This is the second in a series of five articles examining The Campaign for Pomona College, objective by objective.
Talent First
The most important factor in the admission of students to Pomona College is simple and clear--Talent. The guiding principle in financial aid at Pomona is just as clear: Accessibility.
"Talent has many different faces. And Pomona's highly talented students come from a variety of backgrounds and from every rung of the economic ladder," says Bruce Poch, vice president and dean of admissions.
To attract such talented students, chosen solely on academic merit and promise, Pomona maintains need-blind admissions for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. This means admissions applications are reviewed without regard to ability to pay the cost of attending Pomona; and all admitted students who enroll are provided financial assistance to the extent of their demonstrated need--even up to 100 percent.
Pomona is one of a shrinking handful of institutions to consider candidates on a purely need-blind basis. To ensure that the College remains accessible to all qualified students, a primary objective of The Campaign for Pomona College is to boost financial aid funds by $30 million. As of August 31, 1999, over $26 million has been raised toward this goal.
"Pomona's need-blind admissions policy has resulted in a student body with one of the strongest academic profiles in the country," says Poch. The policy--adopted by the Board of Trustees in 1994 in a formal reaffirmation of a commitment that actually began 40 years ago--directs that students be drawn from "the most intellectually capable and academically committed college bound students in the nation," and from that pool, selected to "represent a rich cross-section of backgrounds, talents, experiences and perspectives."
"The outcome is that we have more geographic and ethnic diversity; public school kids; science majors; and Asian, Asian-American and Latino students when compared to our counterparts--and a nearly ideal male-female ratio of 51 to 49 percent," says Poch.
A student body composed of diverse experiences enriches all students' lives, Poch says. "Students appreciate the mix and learn to view things through a remarkably broader perspective."
Pomona boasts a relatively even income distribution, compared to similar colleges, that frequently have a near absence of middle to lower income students. Twenty-five percent of Pomona's students are from families in which one or both parents did not attend college. Five percent come from households earning less than $20,000 per year. Overall, the median household income for aid recipients is about $58,600, with the vast majority of annual earnings ranging from $30,000 to $100,000; and sometimes above $100,000 (for families with more than one child in college).
About 54 percent of Pomona's students receive aid, averaging $22,000, or two-thirds of a student's costs. About 76 percent of their package is in the form of grants. The balance is a combination of work-study and loans. International students are eligible for financial assistance, though not on a need-blind basis.
"Students and parents express gratitude when they get news of their financial aid awards, and are relieved that coming to Pomona is possible after all," says Director of Financial Aid Pat Coye.
"Parents worry about the money their students will borrow while in college, and whether they will earn enough to comfortably repay the debt--especially for our most needy students whose families live from paycheck to paycheck and have never borrowed before," explains Coye. "In these cases, we waive the loan portion during their first two years of school. In their junior and senior years they have the same loan as other students, cutting their loan debt in half. It proves that we sincerely do want to enroll talented students, and understand what it takes to support a family."
For decades, Pomona's commitment to being accessible to all qualified students has been made possible by the generosity of alumni and friends, says Richard Fass, vice president for planning. "Nevertheless, for the past 20 years this commitment has required using increasing amounts of unrestricted college funds--general revenues that compete with other budget goals--mostly due to decreasing federal and state support. To continue this commitment for decades to come, one of the Campaign's highest priorities is to increase financial aid funds."
"Alumni occasionally call to say 'thanks' and bring us up to date on their lives," says Coye. "I once heard from an alumnus who was clearly helped by financial aid. He did very well academically, and eventually started a business and a family. He was very grateful for the difference Pomona made in the quality of his life."
--Linda Moffa
