Pomona College is offering admission today to 876 academically talented students from across the country and globe, hailing from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and 44 countries. The Office of Admissions will release decisions at 3 p.m. PDT on Thursday, March 19, via an online portal. The highly anticipated Class of 2030 will join Pomona’s campus this August.
“The newest cohort of students admitted to Pomona College represents a diverse, talented and accomplished group of individuals,” says Jonathan Williams, vice president and dean of admissions and financial aid. “Their acceptance to Pomona is an invitation to become more aware of the complexity of the world’s challenges and learn multiple approaches to solve them. They represent the next chapter in our College’s history, and I am eager to see what these Sagehens will achieve at Pomona and beyond.”
Pomona College awaits the final decisions of its admitted students, who will determine the final composition of the Class of 2030. Enrollments and deposits will be submitted by May 1.
By the Numbers
First-generation college students—meaning neither parent has a four-year college degree—make up a school-record 29% of those admitted to the Class of 2030.
The newly-admitted class identified a wide range of academic interests, with 23% indicating their first choice major in the humanities, 23% in interdisciplinary fields, 24% in the natural sciences, 26% in the social sciences and 4% undecided about their field of study.
Where They Come From
Students were admitted to the Class of 2030 from more than 700 high schools across the U.S. and the world. Admitted students represent all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Outside of California, the top U.S. states where admitted students come from are New York, Texas, Washington, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Oregon and Arizona.
Continuing the College’s mission of being strongly rooted in Southern California yet global in its orientation, Pomona admitted students from 44 foreign countries, making international students 12% of the class. The top countries represented in the class are China, India, South Korea, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and Brazil. One Downing Scholar was also admitted to Pomona on a one-year program from Downing College in Cambridge.
Pomona College’s outreach efforts to recruit the Class of 2030 were extensive. During the 2025-26 cycle, Pomona’s admissions team visited 329 schools in 253 cities in the U.S. and abroad. The College also participated in 152 college fairs, case studies and panels and attended 68 events with community-based organizations and college counselors.
Strength in Partnerships
Pomona’s partnerships with organizations committed to identifying talented students interested in pursuing higher education remains robust. Pomona’s partnership with QuestBridge matched 25 QuestBridge Scholars. Six admitted students from Los Angeles/Inland Empire communities were participants in the Pomona Academy for Youth Success (PAYS), an intensive, three-year college preparation program run by the College’s Draper Center for Community Partnerships. Also, more than 18% of students admitted to Pomona reported working with a community-based organization.
In addition, 20 students from Florida and Illinois were admitted through the Posse Foundation, an organization focused on identifying leaders from the next generation.
One of the members of the Class of 2030, Mariama Diallo, says she chose Pomona College because she believes the close-knit environment will help open the door to a variety of research opportunities. At Pomona, she plans to pursue international relations and Africana studies. The Posse Scholar and Chicago native adds, “I’m most excited for the opportunity to meet like-minded people who are also ready to enjoy the warm weather.”
Committed to Affordability
Pomona College continues to be an affordable option for students. The College conducts a need-blind admissions process for domestic students, which means Pomona doesn’t consider domestic families’ ability to pay when making admission decisions. The College meets 100% of domestic and international admitted students’ demonstrated financial need and does not include loans in financial aid packages.
“My profound gratitude to all the staff in our Offices of Admissions and Financial Aid,” says Williams. “Their fearless work to reach, recruit and yield students of this academic caliber and diverse financial backgrounds is why Pomona College continues to be widely regarded as one of the world’s leading liberal arts colleges.”