What Is Pomona College?

Updated

Pomona College is a private liberal arts college in Claremont, California, established in 1887. It sits about 35 miles east of Los Angeles and offers a comprehensive curriculum with 48 majors across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. If you are looking for a small, residential liberal arts college in Southern California where undergraduates work closely with faculty, Pomona fits that profile.

Basic Profile

Item Detail
Type Private liberal arts college
Location Claremont, California, about 35 miles east of Los Angeles
Founded 1887
Majors 48, spanning arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences
Student life More than 90% of students live on campus all four years

What Defines the Academic Experience

Pomona describes itself as a close-knit and diverse community of scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs, and artists. Two features stand out from the college's own description:

  • Small classes. Small class sizes are presented as the basis for close student-faculty relationships, deeper research, and cross-field exploration.
  • Undergraduate research. More than half of all Pomona students assist professors with research projects, and the college says this work receives academic and financial support.

The residential setup reinforces this. Because most students stay on campus for all four years and many professors live within five miles of campus, the college frames everyday interactions—in residence halls, club meetings, or lunch with a professor—as part of the learning environment.

Recent Developments Worth Knowing

Pomona's homepage highlights several current initiatives:

  • The Center for Global Engagement. A new center is planned for the heart of campus, and the college has broken ground on it. Global engagement is described as central to the Pomona experience.
  • The "Originals" campaign. Pomona has launched what it calls its most ambitious campaign, a $530 million effort aimed at expanding access for exceptional students, advancing teaching, supporting community, and connecting alumni.

These items appear as recent news on the site, so if you are evaluating the college, they signal where Pomona is directing resources rather than describing long-standing features.

Who This Information Is For

This overview suits prospective students, parents, and counselors who want a quick, factual read on what Pomona College is before digging into admissions, financial aid, or specific majors. For those next steps—application requirements, costs, and deadlines—check the admissions and financial aid sections of the college's own site, since those details change by cycle and are not covered here.