Pomona College
What Pomona College's own numbers say, from its Common Data Set 2023-24.
See your odds at Pomona College →All 3 insights at Pomona College PRO
Early DecisionPomona College
Pomona College's ED number is inflated.
13% of Early Decision applicants get in, but that pool includes recruited athletes and legacies, admitted at far higher rates. Without them, our estimate is about 9.2%. Everyone else: 5.8%.
ED, as reported13%
ED, without hooks (estimate)≈9.2%
Everyone else5.8%
Source: Pomona College's Common Data Set 2023-24; hooked share is an estimate (A12)
MoneyPomona College
Pomona College meets 100% of need.
The average need-based grant is $65,925 a year, against tuition of $65,000.
Average grant$66k
Tuition$65k
Source: Pomona College's Common Data Set 2023-24
Early DecisionPomona College
52% of Pomona College's class is filled in Early Decision.
That leaves about 194 seats for 10,430 applicants outside ED.
Admitted Early Decision52%
Everyone else48%
Source: Pomona College's Common Data Set 2023-24
8 more things the data says PRO
- After ED, 194 of 406 seats were left for 10,430 other applicants: about one seat for every 54.
- ED applicants were admitted at 13%, against 5.8% for everyone else: 2.2 times the rate.
- Early Decision filled about 52% of the 2023-24 first-year class, more than 60% of similar colleges.
- It reports meeting 100% of financial need for first-years who have need.
- Only 29% of enrolled first-years sent an SAT score, so its SAT range describes a minority of the class.
- 587 students stayed on the waitlist and 62 were admitted from it (10.6%).
- Applications rose 18% from 2018-19 to 2023-24 (10,245 to 12,121).
- Women were admitted at a lower rate: 6.2% for women against 7.6% for men.
What students say PRO
From students' own posts on Reddit and admissions forums: self-reported, unverified, never used in your odds.
- Nearly all admits who named a round applied Regular Decision (13 of 14); one said Early Decision.
- Most admits held top leadership roles, such as student body president, captain, founder of a club or nonprofit, or Model UN and debate lead.
- Debate, Model UN or mock trial was a common spike, often with a captain or president role and state or national results.
- Many admits did research or published work, such as conference talks, papers, independent studies or university lab roles.
- Many admits worked or carried family duties, such as a family business, retail, a barista or library job, or caring for relatives.
- Students report Pomona meets full need with grants and work-study and no loans, and some say its aid beat other top schools for their family.
- Students report aid offers can be appealed, and families who sent extra documents and explained their situation sometimes got better offers.
- Students report Early Decision deferrals are uncommon and move to the regular pool for a second look, and mid-year grades are weighed.
- Students report the waitlist admits some applicants, roughly 10 percent in a typical year, with movement expected around early June.
- Students describe Pomona as highly selective, especially for international applicants who need aid, though some aid-seeking international applicants were admitted.
Every number, year by year: Pomona College on Open College Data. Something wrong? Suggest a correction.