<p>Personal thoughts regarding your original pro/con list:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Both schools excel at econ/poli sci, though the departments are more visible on CMC, and the interests are more common among the CMC study body as a whole. Overall, though, I agree with brassmonkey on this point.</p></li>
<li><p>The CMC/drinking stereotype exists for a good reason. If you don’t really drink much, but don’t mind being in an environment where it’s common, you’ll be fine…not pressured, not judged. If you don’t much want to be around it, though, you’ll may have problems. Drinking is fairly pervasive. Can’t say how that may or may not change next year.</p></li>
<li><p>If you decide to major in something other than poli sci/econ, you can cross-register or, if necessary, off-campus major (as a CMC student, anyway). If you don’t mind CMC’s econ/civ/etc. GE’s, I wouldn’t worry too much about the possibility of changing your mind. Neither school will limit your options, IMO.</p></li>
<li><p>When it comes to the random guy on the street, neither school is well known relative to larger universities. Among LAC’s, I’d assume they’re pretty equally well-recognized. When you’re choosing among LAC’s, though, I’d say that the only “name-value” that counts is that which exists among grad/professional schools and potential employers. Again, I assume pretty equal footing.</p></li>
<li><p>I wouldn’t say that Pomona students are more laid-back than CMC-ers. It’s SoCal…everyone’s relatively easy-going. If forced to choose, though, I’d actually say the opposite, at least as far as the day-to-day is concerned. Again, not a notable difference in my experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Pomona is not, in my own personal experience, academically more challenging than CMC. I found them pretty on par with one another, although the classroom environments were distinct. I have more experience with CMC courses than Pomona courses, but if workload worries you, avoid both. They’re fantastic, fantastic places to go to school, but you will work.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I think that brassmonkey said it right with his first response: this will come down to fit. You have two great choices…neither will limit your future options, and the schools even have a great deal in common. What feels better?</p>
<p>Good luck, and congrats on the acceptances.</p>
<p>ETA: There have been multiple “CMC v. Pomona” threads in the past. Try a search to see other thoughts.</p>