How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Pomona College: Biology, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience Majors in a Liberal Arts College, No Nursing in the Majors List, Prehealth Advising From First Year, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Pomona College is a liberal arts college in Claremont, California, a member of the Claremont Colleges, and enrolls undergraduates only. It lists 48 majors. The life-science majors are mainly Biology, Molecular Biology and Neuroscience, next to Chemistry, Cognitive Science and others; the majors list I read has no nursing and no public health. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and Pomona has a separate Prehealth Advising office, described below. This guide follows Pomona’s own pages for fall 2027 entry and speaks to U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students. One caution: the degree requirements are in catalog.pomona.edu, a third-party Coursedog catalog that I did not open, so required-course lists are “not stated on the pages I read.”

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Biology: the major page says the curriculum gives a broad background in biology with room to specialize, and students test hypotheses, design experiments and do investigations in the lab, field and classroom. Topics include evolution and ecology; genetics, cell biology and bioinformatics; animal and plant physiology, developmental biology, animal behavior and conservation biology; the process of biological inquiry; and field and laboratory methods. The page says biology majors go on to graduate work, the health professions, or careers in government, business, law, journalism, teaching, environmental consulting, conservation or biotechnology. The department states six skills-based learning outcomes (hypotheses and experimental design, statistics, scientific communication, reading the literature, collaboration, independent research).
• Molecular Biology: an interdisciplinary major supported by faculty from Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience and Physics. The page says a solid foundation in chemistry, biology, math and physics is needed, and some core courses incorporate investigative research; more than 80 percent of majors have done at least one summer research project. Study includes cell structure, function and biochemistry; genetics and genomics; general, organic and physical chemistry; molecular research methods; and fundamental math and physics.
• Neuroscience: the page says its heart is biology, psychology and chemistry. The major includes core courses in biology, chemistry, math and psychological science, cell and molecular, systems-level and human neuroscience, electives, and a senior experimental thesis or project thesis; 91 percent of majors take part in laboratory research projects.
• Other related: Chemistry, Cognitive Science, Psychology and Environmental Analysis exist as majors; they are not covered here.
• Degree: the transfer FAQ refers to a B.A. degree; the pages I read do not mention a B.S. or a degree-type split for these majors. DHS STEM designation for these majors: not stated on the pages I read. Nursing bachelor’s: none in the majors list. BS/MD-type direct routes to medical school: not stated.

2. Admission

• Applying: the application review page says Pomona does not rely on cut-offs or formulas and reads the whole application. The pages I read do not mention reviewing by major or major-specific quotas. The application includes a 150-word Academic Interest Statement asking what draws you to the subject(s) you chose as potential majors; if undecided, write about an academic passion.
• When to declare a major and the course grades needed to enter Biology, Molecular Biology or Neuroscience: not stated on the pages I read. See the college catalog or the departments’ academic coordinators (Biology: biology@pomona.edu; Neuroscience and Molecular Biology: christine.schabow@pomona.edu).
• Course requirements are in the third-party catalog, which I did not read; the department pages give learning objectives only.

3. Pre-med: what Prehealth Advising says

• Prehealth Advising supports students from first year through the professional-school application: exploring careers, tailoring schedules to prerequisites, finding research and clinical opportunities. For medical and dental school applications it offers a year-long, high-touch process (the “Pomona Process”) that reviews applicant materials and readiness.
• Major: the office says there is no preferred major and that your major does not affect your chance of admission to health professions programs; choose what interests you most.
• Prerequisites (the office’s table): General Biology with lab, one year (sample Pomona courses BIO 40 Genetics, offered only pass/fail, and BIO 41C Cell Biology); Chemistry with lab, two years (CHEM 10A, offered only pass/fail, and 10B; or CHEM 20A and 20B; or CHEM 50, an accelerated one-semester course covering a year of chemistry); Organic Chemistry with lab and Biochemistry (CHEM 101, 105); Physics with lab, one year (PHYS 41 and 42 for non-majors, or PHYS 70, 71 and 72 for majors); English/writing-intensive, half to one year (ID1 or English). Some medical schools may also require or recommend calculus, statistics, second-semester organic chemistry, upper-level biology and behavioral or social sciences. Check each school’s requirements.
• FAQ advice: take biochemistry (most dental and veterinary programs require it, about a third of medical schools do, and it is 25% of the MCAT); take one math course at Math 29 or above and one statistics course; do not take prerequisites pass/no pass (the only exceptions are CHEM 10A or 20A and BIO 40 in the first or second year); whether AP credit counts is up to each school and there is no standard.
• Timeline: the student guide says about 15% of Pomona students go directly to medical or dental school after graduating (applying after junior year), while most U.S. medical students take 1–2 gap years. It suggests chemistry, biology (if you want) and exploring research in first year; organic chemistry, intro biology and choosing a major in second year; physics, biochemistry and MCAT preparation in junior year.
• Medical-school acceptance statistics: not stated on the pages I read. Separate guidance for international students and limits on applying to U.S. medical schools: not stated; contact prehealth.advising@pomona.edu. BS/MD or similar programs: not stated.

4. High school preparation

• Pomona says these are recommendations, not admission requirements: four or five academic courses each term; four years each of English, natural science and mathematics, with two of the science courses being lab science; calculus for students interested in STEM majors; three years each of foreign language and social science.
• AP, IB and A-Level credit: the international FAQ says Advanced Standing credit is granted for AP scores of 4 or 5, IB Higher Level scores of 6 or 7 and comparable GCE A-Level results; a year-long course earns one credit and a semester course half; exams that duplicate each other are not credited twice; a maximum of two Advanced Standing credits count toward the 32 needed to graduate.
• IB math: for IB students who want a STEM major, Pomona recommends Math Analysis HL; this is a recommendation, not a requirement. Math Applications HL may suit some STEM-interested students; Math Applications SL is considered the least rigorous of the four options.
• Math or chemistry placement and the first- and second-year required sequences for the three majors: not stated on the pages I read. The prehealth page gives a sample first-year schedule for aspiring neuroscience majors: fall CHEM 10A/20A/50, BIO 40, ID1 and an elective; spring CHEM 10B/20B, BIO 41C and electives.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

Caution: the deadlines on the paths-to-apply page are printed without a year, and the essay prompts are labeled for fall 2026 applicants, so check the dates for fall 2027 entry.

• Early Decision I (binding): November 8; decisions by December 15; reply date January 1.
• Early Decision II (binding): January 8; decisions by February 15; reply date March 1.
• Regular Decision: January 8; decisions by April 1; reply date May 1.
• Platform and fee: Apply Coalition on Scoir, the Common App or QuestBridge, with no preference among them; $80 fee, waived through the Pomona Access Pass form.
• Materials: transcript (official, unofficial or self-reported), school report and counselor recommendation, a mid-year report by February 15, two letters from teachers of core academic subjects, the 150-word Academic Interest Statement and a 250-word short response (one of three prompts). Pomona says an application plus a transcript makes you eligible for a decision.
• Testing: test-optional, with self-reported scores; applicants who submit the ACT must include the Science section; about half of applicants submit a test.

6. U.S. applicants

• Costs: Pomona is private and its cost page shows one tuition figure. For 2026-27 on campus: tuition $71,660, fees $420, housing and food $23,590, total $95,670; living off campus $92,572 and with parents or relatives $87,284; travel and personal $1,500–2,600; medical insurance about $3,312 (waivable with comparable coverage). From fall 2026 the college supplies books and supplies through its ACE program, included in the comprehensive fee. Program fees specific to the life-science majors: not stated.
• Aid: Pomona says it meets the full demonstrated need of eligible students with grants and a modest student employment allotment, and does not use loans to meet need; it does not give merit or athletic scholarships. Aid application deadlines: Early Decision 1 November 15, Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision January 15, transfer students March 1.
• Residency: the pages I read do not mention preference for California residents.
• Research and internships: the international page says 62% of students worked with faculty on research; the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) funds summer research; the biology pages mention the Bernard Field Station and student research projects, and the molecular biology and neuroscience pages feature student research. Students can take classes and do research across the Claremont Colleges. Numbers of lab or clinical places: not stated.

7. International applicants

• Review: all applicants follow the same guidelines and deadlines; you do not need the Common App international supplement. Pomona says it evaluates each applicant within their own local context and does not compare grades, activities and recommendations between international and U.S. applicants. It also says the overall admit rate for international students is roughly the same as for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
• Transcripts: non-English transcripts need official English translations; if your secondary school is three years (grades 10–12), send grade 9 as well as grades 10–12, with no need to recalculate your GPA.
• English: required if English is not the primary language of instruction at your secondary school: TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo (official or self-reported; enrolling students submit official reports, and discrepancies can jeopardize an offer). The international FAQ gives these minimums: TOEFL iBT and iBT Home Edition 100, TOEFL ITP Plus for China Solutions 627, IELTS 7, Duolingo 130, with no sub-score minimums. The international page’s testing profile shows TOEFL 5 (without naming the scale), IELTS 7 and Duolingo 130, so the two pages differ; check the latest.
• Interviews: InitialView, Vericant and Duolingo interviews are optional supplements and do not replace the English tests.
• Aid: admission is need-aware for international applicants, but Pomona meets the full need of admitted international students, without loans, and has no merit or athletic scholarships. The FAQ says roughly half of admitted international students receive aid; the international page says 41% of international students receive need-based aid, averaging nearly $74,000 a year. Aid applicants submit the CSS Profile (code 4607), or the Pomona International Financial Aid Application if the CSS fee is a burden. International students can ask for reimbursement of one trip home, may work on campus, and stay F-1 for a year after graduation. International students must enroll in the college health insurance plan (SHIP).
• Research and internships: international students can take part in the Career Development Office’s internship programs and in SURP, with the same stipends as domestic students; F-1 students need CPT authorization before an internship.
• Limits for international students in nursing or clinical placements: not stated on the pages I read (Pomona has no nursing major). Pomona offers no ESL or remedial courses; students are expected to be fluent in English.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages I read do not explain how it is used and do not mention the Huikao; not published, contact admissions (admissions@pomona.edu).
• English: Pomona explicitly accepts the TOEFL ITP Plus for China Solution with a minimum of 627, along with TOEFL iBT, the Home Edition, IELTS and Duolingo (section 7).
• Transcripts: official English translations if not in English; if your secondary school has only three years (grades 10–12), add grade 9. Pomona says its officers are familiar with the educational systems of most countries and welcome extra explanation of yours.
• Interviews: InitialView, Vericant and Duolingo interviews are optional.
• Math and science expectations: no separate expectations are published for the Chinese curriculum; follow section 4 and confirm with admissions.
• Any other China-specific guidance and limits for life-science majors: not stated on the pages I read.

9. Transfer

• Who counts: applicants who will have completed at least one year of full-time college work by the time they enroll, at a regionally accredited community college, or a public, private or international university. Applicants who already hold a bachelor’s degree are not accepted.
• Fall 2027 deadlines: application February 15, 2027; financial aid March 1; notified by April 9; reply date June 1; supporting documents (transcripts, recommendations, College and Mid-Term Reports) may arrive until March 5, 2027. Fall entry only.
• Materials: Apply Coalition on Scoir or the Common App for Transfer; three essays (650-word personal essay, 400-word academic interest statement, 250-word short response); official transcripts from all colleges and the final secondary transcript; a College Report; a Mid-Term Report; two academic evaluations from college instructors; $80 fee; testing optional.
• Standing and credit: transfers enter as sophomores or juniors (8–16 credits) and must spend at least four full-time semesters at Pomona to receive the B.A.; at most 16 course credits transfer; credits generally transfer if earned at a regionally accredited institution, in person, with a C or better, and if the Claremont Colleges offer a comparable course. An evaluation arrives with the offer.
• Required courses: Pomona says it has no required courses for transfer applicants, but recommends completing general education first. Of the six breadth areas, Area 4 (Physical and Biological Sciences) includes astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, molecular biology, neuroscience and physics.
• International transfer: same deadlines; official translations of non-English transcripts; the English test cannot be waived for applicants currently at U.S. colleges; international transfer applicants must apply for aid when they apply and can receive aid meeting 100% of need.
• The chemistry, biology and calculus sequences and GPA needed to move into Biology, Molecular Biology or Neuroscience: not stated on the pages I read; contact transfer@pomona.edu and the departments.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• ED I November 8, ED II and Regular January 8 (check the dates for fall 2027 entry); testing optional; two teacher recommendations
• Prehealth Advising from first year; no preferred major; prerequisites: biology, two years of chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry, physics, writing

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 100 (ITP Plus China Solution 627), IELTS 7, Duolingo 130; the international page also shows TOEFL 5, so check the latest
• Official English translations; confirm how the Gaokao is used with admissions; need-aware admission but full need is met, so apply for aid with the application

Transfer students:

• Apply by February 15, 2027; at least one full year of college; up to 16 credits at C or better; two instructor evaluations

Sources: Pomona College, Academics and majors list; Biology major; Molecular Biology major; Neuroscience major; Biology courses and requirements; Neuroscience courses and requirements; Prehealth Advising; Prehealth: prepare; Prehealth: academic preparation; Prehealth student guide; Prehealth FAQs; Application review; Paths to apply and deadlines; International applicants; International applicant FAQs; Transfer applicants; Cost of attendance 2026-27; Financial aid. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check Pomona’s website for the latest.