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ɫ��ɫ released today data related to its class of 2028. The College received 12,249 applications for the class of 2028, which is a record number for Pomona. Based on self-identification, Latina/o students enrolled at similar rates (17.9% of the incoming class) to last year. Asian students (21.3%) increased by nearly three percentage points while students identifying as White (29.4%) increased by just under two percentage points. The incoming cohort of Black students decreased considerably to 5.0% versus 9.8% the previous year. Students who chose not to identify by race or ethnicity rose by approximately four percentage points to 5.0% from the previous year. The percentage of students who chose two or more races was 6.9%.

The newest class of Sagehens is the first one to be admitted after the in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College effectively ended race-conscious college and university admissions. While the College’s incoming class remains one of the most racially diverse in the country, with 51% domestic students of color, the College is still examining the impact of last year’s Supreme Court decision.

“Even though we braced ourselves for a negative impact on the diversity of our admitted students after the Supreme Court decision last summer, it is still disappointing to see a drop in enrollment in certain student groups,” says Jonathan Williams, vice president for admissions and financial aid. “ɫ��ɫ will continue to seek talented applicants from all backgrounds. We will continue to strive for a student population that meaningfully reflects our nation’s democratic strengths and values.”

He adds, “We’re at an inflection point in college admissions. Major events since the pandemic such as the Supreme Court decision, test-optional policies and FAFSA issues have decidedly affected admissions and recruitment efforts for colleges and universities across the country. At Pomona we will continue to utilize a contextual review of applications to ensure the College continues to enroll talented students from all backgrounds.”

“Every Sagehen who has been admitted to our College is a unique individual with extraordinary talents, and we celebrate them,” says President G. Gabrielle Starr. “But we worry that there are talented students whom we might miss, and we continue to hold to our core value that the richness of our educational community and a commitment to academic excellence require a college that not only is open and inclusive but that celebrates the full range of humanity.”

Through its contextual review process, the College makes sure that no admissions decision is based on a singular piece of information. The College permanently adopted a standardized test-optional policy in 2023. Of this year’s class, 48% submitted standardized testing scores while 52% did not.

For years now, Pomona’s admissions process has emphasized a review of the whole student to elevate both the academic and personal profiles of the applicants that makes them stand out in a very competitive pool of applicants. More than this, the success of our students—their high graduation rates across every demographic, as well as the range of their academic and personal victories and their lifelong achievements—testify that every student at Pomona has always deserved to be here.

American higher education leads the world because we have shown, again and again, that democracy thrives when we find talent wherever it lies, and whomever embodies it. Pomona’s partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) continue to be vital in enrolling students from all backgrounds. Fifty-one students in this year’s class engaged with a CBO including 17 QuestBridge Match Scholars and 19 Posse Scholars. Twenty-three percent of first-year students will be the first in their families to attend college, the highest percentage in ɫ��ɫ’s history.

Pomona's quest to build a diverse community of scholars is global in scope. International student enrollment in the incoming class rose by nearly one percentage point (14.4%) over the previous year. Thirty-eight countries are represented in the class of 2028, with the top five most numerous being China, South Korea, India, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The College is among a fortunate few to provide access to higher education for domestic students on a need-blind basis. This is critical in our mission to seek out the most talented students regardless of need or circumstance. More than half of the incoming class (55%) received financial assistance with an average offer of $73,615 of grant aid. Pomona does not include loans in its financial aid packages. ɫ��ɫ aid is awarded in the form of grants and student employment that are not required to be paid back. The total amount of largely endowment-funded grants awarded to the class of 2028 amounted to $16,929,634. In addition to meeting demonstrated financial need with generous aid packages, Pomona provides estimates on what federal aid an applicant may receive. This combination of ɫ��ɫ grants as well as estimates helps students, families, guardians, and counselors expedite the decision process.

“Our pride in our College comes from the strength of its amazing students and faculty, and we will continue efforts to bring the best to our campus,” says Starr.