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.

Pomona's admissions dean shares advice in Newsweek and The New York Times
For the past three years, Vice President and Dean of Admissions Bruce Poch has written articles for the annual Kaplan-Newsweek How to Get Into College guide. His most recent essay, “Keep It Honest, Keep it Real,” examines the application process for students and parents.

"Students and their families have a wealth of information available about colleges and the admission process, and should take advantage of the resources,” writes Poch. “Understanding your talents and interests while working to understand the academic structures and offerings of a college is a vital step.”

Poch, who frequently is quoted in the media, also wrote “The Search for Authenticity” (2007), which explains why colleges need a complete and authentic portrait of applying students, and “Don’t Be Bland” (2006), which provides advice on writing an essay that truly shows who you are.

More recently, Poch participated in a reader Q&A in The New York Times on the admissions process. You can read all of the questions and answers here.

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."

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