In late August, parents and prospective students flocked to newsstands to pick up the newest editions of college guides to find out how America's academic institutions stacked up to one another in categories covering everything from the quality of campus life ("happy campers and the not-so-happy-campers") to the operations of the faculty and staff ("how much red tape there is in the administration office").

Two of the recently released guides, Princeton Review's The Best 351 Colleges, 2004 Edition, and U.S. News and World Report's 2004 guide to “America's Best Colleges", ranked Pomona College high in several categories, including selectivity, graduation rate and quality of dorms.

Most notable was Pomona's rise from fifth to fourth among all liberal arts colleges in America by U.S. News & World Report—Pomona's highest ranking since the annual survey began in the 1980s. Pomona tied for the fourth spot with Carleton College and Wellesley College. Williams College was ranked first, followed by Amherst at second and Swarthmore at third. In the previous 10 years, Pomona finished fifth in the U.S. News survey eight times, along with one seventh-place and one eighth-place ranking.

Other members of the Claremont Consortium were included in the rankings this year as well: Claremont McKenna College ranked 12th; Harvey Mudd College tied for 17th; and Scripps College tied for 34th.

On top of its high ranking as a liberal arts college, Pomona students were found to be among the happiest in the nation, according to Princeton Review's survey of more than 100,000 students at 351 colleges nationwide. Thanks to Pomona's staff and faculty, the College also ranked #2 in "Schools run like butter" and #14 in "Dorms like palaces."

In summary comments on the Princeton Review website, Pomona students noted that: "you're sure to meet a healthy number of professors whom you 'can cultivate a close relationship with.' Remarks one student, 'I had dinner with the dean last night, I received a personal e-mail from two profs. in the last 24 hours, and my history prof. wrote more about my paper than I did.' Although 'academics are highly valued by students,' they're 'never a source of extreme stress.' One student sums up the experience at Pomona with this comment: 'It's kind of like going to summer camp with a lot of work.'"

In U.S. News and World Report, Pomona ranked second in selectivity, ninth in graduation rate and 16th in diversity of its student body among the nation’s 217 liberal arts colleges.

According to Bruce Poch, vice president for admissions, "When you consider the combined message of the two guides, it's especially noteworthy to see this blend of 'happiest' students with such a high level of academic quality and selectivity. It says what we have always known: our students are extremely capable, extremely well supported and extremely happy to be here.”

For more information:
Princeton Review's The Best 351 Colleges, 2004 Edition
U.S. News & World Report “America's Best Colleges" rankings