pomona college

Q&A With a Transfer Student

Posted on July 19, 2021 by Siena Swift

group of students sitting in chairs outside eating pizza

By Siena Swift ‘23 Transferring to a different college is a big decision. This week, I interviewed my friend and housemate, Lilly Haave, about her experience transferring from Barnard College to Pomona College. This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. Q: Could you please introduce yourself? A: My name is Lilly. I transferred from Barnard after my...

A Breadth of Fresh Air

Posted on July 9, 2021 by Leslie Paz

Leslie's small dog cuddling a copy of Hesiod

By Leslie Paz ’24 Enrolling at Pomona comes with a breath of fresh air. The lenient general education requirements and the vast array of courses mean that students are free to explore to their heart's content. As an undecided first year this past fall, I want to share how these two factors helped guide me to my current interests. It was 2:27 p.m. on August 12th, 2020, and...

Finding Home in Online Spaces

Posted on June 25, 2021July 15, 2021 by Lucy Pan

By Lucy Pan ‘24 When the COVID-19 pandemic first started back in March of 2020, I could’ve never imagined that it would completely change the course of my entire first year of college. The abrupt transition from everyday in-person classes to Zoom school was uncomfortable, but I accepted this changing reality as temporary— a short phase from which we would eventually return t...

Four Hurrahs for Finals

Posted on May 26, 2021June 11, 2021 by Oluyemisi Bolonduro

sunset with trees in foreground and crane in background

By Oluyemisi Bolonduro ’23 Salutations, I am finishing my sophomore year at Pomona! I still have four more semesters to go, but I’m marking this Spring 2021 semester as the best finals season so far (and maybe overall). My four core classes in photography, philosophy, French and research methods are the reason why. Without further ado, I shall describe each final… hurrah, hu...

The College Search: Sage(hen) Advice from Oluyemisi

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Oluyemisi Bolonduro

This is the fifth in a six-part series of advice for high-school-aged students about the college search process. Enjoy! By Oluyemisi Bolonduro '23 Salutations all, My name is Oluyemisi Bolonduro, and I’m a second year at Pomona majoring in Africana Studies. Some of you may have nooooo idea where you want to go to college and others of you have had an idea for years. Whet...

What Time Is It? DECISION TIME

Posted on April 15, 2021April 15, 2021 by Sonam Rikha

By Sonam Rikha ‘24 “AHHHHH I GOT IN!” We’ve all heard the screams, we’ve all watched the reaction videos, and some of us have even screamed those same words ourselves. The college application process is tough: which schools should I apply to? Who should I ask to write my letter of recommendation? Can I even afford to go to this school? Though for some, the decision proces...

How I Made My College Decision Without Visiting Pomona

Posted on April 8, 2021April 7, 2021 by Chris Meng

illustration of Cecil the Sagehen with a Pomona parachute

By Chris Meng ’23 Getting a phone call telling me that I was admitted off the Pomona waitlist was incredibly exciting. The downside: I had just one week to make my decision, and I would not have the opportunity to visit campus in that week. Let me lay out my rough recollection of my actions that fateful week in mid-May in hopes that they will be helpful to you. Celebrat...

Just Do It: Applying for Internships

Posted on March 29, 2021 by Sonam Rikha

laptop shows a guide to writing cover letters

By Sonam Rikha ‘24 Clarification: This post is not sponsored by Nike or Shia Labeouf, though if you are a Nike representative looking to collaborate please contact me at… “Just do it!” an overly dramatic and visibly angry Shia Labeouf screamed through my screen. While this phrase was definitely not coined by the outdated celebrity, his uncomfortable “motivational” video h...

From Study at Home to Study Abroad

Posted on March 11, 2021March 9, 2021 by Chris Meng

By Chris Meng ’23 When I returned home from campus in March 2020, little did I know that I would spend nearly every single hour of every day in my house for the next year. Having grown up in a small town, I had always valued experiencing different environments. So much for that. It’s no wonder I became interested in participating in Pomona’s domestic exchange program with Sw...

I’m a Tom Boy

Posted on February 22, 2021February 22, 2021 by Bryce Kelly

Bryce holding a bunch of college brochures

By Bryce Kelly ‘23 My mother kept staring at me, trying to judge my feelings. We were driving away from an admitted student’s day at a university I’ll call Hardstone College, and I was refusing to share even an ounce of emotion about it. Not because I had none, but because I knew that if I showed eagerness or disapproval, so would my parents, which would only loop back to me...