Pomona College
Responses from the Student Interview
From a student who identifies as Major: Undeclared
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Latina Straight Female
Summary
I am part of Pomona Partners which is a mentoring program for 7th to 9th grade students at a school in the town of Pomona. I’m part of Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA) and I’m going to be a mentor for Latinx first years next year. I’m also part of Uncommon Good, which is a non-profit mentoring and tutoring program for first-generation low-income primarily Latinx students in the area.
Background
Gender Identity: Female
Race/Ethnicity: Latina
Sexual Orientation: Straight
High School Experience: Private school in Lafayette, CO with a graduating class of about 58 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: Yes
Major: Undeclared
Minor: None
Extracurricular Activities: I am part of Pomona Partners which is a mentoring program for 7th to 9th grade students at a school in the town of Pomona. I’m part of Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA) and I’m going to be a mentor for Latinx first years next year. I’m also part of Uncommon Good, which is a non-profit mentoring and tutoring program for first-generation low-income primarily Latinx students in the area.
Academic Experience
What has been your favorite class so far?
I really, really loved Macroeconomics because of the professor. He was super engaging, very welcoming to the students, and did a lot to make us feel comfortable. Like, he would practice everybody’s name and make sure he was pronouncing them correctly, and small things like that made me want to show up even though it was very early in the morning.
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
I don’t think it’s competitive personally, which I really appreciate. I think we have more of a collaborative mindset which is really nice. People are always up to help you and I have never felt afraid to ask anybody for help. I do think that the academic environment is high stress, but that’s self-imposed because to get in here you had to have a strong work ethic and people here really care about their academics.
How accessible are your professors?
Very accessible. I think that was something that was difficult in the transition because some of the professors I don’t exactly know how to reach, but they are always giving out their office hours and you can grab meals with them if you want to.
What major are you thinking of entering so far?
I came in thinking I wanted to do international relations but then decided that I didn’t want to pursue it. The first semester of my first year I was sort of launched into economics, I took Macroeconomics my first year but was struggling a lot and then learned about the Economics Cohort, which is for mostly first-generation low-income students and students of color. It has their own mentor sessions and weekly lunches where they bring in professors, members of the administration, etc. to have discussions with the students about how they got to Pomona College. It was really helpful in making the transition academically. I’m now considering Economics, but am not 100% sure if that’ll be my major or not.
How was transitioning academically as a first-generation student? Were there any resources that helped you adapt?
Along with the Economics Cohort, there’s the of Chicano Latino Student Affairs (CLSA) program where you are paired with a sophomore for mentoring sessions. I wouldn’t even consider our get-togethers meetings anymore because we’re genuinely friends, so just to have somebody with a Latino background has been super helpful because Pomona is predominantly White and wealthy, so we can talk about shared issues. We also have the FLI Scholars, which I’m not in but my mentor is, and having that community is super encouraging and I know I can reach out to anybody in that group.
What is the academic impact of the Claremont Consortium?
I haven’t taken courses at other colleges yet but a lot of my friends have and they’ve enjoyed it because it’s a different atmosphere. It makes you feel less claustrophobic in an already small campus.
Reasons to Attend
1) The weather and location of California. L.A. is accessible but we’re not right in L.A. so it’s not overwhelming.
2) The people are one of the biggest parts of it for me. It’s one of the most diverse colleges in the U.S. and that rings true when you’re here.
3) The food is great and you can go eat at any of the other schools.
4) The Claremont Consortium is a really unique experience. Al the colleges are right next to each other which makes it easier to connect and engage with the other students at the other colleges.
5) The academics are really great here. You have the freedom to explore your interests because it’s a liberal arts college.
Reasons Not to Attend
1) I think the biggest thing for me is the transparency with the administration. But, I think you would get that problem at any college.
2) Mental health services are lacking.
Around Campus
Where have you lived on campus?
Freshman: Lyon Court with one roommate
How was transitioning from Colorado to Claremont, CA?
At first, it was easy because I was basking in the excitement of being in California and being in the warm weather. I also liked that I was in Claremont and not in L.A. but also had L.A. accessible. As time went on, I got homesick just because the Claremont Village got smaller for me now that I know my way around and I can’t leave campus as easily as I thought I would be able to. I think the weather is a great relief from Colorado and I like that I have easy access to trails for hiking and biking.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s a high level of safety. I feel pretty safe.
Social Opportunities
What kind of nightlife or weekend activities do you participate in at Pomona?
A couple of times this semester we’ve gone to L.A. and gone to the beach in Santa Monica. If we stay on campus, I’ll spend my morning doing homework, sometimes get breakfast or lunch in the village, and then at night maybe once or twice a week there are parties held at Pomona or the other Claremont schools, so we go to those. If we don’t feel like going out we go to a movie or just stay home and hang out with friends.
Do parties happen at Pomona or at the other Claremont Colleges?
There are maybe three big parties at Pomona that are put on by the school that are really fun, but parties at Pomona are not as frequent as they are at the other schools.
What is an alternative to going to a party that you like for a night out?
There is a small movie theater here that we like to go to. We have occasionally gone to L.A. for dinner and then come back late. We will also just hang out in our rooms.
How happy are you with the nightlife options at Pomona? Is there anything you would change if you could?
I’m pretty happy with the options. I just wish that L.A. was closer. Personally, I think I need to prioritize getting off campus more to explore L.A. and other parts of it. I think they do a pretty good job here because along with the parties they hold Saturday night events in the dorms to do crafts or paints for people who don’t want to go out.
Campus Culture
What is the impact of the Claremont Consortium on your social experience?
I really like the consortium, I think if it was just Pomona College I wouldn’t have come here because it’s way too small. I like knowing a lot of people on campus but also having the people on the other campuses who are new and I can go meet. It makes it feel bigger. I really like that we can go to the other college’s dining halls which gives a big variety in the food available. I think the consortium is really inclusive because everyone can go to every party that the other colleges offer.
How did you meet your closest friends?
My closest friend lived down the hall from me and is in my sponsor group. The first couple of weeks you spend a lot of time with your sponsor group and I know some people who are really close to their sponsor group and others who are not. One of my other closest friends I met on Admitted Students Day and we continued talking before school started and we became really close friends. I also have other friends from Orientation Adventure.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Pomona?
In terms of literally on Pomona’s campus, it is very calm. There are events and parties but I think other colleges, like Pitzer or Claremont McKenna College, have more active and visible party culture. People don’t really party in dorms or do anything in dorms here. It’s nice because I can come back from a night out and know my dorm will be quiet, but the parties are easy to access on the other campuses.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
I think they do mix. My group of friends is pretty diverse and Pomona is pretty diverse, so often people of different backgrounds, races, socioeconomic statuses, and sexual orientations do mix together. But, more so in terms of race, I do see people naturally grouping together. [9% of students are Black, 14% are Asian, 16% are Hispanic, and 35% are White.]
How would you describe the Latinx community? How strong is it?
For me, coming from Colorado where I had one other Latina in my grade, I thought it was amazing because I have a visible community here. So, I would say that the Hispanic community is very present because they throw a lot of parties and events during the day and they also have the sponsorship program through CSLA that has helped a lot of students I know. But, some people have the opposite view because they came from really large public schools that were super diverse.
How would you describe the student body at Pomona?
Overall, very passionate, not competitive, and super collaborative. You can sense that people really care about their work but I don’t think it’s to an unhealthy extent. Even though we all have different passions, we all engage over that. It’s cool seeing people create events and talk about things that they’re passionate about through their own extracurricular activities and engage others who may not relate. I really like it in that sense.
If at all, how did being a first-generation college student impact your social experience?
I don’t think it has directly impacted my social experience. I wouldn’t say that it’s prevented me from making certain friends. If anything, I know there’s a community out there that’s willing to help me if I need them.
Careers
What have you used the career office for? How helpful have they been?
I went to the Career Development Office (CDO) to talk about the resources and then went back to talk to the counselor about majors. She gave me a bunch of different websites to go look at and taught me how to use the student portal to reach out to people. I also applied for the Pomona College Internship Program that funds your internship if it is unpaid.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
Not directly, no.
Financial Aid
Have you used financial aid? If so, accommodating was the office to your needs?
It’s kind of hard to contact them. They aren’t super responsive with their emails so I’ve had to go in and talk to them. But, when you go in and talk to them they’re willing to help you. I’ve found it a little tough to navigate, but that may be because of my first-generation background.