Pomona vs. Ivy/Stanford

moonchild
Sat, 03 Apr 2010 11:56:33 +0000

^^^funny, except I think Pomona has more in common with Yale than Harvard.

In any case, congratulations drying. I’m a parent with 2 kids-- one who went to an HYP and one who went to Pomona. The Pomona kid is the more confident, more resourceful, more inner-directed, and the happiest. But he was that way before he went to Pomona. I think the place attracts that kind of person. He’s comfortable with himself, wanted the kind of personal education that Pomona provides, and didn’t feel the need for or want the hype surrounding a Stanford or Harvard.

You will find the most driven and competitive students at the big name schools, like HYPS. Some people thrive in that environment- others find it tedious, annoying and not conducive to learning. Pomona won’t get you the "oooh’s and ahh’s from the average person on the street that Harvard or Stanford might, but you’ll get plenty of respect from grad schools, employers and those who know education. You also won’t have to deal with the people who automatically think you must be a know-it-all or an elitist and have to try to prove you can relate to “normal” people; there is a downside to the fame of the big name.

Just looking at educational opportunities, all three of these schools are great. You can’t go wrong. Pick the one that feels like you.