Thinking about how to build a college list? Thinking about how to pick colleges to apply to? Thinking about how to pick the right college? In this series, Life of a Matriculate Student In College, you will get a first-hand perspective of our Matriculate students at their different campuses. Get a glimpse into Pomona College campus life!
THE WHY: Why did you decide to commit to Pomona College?
As part of the QuestBridge scholarship program, I ranked Pomona as one of my top three choices, largely because my sister Julia had spoken so highly of it. Although I didn’t win the scholarship, I forwarded my completed applications through QuestBridge’s Regular Decision process. When deciding between college offers, I reflected on Julia’s transition from our rural school system to Stanford’s challenging environment. I realized that Pomona’s close-knit academic community would provide both the intellectual rigor I sought and the support I needed—especially during the pandemic.
POMONA COLLEGE ACADEMIC LIFE: Can you share more about your experiences with classes, class size, lectures, and professors?
When it came time to decide what college to attend, I was scared. I felt scared because of how big of a step leaving my community and my familiar support system was. I knew I needed to make the jump, and Pomona’s structure made the jump feel manageable. The past year, I had seen how my older sister Julia had been stressed at Stanford. She hadn’t felt prepared to make the transition from our rural education system to a cut-throat school. I didn’t want to have to face this–I wanted to grow at my own pace. Indeed, Pomona’s small campus within a well-resourced consortium did allow for this. Pomona has small class sizes of 20-30 students, that don’t feel overwhelming in size. I will say, I was shocked by the discussion basis of classes, but that’s not likely to be the case for most students. I was simply accustomed to learning through passive listening.
One of the best aspects of Pomona’s courses is that professors always say they want to teach here because they can connect with students. The effort they make is apparent. There’s no waiting endlessly to speak to the TA of one section of a lab course–you can simply go to office hours or voice your concerns in class. Of course, for a lot of its courses, Pomona has older students who mentor courses. And although Pomona is a ridiculously small campus–I had the unfortunate instance of living across from my ex my senior year–it’s a beautiful one that you won’t get sick of. And if you do, you can always head to the other colleges in the consortium for a different feel.
Indeed, Pomona’s small class sizes, combined with the resources of the Claremont Consortium, were key to my academic and personal growth. Initially, my social anxiety made it hard to adjust to Pomona’s discussion-based courses, a shift from the passive learning I was used to. It took time to find my voice in class, but the welcoming nature of my professors soon made me feel comfortable enough to engage. They prioritize connection, and I found it easy to seek help through office hours and in-class discussions. Many courses also have upperclassmen mentors who provide additional guidance. When I wanted to join a psychology lab, I reached out to a professor in the Psychology department. Although his lab was full, he recommended me to another professor, reinforcing the idea that at Pomona, there’s always a way to connect if you’re proactive.
POMONA COLLEGE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: What about clubs and extracurriculars - what has your experience been in finding meaningful organizations and clubs and contributing to them?
In regards to clubs, I didn’t participate in many. That’s not Pomona’s fault though. There are plenty of opportunities to take part in, I just had a lot of personal growth ahead of me when I entered Pomona. Throughout my time at Pomona, I was briefly a CLSA mentor and part of the Mechanisms of Interpersonal Communication Psychology lab, as well as the Social Perception lab at Pitzer. Once I got more comfortable at Pomona, I realized how easy it was to make connections. Once I decided I wanted to be in a psychology laboratory I reached out to a professor, who though he didn’t have space in his lab, recommended me to another professor’s lab.
Having faced struggles in my academic journey, I sought ways to give back to others navigating similar challenges. As part of Matriculate’s virtual cohort, I was loosely connected with fellows across the country. My involvement within Matriculate deepened when I joined the leadership team, working closely with a Pomona sophomore, our Head Advising Fellow (HSF), to plan recruitment events and expand Matriculate’s presence at Pomona and the broader consortium. This experience helped me bridge the gap between my experience in Matriculate and my growing ties to the Pomona community.
POMONA CAMPUS LIFE: Tell us more about the dining hall and dorm situation! How is the food - are there enough options for those with dietary restrictions? What is the dorm and housing situation like?
Another key part of the Pomona experience is day-to-day life, starting with dining and housing. There are two dining halls on Pomona’s campus: Frank and Frary. Frank is on the south end of campus, where the underclassmen live. The best way to describe it is homey. The staff plays a big part in creating this space–look out for Teo at the omelet line! Frank is not only known for its outdoor omelet line but also its Sunday brunches; people from Harvey Mudd make the trek! I spent so many long dinners at Frank that by the time I was an upperclassman I genuinely missed Frank. But alas, I traded Frank for Frary–which is much closer to the other campuses, and as such a lot busier. Both dining halls offer a dietary restricted line. Of course, you also have the option of eating at the other dining halls in the consortium. Harvey Mudd is a bit of a walk, but may be worth it on Mondays for steak night or if you must have a large assortment of spices to pick from! Malot, Scripps dining hall, is benefitted by early morning smoothies and Acai on the weekends. Collins, Claremont McKenna’s dining hall, is by far the dining hall that most reminds me of a state school. It’s a reliable option that has a reliable grill line, a good selection of fresh fruit and cereal, and a nice dole whip machine. Look out for sushi night and wing night! Pitzer’s dining hall has great desserts but otherwise doesn’t stick out on my list. If none of these options work for you, you can always use your flex cash at the co-op store, the co-op cafe, or the co-op. The co-op also offers a free late-night snack and an awkward but occasionally convenient meal swipe meal from 3-5 pm. Just be sure to save some flex cash for when you need it—finals season.
Housing my freshman year meant my childhood bedroom. Fortunately, that was only the case for those of us entering college during the pandemic. Most freshmen will be on the south campus, in either Mudd-Blasedell (occasionally referred to as Blazedell), Wig, Harwood, or Gibson Hall. The biggest drawback of freshman-year housing is that, except for Wig Hall, none of these halls have AC. When packing for college consider a large fan. Sophomore year, you’ll likely end up in one of the same halls of Smiley. If you’re lucky enough to speak another language, you could apply for Oldenburg which is “a year’s study of a foreign language on the college level (or the equivalent) and a willingness to join in the Center’s extracurricular activities.” Fun fact–Oldenburg was designed by an architect who designed prison, and it shows. Prepared to get lost the first few times around the building. Other than this quirk, I’d argue Oldenburg is the best dorm option for sophomores, as it offers AC and a ready-built community. Moving into your upperclassmen years, you’ll start to move into the north campus. Your options will expand to the Clark Towers and Lawry Court, which are much closer to Frary and the other campuses. You’ll be able to enter into friendship suits–if one of your friends has a good drawing time, that is. Finally, by senior year you have a decent shot at the holy grails of housing at Pomona: Sontag and Dialysis. These are the newest dorm buildings and as such the nicest. You’ll need to amass a group of 4-6 friends to spend your last year with. Make sure to have a backup plan in case things don’t go as expected–it happens!
Dorms are where much of the social magic happens at Pomona. With no Greek life, Pomona and the Claremont Colleges focus on organic social gatherings. The closest we have to Greek life is Claremont McKenna’s Thursday night parties. Student groups will host parties as well. Among the club-hosted events, the Latinx club parties are a highlight for many students—though I may be a little biased!
POMONA SOCIAL LIFE: Share more about the social scene - how did you make friends? Do most people join Greek life or are there ways to make friends outside of Greek life? What is there to do for fun both inside and outside of the college? What do you and your friends do outside of your academic life? Does the college host any free events that you look forward to every year?
Dorms are where much of the social magic happens at Pomona. With no Greek life, Pomona and the Claremont Colleges focus on organic social gatherings. The closest we have to Greek life is Claremont McKenna’s Thursday night parties. Student groups will host parties as well. Among the club-hosted events, the Latinx club parties are a highlight for many students—though I may be a little biased! Of course, there are Pomona-sanctioned dances and parties, but as you get more comfortable, you’ll naturally find that dorm parties that naturally occur are the most memorable. Just outside of Pomona is the Village. There are some cutesy but not college budget-friendly stores as well as a Saturday Farmers market. Regrettably, the Village closes very early–by 9 pm so most people tend to go outside of Pomona. Outside of Pomona, one of the most fun things to do is go to LA. Ideally, though, you or a friend have a car, as the last train to pass is at 6 pm. You can certainly still go by Metro, but you’ll have to plan and leave early.
MATRICULATE: How did Matriculate help you get to Pomona?
As an Advising Fellow with Matriculate, I was a part of the virtual cohort. I was on the advising side of things: I was trained rigorously to work with 3-4 high school students across the country! I worked 1:1 with them through all of the college application steps, from building a college list, to college essays, to the applications, to financial aid and scholarships, and more. While I did not have a Matriculate advisor as a high school student, it’s been cool to see that those touched by Matriculate are everywhere! I hope there continues to be a more visible presence so that Matriculate advisors and High School Fellows at Pomona and the broader consortium can connect. You can be the one to start these connections…
NEED FREE COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT?
Matriculate is a national nonprofit that offers 1:1 support throughout the entire college application process! If you’re a high school student, check out our application and resources HERE.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Emily Briones
Emily Briones is a proud first-generation graduate of Pomona College, class of 2024, originally from a rural immigrant community in Nebraska. She holds a BA in Psychological Science and a minor in Chicana(o)/Latina(o) Studies. Passionate about empowering underrepresented students—especially those who are rural, first-generation, or low-income—Emily is dedicated to helping them navigate the college experience.
Since graduation, she has served as the Volunteer Recruitment Manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands, where she supports the agency’s goals related to volunteer recruitment, child enrollment, and outreach initiatives