According to the , the Common App essay prompts are as follows:
However, it is in your best interest for you to get to know your guidance counselor. Beyond completing required college application forms, you may find that your counselor can also provide excellent guidance throughout your entire college search process. If it’s just not possible for you to get to know your counselor (and we certainly understand that situation may arise if you attend a large school) or if you have a new counselor at your school, you should (at minimum) have your current counselor fill in the blanks of the Secondary School Report form. That form provides vital information we need in order to complete your record at the college. You may have another high school administrator or former counselor provide a letter of recommendation addressing your preparedness for college, your high school performance in relation to the rest of your senior class, and other pertinent information. We will only accept such an evaluation in addition to the Secondary School Report form completed by your current high school counselor.
It is not necessary for your teacher to use the Common Application . However, if your teacher will not be using the form, he/she should submit the evaluation on school letterhead, clearly print your full name on the top of the letter, and indicate the course(s) and grade level(s) in which he/she taught you. These should be submitted by your high school counselor. Be assured that you are not disadvantaged in the admissions process if you attend a large high school, and your counselor is not able to provide a highly personalized recommendation. This is one aspect of our holistic admissions review, and we do not expect every student to provide a detailed counselor recommendation. We also no longer require that school counselors answer a question about applicants' disciplinary history. For highest scholarship consideration, you must submit a complete application for admission, including official transcript, IU-specific essay, and self-reported or official test scores () by November 1. Whether community involvement, the arts, sports, work experience, research opportunities, family involvements or other activities and hobbies, you should share only what has been particularly meaningful.Nonrefundable application fee of $75 | When submitting your application you will be required to pay a $75 application fee on our secure website with a credit card unless you have received a . The online application only needs to be submitted once, so choose the platform you are most comfortable using.
As part of the online application you will be required to submit a(n):Essay | This is your opportunity to share your personality and experiences with the Admission Committee. A primary aim of our holistic admission review process is to look for evidence of applicants’ academic aptitude and readiness for Pomona through an assessment of recommendations, rigor of the curriculum, course choices, and grades. We will assess what is provided on all applicants’ transcripts using the same review process and standards. Prior to exercising this option afforded by , students are encouraged to speak with a school counselor or their school principal to ensure they are fully aware of all options before electing to have the grades replaced.
So, the big take-away ideas on the Common App Essay are these:
All individuals who complete the College’s application requirements for admission will be notified of a decision by the Office of Admissions. Decision notifications are limited to: admission, non-admission (or “deny”), placement on a waiting list, or the withdrawal of an application by the applicant or the institution. Pomona College considers all applicants who submit 1) an application (via the Common Application, Apply Coalition on Scoir, or QuestBridge) and 2) a transcript (official, unofficial or self-reported) to be eligible for a committee review and eligible for a decision. The Office of Admissions will notify students of any missing application components a minimum of twice prior to engaging in committee review for a given applicant. Applicants also have access to a self-service application portal to ensure application components are received. We reserve the right to request additional documents as appropriate during the review and decision-making process, but documents beyond the application and transcript are not required to receive a decision from the Admissions Committee. However, if conditionally admitted, final official transcripts are required to enroll at Pomona College.
The 2024-2025 Common Application essay prompts are as follows:
We superscore, which means that if you choose to have test scores considered as part of your application review, we'll consider your best test scores. For the SAT, we’ll consider the highest Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. For the ACT, we’ll combine the highest scores for each subtest from different exams for a new ACT Composite.
[Is a 600-Word Common Application Essay Too Long? - Ask The Dean](”)
IU's allows you to choose whether to have your SAT and/or ACT test scores considered as part of your application review—letting you decide how best to tell your academic story. Research indicates that for most students, high school GPA paired with test scores provides the best prediction of academic success at Indiana University. However, for some students a standardized test score may not show all that they are capable of or tell the full story of their potential.
[Is a 600-Word Common Application Essay Too Long? - Ask The Dean](”)
Pomona offers first-year applicants two application plan options: Early Decision (ED) or Regular Decision (RD). Depending on which plan you choose (ED or RD), there is a deadline by which you must submit your application. Supporting materials such as transcripts and letters of recommendation do not need to be submitted by the published deadlines, although we do encourage applicants to submit them as close to the deadline as possible. Applicants will have access to a portal where they can track our receipt of their application components, and we will email an applicant if a missing item prevents us from reading their application.