The College Equity Index was created by three independent educational consultants "to enhance the conversation and transparency about campus climate and culture for women and Black, Indigenous, People of Color attending colleges and universities in the United States."
Out of 105 private colleges that were evaluated to create the new College Equity Index, no school that was not an HCBU (Historically Black College and University) received an overall rating that was higher than B+. Access and Affordability, Diversity, Campus Culture and Outcomes were evaluated. Public schools will be evaluated in the next iteration of the index.
The three private schools that received a B+ overall grade were Amherst College, Davidson College, and Pomona College. While the overall grade was B+, the Campus Culture at Amherst was given a C for Black students. Davidson's Campus Culture was given an A; however they received a C on their Diversity rating. Pomona fared the best with no category rated lower than B.
If you aren't familiar with Pomona, it is one of the Claremont Colleges, a group of seven independent institutions that share 546 acres of space 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Pomona is one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the country, if not in the world, and you may be surprised to know just how selective it is. In Fall 2020, just 895 students were offered a spot in the freshman class out of 10,388 applicants.
Here are five fun facts about Pomona College:
1) Pomona follows a need-blind admissions process and guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without the use of loans in the award package.
2) Pomona's student body is small, with class sizes averaging 15 students. However, Pomona students have access to the students, activities, organizations and curriculum of the other undergraduate Claremont Colleges, opening up the possibilities to explore more than 2,700 courses across a wide range of disciplines. All Claremont Colleges share the same two-million volume library. So you really are getting the benefits of several outstanding schools by enrolling in just one.
3) Students interested in outdoor education will not be disappointed by the opportunities available at Pomona through the Outdoor Education Center (OEC). Students with interests in leading outdoor adventure programs can pursue an Outdoor Leadership Certification. If students are interested in hiking, biking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing and more, they can check out gear free of charge at the OEC!
4) The Pomona College Internship Program (PCIP) provides stipends to students to gain part-time jobs or internships that would otherwise be unpaid. This is one of the programs facilitated by the Career Development Office to help students as they explore potential career paths and seek out hands-on, real-world experiential learning opportunities.
5) Pomona has its own organic working farm! During non-COVID times, students can volunteer or apply for a job at the farm, take courses that incorporate the farm like Food, Land, and the Environment, buy fresh produce or participate in a cooking workshop!
Exceptional students who are looking for an academically rigorous, yet supportive strong liberal arts education should consider Pomona College. Pomona students come from all 50 states and all over the world.
Pomona will be test-optional through Fall 2024. Learn more about admissions to Pomona here.