momof2eagles I'm a Pomona grad with a student at Bowdoin; two of my child's friends went to Middlebury and Wash U. Congratulations to your son! Where does his heart pull him? As a Pomona student years ago I never once knew my friends' grades or remember people comparing grades, and when we toured with my daughter, our tour guide commented on this very thing still being true. The teaching is stellar, the students are interesting, and you can't beat the weather. It makes people happier and more carefree, it just does. Also, Claremont is adorable, and when you get tired of its crunchy cuteness, the city of Pomona offers internship opportunities and the best Mexican food north of the border. On the other hand, my daughter is very happy at Bowdoin and loves the chillier weather. She has made time to see and touch the ocean. The teaching is phenomenal. She chose Bowdoin because she clicked with her tour guide who stressed how academically challenging Bowdoin is without the comparing and competition. Like Pomona is with Californians, the only the best Maine high schoolers get into Bowdoin. So everybody's smart as heck. And very outdoorsy. Her best friend is at Wash U and loves it but it is very different - big, friendly, academic and diverse in every way. He is utterly excited by his classes, which include math and science. He has felt no pressure to join a frat. He says St. Louis is fantastic -- so different from the northeast. Daughter's friend at Midd is very happy there, too: focus there is on nature's beauty and the humanities. Good luck to your son. He's in a win-win.