During the 2024–2025 admissions cycle, Pomona College admitted 7.1% of applicants, reinforcing its place among the most selective liberal arts colleges in the country. That headline percentage is eye-catching, sure, but on its own, it’s not especially useful. Where does that figure come from? Pomona does release pieces of its admissions data, but understanding what those numbers actually mean requires a closer, more thoughtful read. That’s why we dig into this data every year, to help students approach ultra-selective admissions with clear eyes, grounded expectations, and an intentional plan.
Our starting point is a familiar one: the Common Data Set, or CDS. Most colleges and universities in the U.S. complete this standardized reporting document so organizations like U.S. News & World Report, the College Board, and Peterson’s can compare schools using consistent metrics. The CDS is dense and wide-ranging, but for our purposes, we’re going to zero in on one specific slice of Pomona’s 2024–2025 CDS: first-time, first-year admissions.
Trend Spotting: Five Years of Pomona Admissions
Before zooming in on the most recent cycle, it helps to step back and look at the longer arc of admissions at Pomona. Unlike some peer institutions that have seen dramatic swings, Pomona’s numbers have been relatively steady in recent years. The applicant pool remains the same, the admit rate remains low, and the overall level of selectivity hasn’t fluctuated much – which, frankly, tells us a lot.
| Year | Total Applicants | Number of Admitted Students | Overall Acceptance Rate | ED Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12,249 | 868 | 7.10% | 12.90% |
| 2024 | 12,121 | 819 | 6.80% | 12.50% |
| 2023 | 10,666 | 749 | 7.00% | 14.20% |
| 2022 | 11,620 | 771 | 6.60% | 12.80% |
| 2021 | 10,388 | 895 | 8.60% | 14.10% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Pomona has been consistent, which means they stick to their standards. For you, making sure you clear their academic bar is especially important.
When you apply to Pomona, you’re entering a pool where almost everyone looks excellent on paper – and many applicants bring a distinctly intellectual, curiosity-driven profile to the table. How you think, what you pursue deeply, and how coherently your interests come together all play an outsized role in a process this selective.
C1: First-Time, First-Year Admission, Applications
Let’s zoom in on how Pomona’s applicant pool breaks down, including patterns by gender:
| First-time, first-year applicants | Total | Admitted | Acceptance Rate | Enrolled | Yield rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 5,283 | 401 | 7.60% | 194 | 48.40% |
| Women | 6,956 | 466 | 6.70% | 242 | 51.90% |
| Another Gender | 10 | 1 | 10% | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total | 12,249 | 868 | 7.10% | 436 | 50.20% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Key Takeaways for Acceptance Rates:
Pomona’s yield reflects the reality that many applicants are also applying to (and choosing between) other ultra-selective liberal arts colleges
Gender balance in the applicant pool continues to skew slightly female, which tracks with broader trends across colleges
Pomona is competitive, obvi. And in order to get into a hyper-competitive school, you need the stats to back it up. Without concrete reference points or clarity about who’s being admitted and why, it’s easy to misjudge your odds or misplay your approach. Grounding your plan in real numbers and real patterns allows you to apply thoughtfully, rather than just hope.
Early Decision
Applicants who apply to Pomona through Early Decision have traditionally seen higher acceptance rates than those who apply in Regular Decision. That said, the margin isn’t as dramatic as some students hope. Like the overall numbers, ED has stayed pretty consistent.
| Number of ED applications | 1,726 |
|---|---|
| Percent of applicants applying ED | 14% |
| Number of ED acceptances | 224 |
| ED acceptance rate | 12.90% |
| Percent of admitted students accepted through ED* | 25.80% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: This ED rate is twice that of RD, but that doesn’t mean it’s a guarantee, or even that your subjective chance is twice as good ED. ED only meaningfully helps students whose applications already align strongly with Pomona’s academic and institutional priorities. Fit still does the heavy lifting.
Regular Decision
Pomona’s Common Data Set doesn’t neatly spell out Regular Decision acceptance rates on its own. To get a reasonable estimate, we have to work backward by subtracting Early Decision admits from the overall numbers. While this method isn’t perfect, it’s accurate enough to guide your planning.
| Number of RD applications | 10,523 |
|---|---|
| Number of RD acceptances | 644 |
| RD acceptance rate | 6.10% |
| Percent of admitted students accepted through RD | 74.20% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Most of Pomona’s incoming class is ultimately admitted through Regular Decision, but RD is more competitive than ED. If Pomona is your clear top choice and your application is already operating at a very high level, applying Early Decision can be a strategic move – but only in the right circumstances.
Waitlist
Pomona is more transparent than many of its peers when it comes to waitlist data, which we appreciate. Pomona places a relatively small number of students on the waitlist and admits an even smaller fraction from it in most years.
| Students placed on waitlist | 937 |
|---|---|
| Students accepting a spot on the waitlist | 680 |
| Percent of students accepting a waitlist spot | 73% |
| Students admitted off the waitlist | 58 |
| Waitlist acceptance rate | 8.50% |
| Percent of total accepted students who were admitted from the waitlist* | 6.70% |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: Pomona places a meaningful number of applicants on its waitlist each year, but historically admits only a very small slice of that group.
A waitlist decision tends to send students spiraling in opposite directions. Some assume it’s a soft no; others read it as a quiet yes. Neither interpretation is accurate. Being waitlisted at Pomona means the admissions committee sees you as someone who could thrive on campus, but they just don’t have space at the moment. Spots open unpredictably and often late, but they do open. We work with students on Pomona waitlists every year, and with the right strategy, it’s absolutely possible to improve your odds.
C9-C2: First-Time, First-Year Profile, or Scores and Grades
Pomona continues to allow test-optional applications, but that policy should not be mistaken for indifference toward academic signals. Across higher education, schools are paying closer attention to how students perform after enrollment, and many have noticed that students who enroll without test scores can face more academic challenges once they arrive. That broader trend has already pushed some institutions back toward testing requirements. Pomona hasn’t made that shift (yet), but the expectations remain high.
Even without a testing mandate, the numbers tell a clear story. Examining how many students choose to submit scores and where those scores land gives us valuable insight into what Pomona considers academically competitive. As you’ll see, strong scores still function as meaningful evidence of readiness when they’re part of the application.
Breakdown of enrolled students who submitted test scores:
| Percent | Number | |
|---|---|---|
| Submitting SAT Scores | 36% | 155 |
| Submitting ACT Scores | 14% | 59 |
| Total Submitting Scores* | 50% | 214 |
*Denotes our own calculation based on the raw numbers
Why This Matters: 50% of enrolled students submitted standardized test scores. More students submit SAT scores than ACT scores, but that doesn’t mean Pomona cares more about one than the other.
Now, let’s take a look at the score breakdowns for each section of the ACT and SAT:
| Test | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Composite | 1500 | 1530 | 1550 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading + Writing | 740 | 760 | 770 |
| SAT Math | 750 | 780 | 790 |
| ACT Composite | 33 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT Math | 31 | 33 | 35 |
| ACT English | 35 | 35 | 36 |
| ACT Science | 32 | 34 | 35 |
| ACT Reading | 35 | 36 | 36 |
Why This Matters: Applicants should generally aim for at least a 1550+ or 35+ to stand out, similar to the Ivy League.
First-time, first-year students with scores in each range:
| Score Range | SAT Evidence-Based Reading + Writing | SAT Math |
|---|---|---|
| 700-800 | 97% | 95.50% |
| 600-699 | 3% | 3.90% |
| 500-599 | 0% | 0.60% |
| Score Range | SAT Composite |
|---|---|
| 1400-1600 | 98.10% |
| 1200-1399 | 1.90% |
| Score Range | ACT Composite | ACT English | ACT Math | ACT Reading | ACT Science |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-36 | 96.60% | 98% | 81.40% | 100% | 96.60% |
| 24-29 | 3.40% | 1.70% | 15.20% | 0% | 1.70% |
| 18-23 | 0% | 0.00% | 3.40% | 0% | 1.70% |
Standardized Test Score Takeaways:
The typical Pomona enrollee is coming in with very strong testing, even among an already high-achieving group
Because these figures reflect students who ultimately enrolled, many admitted students who chose other schools likely posted equal or higher scores
Submitting weak scores can actively work against you
A microscopic number of students land outside these ranges. Don’t base your strategy on that
If you’re aiming to be a realistic contender at Pomona, your academic profile needs to sit comfortably at the top of the national distribution. Scores that would look phenomenal in most contexts can still place you on the lower edge of Pomona’s admitted pool. And the same story shows up when you zoom out beyond testing, including when you look at class rank.
| Class Rank | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Top 10th of HS graduating class | 90.30% |
| Top Quarter of HS graduating class | 99.20% |
| Top Half of HS graduating class | 100.00% |
| Total submitting class rank | 29.40% |
Key Class Rank Takeaways:
Most enrolled students finished near the very top of their high school class
As class rank drops, admission probability drops quickly alongside it
Reality check before we continue: the handful of admitted students with noticeably lower scores are not proof that standards are flexible. They’re outliers, full stop. We don’t know who they are or what tipped the scales – maybe they’re first-gen, maybe they’re coming from under-resourced schools, maybe they have extraordinary accomplishments or circumstances you simply can’t see in a spreadsheet. What we do know is that trying to reverse-engineer an exception is not a strategy.
TL;DR: If Pomona is the goal, you should be aiming for near-flawless academics and the strongest testing you can reasonably achieve.
Considerations
This is where the Common Data Set stops feeling clean and starts getting… human?? Subjective?? Yes, Pomona places heavy weight on concrete academic indicators, like course rigor, grades, and test scores (when submitted). But those are just the starting point. Layered on top is a set of qualitative factors that don’t come with a scoring rubric or guaranteed formula. Frustratingly, and importantly, this is where smart strategy matters most.
| Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of secondary school record | X | |||
| Class rank | X | |||
| Academic GPA | X | |||
| Standardized test scores | X | |||
| Application Essay | X | |||
| Recommendation(s) | X |
Key Takeaways for Academic Factors:
Pomona expects students to push themselves academically by taking the most rigorous courses their high school offers and doing very well in them
A lot of high schools don’t report class rank due to toxic competition concerns, so not submitting won’t hurt you
If you choose to submit test scores, Pomona will take them seriously
| Nonacademic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview | X | |||
| Extracurricular activities | X | |||
| Talent/ability | X | |||
| Character/personal qualities | X | |||
| First generation | X | |||
| Alumni/ae relation | X | |||
| Geographical residence | X | |||
| State residency | X | |||
| Religious affiliation/commitment | X | |||
| Volunteer work | X | |||
| Work experience | X | |||
| Level of applicant’s interest | X |
Key Takeaways for Nonacademic Factors:
Pomona does not track demonstrated interest
Pomona does not care about legacy status
How you spend your time outside of school is very important to them
On the nonacademic side, some parts of your application are purely factual: where you’re from, whether you’re first-generation, things like that. You don’t get to tweak those, and you shouldn’t waste energy trying. Other qualities, like intellectual curiosity, character, talent, and skill, are much more interpretive. Admissions officers are pulling signals from everywhere: your essays, recommendations, how you spend your time, and the overall feel of your application. You can’t dictate how those signals are interpreted, but you can be intentional about the story you’re telling and whether it feels aligned with Pomona’s academic culture and values.
This is also the point where extracurriculars stop being a checklist and start doing real work. For students who are genuinely competitive at Pomona, surface-level involvement won’t move the needle. The applications that stand out aren’t stuffed with random clubs or tons of JV sports or generic leadership titles. Instead, the strongest candidates show depth – serious investment in a small number of interests pursued over time. Those pursuits often feel specific and thoughtful, revealing how a student thinks, what they care about, and where their curiosity naturally leads. That kind of coherence matters a lot at a place like Pomona, and helping students build it is a big part of what we do.
Conclusion
Pomona is, without question, an extraordinarily selective college. Hopefully by now, you have a clearer, more grounded understanding of what that selectivity actually looks like beyond reputation or admit-rate shock.
Still, no one gets into Pomona by “winning” a spreadsheet. Data can show you the academic neighborhood you need to live in, but it can’t fully capture what Pomona values, or who you are as a person. When we work with students, whether they’re applying ED, RD, or navigating unique academic interests, there’s not a one-size-fits-all strategy. Every plan is built around the student’s strengths, curiosities, and long-term direction. There’s no guaranteed formula for admission, but there are thoughtful, strategic choices that can meaningfully shape how your application is read.
One way to increase your odds? Working with college consultants who are experts in the field and have a high rate of success getting students into Pomona and other competitive liberal arts colleges. We help countless students gain admission to top universities every single year – reach out to us today to get started.