By Erica Li ’29
A year ago, I received my letter of admission to Pomona College. Over this winter break, I found myself talking to prospective students about Pomona, and even reading over their Pomona supplement essays — and it felt so surreal, because I had been in their shoes not long before.
When I was going through the college admissions process last year, Pomona surprised me with the abundance of its programming — webinars by admissions, the From the Nest series with students, and perhaps most importantly, international students webinars that accommodated my time zone and were held at reasonable hours instead of 3 a.m.
I also developed a relationship with my regional admissions officer, Tray. I saw him many times throughout the admission process— first at an in-person college fair in China, then at virtual information sessions, and later at Virtual Perspectives on Pomona. By the time application deadlines rolled around, we were on a first name basis.
Having him remember my name meant a lot. When the low college acceptance rates made the admissions process feel intimidating and impersonal, knowing that a familiar and friendly face would be reading my application was deeply comforting. After arriving in Claremont, I’ve seen him around, and it feels nice too.
I was also a participant in the Virtual Perspectives on Pomona Program, where I met Lexi, who was majoring in politics. She told me about the Mock Trial team and what a wholesome community it was. When I arrived in Claremont, I ended up joining the Pomona Mock Trial team, where we competed together. It felt like a full-circle moment.
I’d say the admissions process is a reflection of the Pomona experience – deeply human and warm. I felt that people from the Pomona College community were willing to get to know me, to genuinely care, and to invest time and effort even before I became a student. That gave me the conviction that if I chose this place, I could truly thrive here.
The entire admissions process made me feel that Pomona College would be a place where I would be supported, where I would find community, and where I would belong. And as someone who has lived in an entirely different country for most of my life, that felt incredibly reassuring.
Webinars: https://www.pomona.edu/admissions/connect/virtual-connections/connect-through-webinars
From the Nest: https://www.pomona.edu/admissions/connect/virtual-programming
Perspectives on Pomona: https://www.pomona.edu/admissions/diversity/fall-fly-program-pop