My child has been admitted to both these schools, thanks to the miracle of the waitlist. He’s majoring in Politics / Political Science / Government. He’s visited Bates but not Pomona, and he loved it there. He hasn’t visited Pomona. What’s the general feeling when comparing these schools. Let’s assume similar financial aid offers for both.
Obviously, both are great schools, but I’m just hoping there’s a bit of insight to be gained here.
What are your son/daughter’s career goals ?
He’d like to be involved in political campaigns, or in government. He’s very interested in elections. Perhaps law. The horizon is broad at this point.
At equal cost, Pomona College is a better bargain, but it is liberal.
Pomona College has a more attractive location and is in a 5 college consortium which makes it more like a university with all the advantages of being in a small LAC.
The consortium allows for greater academic and social opportunities as well as a variety of dining halls open to all.
Better weather should lead to better health due to year-round outdoor exercise and recreation.
In my circles I think Pomona would usually be considered a bit more academicky (not that Bates is far behind) and of course it has the appeal of being in the Claremont Colleges consortium, and in Southern California if that is your sort of location.
Bates of course is in Maine, which is appealing to other people. In my circles it has a reputation for being outdoorsy, athletic in the sense all the NESCACs are athletic but not particularly more so, and for being nice and welcoming.
If LACs are your thing then I don’t know of a lot of cons to either of these choices. It is more just a matter of which of the pros resonate most with you.
Is it possible for you guys to visit Pomona before a decision is needed?
I like Pomona for the consortium, location in a larger metro area (more elections to be a part of) and its quirky academic rep. The weather and So Cal is an asset in my book but if he likes seasons, then he will only get 2: warm and sunny or cloudy and rainy.
FWIW, most colleges are decidedly “liberal” but with the finance bros hanging at CMC, there will be some fiscal conservatives. 
Or you could buy a coat, hat, and gloves.
I note while according to the 2022 National Vital Statistics Reports, California has a very high life expectancy at birth–#4 overall (#2 for women, #8 for men), it was just behind Minnesota at #3 (#7 for men, #3 for men). The top 10 was actually Hawaii, Washington, Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Oregon, Utah, and Connecticut, so lots of northerly representation.
Which, among other reasons, is because it is in fact possible to stay active–including outdoors–year round in northerly states.
And for that matter, Canada has a higher life expectancy than the US.
Bates College’s location is a huge negative as is the weather. For cold weather outdoor recreation, look to Colorado or Vermont.
With respect to the study of political science, this site may be of interest:
As an opinion, although Bates doesn’t appear in the site, I regard its Politics major highly.
My D is a rising sophomore at Bates and loves it. She loves the location, loves Maine, loves the ample opportunities to get outside (there’s a very active outdoor club and you can sign up for a range of excursions: hiking, exploring the coast, river rafting, camping, skiing, etc.). I know it’s not everyone’s favorite place, but she really likes Lewiston – she especially appreciates the sense of community, the diverse immigrant populations, and its proximity to natural areas. For a poli sci student (or anyone) Bates offers lots of opportunities for civic engagement through the Harward Center. Public service is deeply rooted in the college’s mission, and a lot of classes include some kind of civic or community-oriented component. And it’s close to Augusta, so there are opportunities for internships in the state capitol. Bates has a friendly, collaborative, and inclusive vibe – probably not as overtly political as some colleges, but it’s there if you want it.
Pomona is also fantastic. My D didn’t apply, but she did apply to (and was admitted to) Pitzer and Scripps and chose Bates instead. She liked the Claremont colleges very much though, and having the small-college experience with the resources of the consortium is a plus. She didn’t like the location as much as she liked Maine – it’s not really in the most interesting part of the LA metro area (I grew up in SoCal so I’m familiar with it). She actually thought the SoCal weather was a downside compared to Maine. I suppose most people would disagree! But I agree with her – having grown up in LA, I really prefer a place with real seasons. In the end, she preferred the Maine.
Ultimately, you can’t go wrong – both colleges will offer outstanding academics and resources to support internships study abroad, and other opportunities. I think it really just depends on where your kid wants to be.
Very subjective. My D (who grew up in Colorado) absolutely loves Lewiston and Maine. The weather is no big deal, certainly not a downside. Tons of outdoor recreation opportunities there in every season. Having grown up in LA, I would never want to live there again, partly because of the weather, partly because of the overcrowding and sprawl, partly because everything (natural and built environment) is just … beige. But I would never presume that my preferences are objective fact.
Very subjective?? I say COMPLETELY subjective!
I’m also a four seasons person, but of course that is completely subjective.
I think the good news for the OP is this is a pretty distinct factor (the location and all that implies). And so if the kid wanted to make his choice on this basis that would be fine, whichever way he made it.
The fact he likes elections would tilt the choice in Maine’s favor: it’s a purple state with proportional delegate allocation at the presidential level so there’ll be lots of “animation” in 2024 for him as a freshman to observe and for a senior to get involved in.
But most importantly, all the typical local and state races will be there but there are not as many young people (huge understatement) as in SoCal so he’s sure to get volunteering experience and probably not just coffee runs for copywriters.
Yes there are fewer of these races but whether a county has 5,000 or 50,000 people it still needs elected officials to run, a comptroller, a school board, etc… so his odds of impactful involvement are greater. Lewiston has many opportunities and Bates supports all these endeavors. You just walk 5-10mn and there you are.
When I visited LACs with my D we felt that they each had a certain “vibe” – some colleges my D immediately gravitated towards and others she quickly dismissed from consideration.
Pomona is a great LAC in a nice location that is part of a wonderful consortium…but I would have some concerns about committing to a LAC that I haven’t visited. Any chance you can get out there to see it?
Two great options. Congrats.
If your student loved Bates upon visiting, then it’s the risk free option - they don’t know about Pomona.
Claremont will have smog, etc. up against the mountains - but it will have bigger mountains than Maine - and it does have access to snow - albeit not in the immediate but Mt. Baldy (for skiing) is almost right there (30 minutes). It will be surrounded by suburbs and traffic - although not leaving campus sort of mutes that.
Another differentiation - Pomona is very diverse - 30% caucasian. One study names it the most diverse school in the country. Bates is 61% caucasian - so I’d argue still diverse but not to the same level. Is that a criteria point for your student?
Perhaps your student is thrown off by the #4 vs. #24 ranking? In past years, Pomona has been #1 I believe.
But given their interests - law, election, etc. the where likely matters less.
It’s always a bit dicey going somewhere you haven’t seen - especially if you love a place you have.
Is your student risk averse? For some, it’s best to take the safe route (what you’ve seen and loved) whereas for others, it’s ok to take that unknown adventure.
Best of luck whatever they decide?
Congratulations on another of many deferred acceptances off the WL!
Never been on Pomona’s campus so I wont comment but we found Bates to be the perfect archetype NE LAC (yes it is cold). If your student is seeking that experience I can’t imagine they would be disappointed with the decision.
Enjoy the luxury of two great admits.
First of all, as others have said, congratulations are in order for getting into two very cool colleges! Also, some very good advice and accurate observations here about the two, but figure that he probably has an impending deadline to decide. I’ve spent some time around both (was actually in Claremont this past week), but will reserve comment until I hear a little more about what he liked about Bates, what kind of weather he’s used to and whether he’s up for a change, comfort level with diversity and the resulting opportunities and challenges, etc.
He liked the friendly atmosphere of the campus at Bates, both the students and the people in the community. Weather-wise, he comes from the Pacific Northwest, so he has been exposed to seasonal weather, but not the extreme cold. He seems up for change, though. He’s up for working hard, but he isn’t primarily competitive by nature - he’s not cutthroat, and would probably benefit from a more collaborative environment.
This is only true if by “university”, you merely mean a place with a bigger student body. The 5Cs translate as 6000 students chasing a proportionate number of undergraduate courses with at least two different versions of Organic Chemistry (people wishing to protect their gpa are advised to avoid the one taught at Harvey Mudd). The truly spikey work is being done in the separate Claremont Graduate University with its own separate faculty (a “6th C”) and my understanding is that undergraduate access is deferred until senior year.