location. Campus seemed even prettier when son moved in this fall. Top notch dorms and facilities. Very good food. Friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
Pomona College Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 5 - Excellent -
Laid-back, unpretentious and very friendly.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
Interviewer was great, but info session person was uncharacteristically and misleadingly pretentious. Also, lower level admissions personnel was surprisingly unfriendly and unhelpful during the admission process. Staff was great during orientation.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
Lots of flowers, trees, shrubs, beautifully maintained. It reminded me of the nicest parts of Bermuda. Very affluent, no expense spared impression.
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 5 - Excellent -
Very clean and well maintained. Nice and varied architecture.
Dormitories: 5 - Excellent -
Very clean and well maintained. Nice and varied architecture.
Security/Safety: 5 - Excellent -
Campus and surrounding area seems to be very safe, and the college seems to be very aware of safety issues.
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
A big plus.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 5 - Excellent -
The town of Claremont is quite nice, and the Claremont Village adjoining campus is very charming. It has great restaurants, art galleries, and shops. LA is fabulous, and we did not find it difficult to drive back and forth, despite dire warnings to the c
City/Town/Community: 5 - Excellent -
Claremont Village SEEMED to have a symbiotic relationship with the campus: Village merchants offered discounts to parents and students and courted them on campus during orientation. Claremont Village residents and merchants were very welcoming during ori
Campus Visit Notes for Pomona College:
Visit Description:
Pomona gave the impression of being very nurturing to it's students, especially the new freshmen and transfers. This is an important point if you are concerned about sending your son or daughter far from home. It is also situated in a fun and beautiful part of the country, which adds to the college experience and high quality of life. Easy to make a vacation out of visiting your child, or bringing him/her back and forth to campus.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
Sheraton Fairplex, about 5-10 easy minutes away from campus, was excellent and good value. It provides free shuttles to campus, shopping centers, etc. (as, apprently, do many fof the local hotels.) Very attentive staff.
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
Sheraton restaurant was very good, especially hot and cold buffet breakfast. Harvard Square restaurant directly adjacent to campus was outstanding. Don Jose's near the MontClair Mall and Target was fun, good, and inexpensive. Fast service.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
We can't wait to explore the surrounding area during visits and family vacations. Have so far sampled LA, visited Yosemite and Sequoia National Forest, and skiid Heavenly.
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Laid-back, unpretentious and very friendly.
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Interviewer was great, but info session person was uncharacteristically and misleadingly pretentious. Also, lower level admissions personnel was surprisingly unfriendly and unhelpful during the admission process. Staff was great during orientation.