Dean's Note

A Note from the Dean of Admissions

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Bruce Poch, Dean of Admissions at Pomona College.

We are gratified by your interest in Pomona and hope you will take advantage of every opportunity to investigate our offerings. As you peel back the many layers of Pomona College, you will find more and more to see, to do, to experience and to challenge you, personally and intellectually.

The decisions prospective students make about colleges are personal and should be thoughtful, including reaching well beyond emotional responses to an institution or a reputation held by friends and family members. Think about the college's educational offerings and opportunities, not just "getting in."

Pomona's admissions dean appeared in Newsweek, and fielded questions in live online chat.

Vice President and Dean of Admissions Bruce Poch wrote an essay titled "The Search for Authenticity: A Leading Admissions Dean Explains What Colleges Really Want" that appeared in the Aug. 20, 2007 issue of Newsweek.

"Our job is to make sure the students who attend our institutions are really who they appear to be, and that they will give and take something of value in the college's educational environment,'' wrote Poch. " What we ask for in an application may seem like a lot, but students should know that we're acting in their best interests."

Poch, who frequently is quoted in the media, also fielded questions on topics ranging from financial aid to SATs to "gap" years in a live online chat for the magazine.

More admissions tips from Poch >>

The college you attend will have a profound influence on you, the experiences available to you, the people and ideas you encounter and the challenges that stretch you over the course of four years. Your ultimate decision should be made with your head and your heart. You should find a place that opens doors, rather than one that imposes intellectual and personal restrictions. Find a place that can support discovery of new possibilities, stretch you in unimagined ways and provide the opportunities for you to meet goals without having to battle bureaucracy, fellow students or faculty.

I urge you to ask us anything. We will do everything to make this an enjoyable, informative experience. We hope you will use this Web site as only one way to explore Pomona. It is packed with information, designed not necessarily for end—to—end reading in one sitting, but to enable you to browse selectively when questions surface and special interests develop.

We urge you to include a campus visit. Come interview, attend an information session, enjoy a meal on campus as our guest and visit classes. Sit and eavesdrop in the Smith Campus Center and spend time in classrooms and the libraries. Explore the new and renovated classrooms and labs. High school seniors may also take a "test drive" by staying overnight in a dormitory. Let us know how we may help you.

And, happy hunting,

Bruce J. Poch
Vice President and Dean of Admissions