Pomona College SAT & ACT Scores

Pomona first went test-optional for students applying for fall 2021 entry, extended the policy for several years, and made it permanent in 2023. When you apply, you say whether you want scores considered. If you say yes, you self-report them later in the applicant portal, and official reports are needed only if you enroll. If you say no, Pomona will not consider your scores even if they appear on your transcript. You may send the SAT or the ACT; if you send the ACT, Pomona requires the Science section, and it superscores ACT section scores across sittings. Pomona says there is no admissions advantage to submitting a test.

Pomona does not publish a combined SAT median or a middle range in its class profile. It reports a median Reading and Writing score and a median Math score for students who submitted a test, so compare each of your section scores with those medians rather than looking only at your total.

Because Pomona is test-optional, these medians describe only the students who chose to submit. In recent classes, roughly half of enrolled students applied without scores, and they are not reflected in any SAT figure. Pomona says applicants should decide whether their scores accurately reflect their ability.

If your SAT sections are at or above the medians Pomona reports, sending your scores can add to your application. If they are below, your transcript, essays and recommendations can carry your application without them, and Pomona says not submitting carries no penalty.

The median ACT composite among enrolled students who submitted a test was 34. Pomona's profile does not give a middle range or section scores. If you send the ACT, you must include the Science section, and Pomona superscores section scores across versions of the ACT with and without Science.

As with the SAT, this median reflects only students who chose to submit. A composite at or above 34 is in line with that group. Because Pomona asks for Science on any ACT you send, plan your test dates so you have a Science score you are happy with.

Pomona offers two binding Early Decision rounds, Early Decision I and Early Decision II, and Regular Decision. The two Early Decision rounds are evaluated the same way; Early Decision II simply has a later date, which leaves time for more senior-year grades or another test. Pomona does not offer Early Action.

If you plan to send scores to Pomona, aim for an ACT composite at or above 34, or SAT section scores at or above the medians in Pomona's class profile. Because Pomona is test-optional and says there is no advantage to submitting, you may choose to leave out scores below those levels.

Pomona says test scores are one factor among many, and far from the most important. Its review weighs academic achievement, course rigor, essays, recommendations from teachers and counselors, and what you would add to the community. With an admit rate of about 6.9%, every part of the application matters more than any single score.