Pomona was my #BestFit
Hi, my name is Ben and I will be attending Pomona College in southern California.
While academics were my first priority when selecting schools, I sought schools where I could supplement my academic interests with my athletic pursuits in soccer. Pomona provides the common lures shared by liberal arts colleges of equal calibre: top professors and resources, small class sizes, and a great campus. Yet, they offered me an intangible unavailable at other institutions — their academic community. They attract students that learn to satisfy their intellectual zealousness — not just a grade — and there was an overwhelming atmosphere of collaboration surrounding the students I met. Additionally, Pomona’s prioritization of an ‘academics first’ attitude among student-athletes was reassuring, and satisfied my expectation to make zero academic sacrifices while fulfilling my athletic pursuits.
Within the rigor of the IB, the academic, emotional, and networking-related support offered by Dulwich has been invaluable. Few places achieve Dulwich’s balance between academic achievement and student wellbeing, and the immense efforts made by all staff should be commended. Dulwich’s support has been equally valuable outside the classroom; in my case, within the Dulwich Earthquakes Football Club community. In addition to their mentorship, the coaching staff’s connections with coaches in both the US and the UK have been incredibly useful for its players. With the credibility of their coaching certifications, their recommendations and testimonials were especially valuable for me as an international recruit, as my exposure to coaches abroad was limited.
My advice to future IB students — try to minimize the time spent ‘settling in’, and don’t fall into the trap of using this to justify laziness. Undesirable grades in Term 1 of Year 12 will bite back in the future, and maintaining solid, consistent performances throughout the entire two-year course will save much unneeded stress. Good luck to all future Dulwich cohorts!
