<p>In the supplement it says:</p>
<p>“Although it may appear to the contrary, we do know that people have a life beyond what they do to get into college. Tell us about an experience you’ve had outside of your formal classroom and extracurricular activities that was just plain fun and why.”</p>
<p>I think my writing about my girlfriend is quite revealing towards how I value emotion and being true to people, but is this the “experience” that fits in the category?</p>
<p>What’s your opening sentence?</p>
<p>you’re not writing about your girlfriend, you’re writing about a fun experience that you had. if your girlfriend happens to be in the story, i wouldn’t imagine it’s a deal breaker. But the topic is ‘just plain fun’, not deep feelings and emotions, so it sounds like you might be going off-topic. make sure you stay on topic. my D wrote an essay about jumping off a bridge into a river with some friends on a hot summer day-- that was just plain fun, nothing heavy–and she got in. And of course be mindful of privacy and confidence that others place in you-- maybe use a pseudonym.</p>
<p>well…it is a letter-like essay. I don’t think you can know any better if I show you the opening sentence, but if you have some “trick” I may show you. It’s ok.</p>
<p>I’m not sure if that “fun” means hilarious that makes you laugh or just " I am happy when doing it"(I’m not guessing what AO wants…but as an international student I’m not sure what exactly does “fun” mean here)</p>
<p>It says “people have a life beyond what they do to get into college”
I think I should write about something that can show my life beyond the application process but not a funny moment or testing my skill to be humorous.</p>
<p>Fun doesn’t mean funny. It means an experience, an activity you enjoy doing and I vote not to write about your girlfriend.</p>
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<p>I don’t think what your proposed essay is really a match for their prompt.</p>
<p>dyh-
no, it’s not a comedy column you’re writing, it’s about fun. the albeit small consensus here is that the girlfriend is not all that promising a response for this subject. You say it’s a ‘letter like essay’. For God’s sake, don’t write a love letter. Get a grip. Think about skateboarding, softball, skiing, amusement parks, whatever it is you found fun at one time and start with that. Finally, you say as an international student you’re not sure what ‘fun’ means? that’s a little perplexing-- I never thought the USA was the only place where people know what fun is. But if you’re really unsure what ‘fun’ is, or knowing a ‘fun’ time when you’ve had it, reconsider applying to Pomona and think about applying to a large world class university in a large midwestern city known for its biting winters and meat packing industry. They say it’s the school where ‘fun goes to die’.</p>
<p>Ayz, he is referring to the word fun, not the concept. He implied English isn’t his first language.</p>
<p>yea…I yearn for fun & that’s why I choose Pomona though she doesn’t has any special program in social science,anyway…</p>
<p>I know what you guys mean now.
I should write on what I do for fun(plain fun, love letter is not plain enough…) in my life. I broaden the meaning of fun inappropriately! thx for you guys’ help</p>
<p>dyh-
if you live for fun and are interested in social sciences, consider Pitzer. my daughter hasn’t been at Pomo all that long-- only about 6 weeks-- and she likes it-- but she said there seems to be more fun at the other Claremont Colleges, esp. McKenna and Pitzer, and if you’re interested in social sciences, esp. behavioural sciences, you might want to think about Pitzer. On the other hand, she says that generally the social events are open to anyone at the any of the claremont colleges, so you can attend pomona and still try to work the social scenes at the other colleges. it’s just a matter of how much you want to be in the center of activity and if you want to be within a certain social scene from the get-go or come in from the social periphery. Just a thought.</p>
<p>McKenna is known for social sciences and its academics is strong, but I feel it is too practical and career-oriented.</p>
<p>I’m not quite familiar with Pitzer before(but I just read through its website^^) it is strong in social sciences within the collge but I don’t know if its academics is good since its ranking is not superb. 46 this year, 74 last year</p>
<p>Doyouhow- McKenna is a drunken frat party. If you or anyone reading this would dispute this, go walk around the campus any weekday night. Pitzer is not strong academically.</p>
<p>If you like this story about your girlfriend than go for it. This is your application. Own it. Especially until it’s written, don’t let others who don’t even know what you’re going to write tell you not to write it. Feedback from others is good but you know your life best and you know what topics will help you best express who you are to the admissions committee.</p>
<p>between this post and another, it sounds like you really, really, really despise CMC-- sounds like you once got punched out by a ‘drunken frat boy’, or something like that. i don’t have a dog in that fight, so i don’t care. But as far as ‘not letting others tell you not to write it’-- I mean, it’s not a matter of not letting us tell him not to write it. No one rang his doorbell out of the blue, stuck their nose in his business and made it their own —he asked for the opinions of others. We’re offering the opinions which he has solicited, not pushing him around. Smart and reasonable people can differ on what the right answer may be, and maybe your advice is the best, but, isn’t the purpose of this website to get the input of others when you ask for it?</p>
<p>I gave my input as you did. I’ve never been in a fight with anyone from the 5C’s. Also, FYI one of my best friends is a CMC alum who graduated with me.</p>
<p>My input, and I stand by it, is that if he thinks it would be a good essay and show who he is than he should ignore your advice not to. Although I do think my advice is probably more useful than yours as I worked in Pomona’s admissions office and wrote my own essays to get in, you are entitled to your opinion and as such I in no way attacked you as you saw fit to attack me.</p>
<p>Additionally, I was simply responding to your (in my opinion as a very recent graduate) incorrect assertions re: what schools are better in what disciplines. I was presenting my opinions and while I’m sorry that you are offended by my very well informed perceptions, before telling me I am wrong I would challenge you to go spend time there other than parents weekend and the one-off visits where your daughter keeps you away from what is really going on.</p>
<p>Anyway, if you would like to debate the merits of the schools I simply won’t do it. Instead I’ll refer you to the schools’ common data sets which provide an objective basis for comparison. In terms of the schools relative advantages I do agree that CMC is stronger in econ/government than it is in other disciplines and that its government program is stronger than Pomona’s, I would vigorously dispute that any class at Pitzer is notable in any way other than its ease. I say that with three classes at Pitzer behind me (Calc II, and two politics classes) which I took at Pitzer because they were my sixth classes in each of those semesters and I wanted to take the classes where they would be easy A’s. They were.</p>
<p>Great exchanges. The essay prompt means, describe something you enjoy doing just for the sake of doing it, something that made you happy, though it had nothing to do with getting smarter or getting into college- or something you did once or twice, that you enjoy the memories of. If you write it as though you understand the prompt, you can probably succeed with any focal point. “Pure fun” is different for each of us. My D1 would have written how, one summer, she watched every single Bollywood movie she could get her hands on. D2 thinks it’s fun to hang out with friends at a very old local tree, where they can climb the lowest branches, sit and talk for hours. Another kid thinks it’s fun to stay late at dance class and watch the little kids. Maybe you had fun when you entered a contest. Whatever you pick will round out their picture of you. Good luck.</p>
<p>Sorry I haven’t been here for a week because I am with my little laptop and essay quesionts = =</p>
<p>ayzdad is a helpful body 'cause I remember his/her name and kio worked in the Admission office which makes me feel awed… anyway, I have asked my friend who is now studying in Pomona and I have read an essay of Pomona’s president from WSJ so I think I am clear now what should I write for “plain fun”. Actually I have done it(thanks all of you^^)</p>
<p>I do not write about my girlfriend because it is off the topic(sorry for your expectation kio but you are right: no bad topic) I don’t want to be involved in the arguments but as a humble Chinese student I am not used to “attacks” esp. they seem to result from me.</p>
<p>Again, you CC really helps and I will come back next year to help others.</p>
<p>Doyouhow-- good luck and don’t feel bad about causing any ‘fighting’. we’re all here exchanging views because that’s what we want to do; no one is forcing us to participate. It’s an outgrowth of the democratic form of government. Democracy involves heated discussion and arguements–we don’t value social harmony over free expression as it seems they might do in China. Opinion and arguementation and debate spills out from political forums into college forum websites and runneth over everything else. Good luck with your Pomona essay and the admissions process.</p>
<p>Kio-- Lighten up brother-- you’re too touchy! Geez, I wasn’t offended at anything you said, I wasn’t asking you to take back your opinion or endlessly debate the merits of each of the 5 Cs-- Pitzer was just something I thought he should consider, that’s all, based on the fun aspect and what I got from my D in her albeit short time there. He can apply to both, and he may not get into Pomona (you worked in the admissions office-- wouldn’t you say that most of the students Pomona rejects are qualified to go there?). Pitzer may melt in the shining beacon of Pomona, but there’s over 3000 colleges out there, and compared to most of them Pitzer stands out. What’s more I accept your expertise-- I have a son who’s 23 and he’s an expert on everything-- and it speaks well of your open-mindedness and tolerance that you’ve made a friend from CMC. And you should stick with your opinion. It shows you have backbone and confidence and you’ll need that to be a success in life.</p>
<p>However, my main question, you sort of ignored. I mean, your point about telling him not to let others tell him not to write about the girlfriend-- what are we who are of this opinion supposed to do when he asks the question? Should we respond 'well, I have an opinion on this, but I don’t want to tell you what to do.“? I don’t think that would be very nice nor would it make a good impression of Americans. To turn it around, suppose you replied first, and said ‘Go for it Dude! A love letter sounds perfect!’ And then I said 'hey, doyouhow, don’t let others tell you to write something that you obviously think is shaky, otherwise why would you be asking everyone if it’s a good topic. You know it’s a diseased dog-- shoot it and put it out of its misery, and don’t let people tell you what to do who don’t know a diseased dog when they see one!” You’d say 'Ayzdad you dumbass, this is an advice website, he’s asking for guidance. I didn’t jump him in the school yard, punch him in the stomach and say ‘write about your girlfriend or you’re dead!’ He’s asking for advice-- and since I’m an expert I ought to give it to him!" And you’d be 110% correct.</p>
<p>Peace.</p>
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<p>Is it just me or is this prompt mildly insulting?
As if I participate in all my extracurriculars <em>just</em> to get into college? And not because they’re fun? Maybe sometimes my extracurrics ARE fun. MAYBE that’s why I f***ing spend so much time on them.
Jeez.</p>
<p>If my understanding of grammar and Pomona’s admissions philosophy isn’t mistaken, the “although it may appear to the contrary” part modifies “we know that” rather than “people have a life.” I think it’s a wry attempt to inject some humor into the application process and make people feel slightly more at ease. And they want you to know that they care about who you are as a whole rather than just a bunch of bullet points on a resume. :)</p>