Over the past two weeks, the 5Cs hosted their respective annual admitted students days, where hundreds of prospective freshmen swarmed the campuses to see what the Claremont Colleges have to offer. Claremont McKenna College’s ‘Inside CMC’ Days were held on April 5 and 18; Pitzer College’s admitted students days were on April 12 and 18; Harvey Mudd College’s were on April 6; Scripps College’s took place on April 11; Pomona College’s was on April 14.
Though each college features unique activities for students during their annual admitted students days, most of them include student or faculty panels, community-building time, department fairs, meals at the respective dining halls and tours. The programming also aims to encourage admitted students to interact with their prospective future classmates.
Scripps admissions counselor Kyla Fisher said that Admitted Students Day is a highlight of her job.
“It’s my favorite day on campus every year,” she said. “It’s really become my baby that I’m very proud of. There is a lot of effort and work and people that go into making this event happen.”
Fisher said that admitted students days enable prospective students to develop a more concrete idea of the school and their college decision. Scripps students, for example, can sit in on student panels and Q&As in the morning, and participate in activities such as scavenger hunts and school traditions like Scripps Tea.
Students can also speak with professors about programs during an academic open house, held in the morning sessions of the day.
“We had about 25 different departments and offices represented, and they were able to answer questions about their departments, the majoring and minoring process, or just taking classes in their departments,” Fisher said.
In the short time that prospective students spent with professors and administration, Fisher said they were able to connect with their academic community.
“It’s so beautiful to already see the student-to-faculty connection built,” she said.
Prospective Scripps student Leah Kerner said being able to meet people and see the 5Cs in person was the best part of the day.
Similarly, Venice Harrison, another Scripps prospective student, said that she enjoyed meeting the community.
“My favorite thing has been just how awesome and amazing the people are,” they said. “I’ve just gotten to know so many people that are already committed or considering, it’s been really cool.”
Prospective student Natalia Federighi said that Scripps being both a women’s college and a liberal arts college attracted her to the school, describing the experience as uplifting. She added that she’s looking forward to independence in her first year in college.
“[I’m excited about] creating my own identity for myself, outside of seeing the same people every day for 13 years,” she said.
Harrison also said that they were excited for new independence and new connections in college.
“I’m super excited to meet new people,” Harrison said. “Also, living on my own for the first time. I’m definitely very independent, so I’m excited for that.”
Pomona’s Admitted Students Day brought similarly positive reactions from students and faculty members. According to Director of Admissions Adam Sapp, 294 high school seniors took part in the activities for the prospective Class of 2029.
In addition to a giant “Cecil the Sagehen” inflatable on the lawn of the Smith Campus Center, the admissions office planned extensive programming like Admitted Students Day panels meant to showcase unique aspects of campus culture. Further activities included a financial aid Q&A, lunch with current students at the Frank and Frary dining halls and an activities fair in which on-campus clubs and organizations advertised themselves to future Sagehens.
Of these students, approximately 80 visited Pomona’s campus as an extension of the previous day’s spring Perspectives on Pomona (POP) program.
This fly-in program offers prospective students a deeper glimpse into the Pomona College experience at no additional cost through admissions programming both before and after Admitted Students Day. Additionally, POP students spend time living in the dorms alongside current students as a way to experience college life.
According to tour guide Charles Liu PO ’28, this year’s POP attendance came out to 80 admitted students, twice what it was the year before.
“POP helps students from different backgrounds, especially first-generation or low-income, have a special programming,” Liu said. “They live with current Pomona students to get a more personal and immersive experience while also having special panels that’s just for them.”
One POP student was Ben Foley, a current high school senior from Cypress, Texas. Drawn to Pomona because of the liberal arts college atmosphere and personalized attention from professors, Foley immediately registered for the Spring POP program after opening his acceptance letter.
“I had already visited Pomona, and I loved the campus and wanted to go back,” Foley said. “I also really wanted to meet other Pomona students to get a glimpse of what the campus culture would be like.”
During Admitted Students Day, Foley attended a panel, explored the activities fair and attended a volleyball class with friends he’d made over the course of the program.
“At Pomona, I feel like everyone is really smart and motivated, but at the same time, they seem like they’re there to help you be your best and support you,” Foley said. “I didn’t really see that at a lot of other colleges I visited, so that felt very distinct in the moment.”
In administering and planning Admitted Students Day for Scripps, Fisher said it is “incredibly special” to watch the potential future class be welcomed onto campus and to meet each other.
“It’s a really wonderful day for everybody, and it’s so great to see faculty and staff be really involved in welcoming students to campus,” she said. “We’re the people who’ve met these students and read their applications and sign[ed] their admissions letters, and now it’s so nice to see the rest of the community take it from there.”
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