@ECCA2026 , I agree with you that Pomona is not out of reach for @MamaLilKat. Reach? Yes. Out of reach? No.
Are her numbers low? Well, her 4.0 gpa is not low. It’s her academic rigor that is low, but her “lived life” rigor is high as you point out. Is her 1390 SAT low? Only if it is compared to those who submitted scores. But only a third of the freshman class submitted SAT scores and half the class didn’t submit any standardized test scores at all. And Pomona says that standardized test scores are not an important factor in admission. Pomona is test optional, so there’s no need to even submit test scores. However, 1390 is a really high SAT, top 3%. It fits well with the narrative of her 4.0 gpa in the context of single parent, first gen, and working 20 hours per week. It says that this is a very bright kid. And it validates the 4.0 gpa as legit.