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Pomona

Pomona College

Two short Pomona supplements, 150 and 250 words, that reward specificity and warmth over polish.

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Required essays

2

Academic interest

150 words

Short response

250 words

Personal statement

Common App, 650 words

What Pomona rewards

Pomona asks first-year applicants for two short supplements on top of the Common App personal statement: a 150-word academic interest statement and a 250-word short response where you pick one of three options. Neither is long, which is exactly the trap. Short prompts reward writers who can be concrete fast, and they punish anyone who fills the space with adjectives about how "passionate" they are. Pomona is test-optional for 2025-26, so these little essays do real work in your file.

The core challenge here is restraint. You have roughly 400 words total to sound like a specific human being a reader would want in a seminar of fifteen people. Pomona is a small liberal arts college that prizes intellectual play, community, and warmth, so the essays that land are the ones that show a real mind at work on a real, small, vivid thing rather than a resume in prose.

01Specificity over scale. Pomona reads thousands of files. The reader remembers the student who wrote about debugging a sourdough starter or mis-translating a Spanish idiom, not the one who loved learning. In 150 to 250 words, one precise image beats five abstract claims. Name the thing.
02Genuine intellectual play. Pomona's culture is curious and a little impish. They reward writing that shows you enjoy thinking, including dead ends, surprises, and questions you have not resolved. A flicker of humor or honest uncertainty reads as fit, not weakness.
03Community you actually give to. The community and how-others-see-you options both test whether you contribute, not just belong. Pomona wants people who make a small place better. Show what you add, in a tone that is generous rather than self-congratulating.
04Warmth and authenticity. Pomona's own guidance says there is no correct prompt to choose; essays work when they are specific, reflective, passionate, and authentic. A warm, plainspoken voice consistently beats a strained, impressive one here.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

2 prompts for Pomona, each broken down with annotated examples.

Academic Interest Statement150 words

What draws you to the subject(s) you selected as potential major(s)? If undecided, share more about one of your academic passions or interests.

Short Response (choose one)250 words

Choose one: (1) Reflecting on a community that you are a part of, what values or perspectives from that community would you bring to Pomona? (2) Describe an experience you had outside the classroom that changed the way you think and/or how you engage with your peers. What was that experience and what did you learn from it? (3) Choose any person or group of people in your life and share how they would describe you.

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Deadlines

Early Decision INovember 1
Early Decision IIJanuary 8
Regular DecisionJanuary 8
RD decisions byApril 1

Cost

Sticker price$89,414
Avg net after aid$19,033
Meets full needYes
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Explore Pomona
How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what Pomona weighs most Supplemental essays2 prompts, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $19,033/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes Pomona interview? Format, tips, and practice The Pomona Reader ProScore your draft against Pomona's exact prompts
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Pomona FAQ

What is Pomona's acceptance rate?

Pomona admitted 861 of 12,470 applicants for the Class of 2029, an overall rate of about 6.9 percent. Early Decision is binding and meaningfully more forgiving than Regular Decision, but the bar for the writing is the same: specific, reflective, and clearly yours. Pomona is test-optional for 2025-26, so the supplements carry real weight. At Pomona, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does Pomona require?

Pomona requires 2 supplemental essays on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does Pomona cost?

Pomona's published sticker price is about $89,414 per year, but the average family pays $19,033 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does Pomona require SAT or ACT scores?

Pomona is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are Pomona's application deadlines?

Pomona's application deadlines are Early Decision I November 1; Early Decision II January 8; Regular Decision January 8; RD decisions by April 1. Add Pomona to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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