High school seniors applying to Pomona College may choose to apply as either Early Decision or Regular Decision candidates. Please consult the Application Instructions page for detailed instructions on applying as a first-year candidate.

Early Decision

Students for whom Pomona is the clear first choice are strongly encouraged to apply under the Early Decision option. This may allow students to resolve their college choice earlier in the senior year and avoid the necessity of filing multiple applications. Please keep in mind that Early Decision is a binding commitment and students may submit an early-decision application to only one institution. Students admitted under Early Decision are expected to withdraw all other college applications and to initiate no new ones.

There are two Early Decision periods in the Pomona College application process with deadlines in early November and late December. Please consult our application deadlines page for the exact dates.

Regular Decision

Students who wish to keep their options open regarding their college choice should apply as Regular Decision candidates for admission. The majority of Pomona applicants choose this option. Regular-decision applicants who are admitted to the College have until May 1st to accept or decline admission. Please consult our application deadlines page for the exact submission and notification dates.

Early Admission

High school students who feel they will have exhausted the academic possibilities of their high school curriculum by the completion of their junior year may apply for admission to first-year standing as Early Admission candidates. Students applying as Early Admission candidates are expected to demonstrate substantial academic potential in their program and performance and social readiness for the residential college experience. Students must present a clear ability to benefit from early entry into a college program as demonstrated by transcripts and standardized testing.

Early Admission candidates are subject to the same review process as all other admission candidates and must provide complete transcripts of high school work, SAT Reasoning Test, and two SAT Subject Tests or ACT results. Early Admission candidates are expected and may be required to interview with an admissions officer to discuss their readiness for college life and academic work. Early admission candidates may not apply under the Early Decision option.

How to apply as a first year applicant.