The Claremont Colleges: a guide to the 5Cs and graduate institutions
Ten lessons on how the Claremont Colleges work: seven institutions, separate applications, cross-registration limits, choosing a home college and the two graduate institutions.
A guide built from the colleges' own pages, read in October 2026. Policies differ by college and change; confirm on each college's site. Examples use invented numbers.
None.
Course outline
What the Claremont Colleges are
Name the seven institutions and explain how a consortium differs from one university.
Applying to the five undergraduate colleges
Plan separate applications and understand the application platforms Pomona accepts.
Cross-registration and the consortium advantage
Understand how students take courses across colleges and why limits matter.
Choosing a home college within the 5Cs
Compare the five undergraduate colleges by mission, size and fit using official pages.
The graduate institutions: CGU and KGI
Understand the two graduate institutions in the consortium and how they differ from the 5Cs.
Deadlines side by side: four of the 5Cs
Read the official deadline tables and build one calendar for the colleges you apply to.
Testing policies: optional, free and returning
Know which college requires, allows or ignores SAT and ACT scores and when that changes.
Application requirements: what each college asks for
Compare the common items and the extras that vary.
Financial aid at the 5Cs
Plan aid forms and compare net cost, not sticker price.
Early Decision strategy and your final plan
Decide whether to apply early and build a plan that fits your list.
Sources and curriculum note
Reviewed October 7, 2026. Confirm policies on each college's site.
Read every lesson below. The interactive reader above contains the same explanations, with visual tools and quizzes.
1. What the Claremont Colleges are
Learning goal: Name the seven institutions and explain how a consortium differs from one university.
The Claremont Colleges are seven institutions in Claremont, California, about 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Five are undergraduate liberal arts colleges: Pomona College, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College and Pitzer College. Two are graduate institutions: Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute.
Each institution has its own student body, faculty, governance, curricular emphasis, culture and mission. The consortium adds shared programs and services, so students enrolled at one college can use the cooperation of the others. The consortium lists more than 8,000 students and 546 acres on contiguous campuses.
The five undergraduate colleges are often called the 5Cs. They are close enough to walk between. Pomona says its students can choose from 630 Pomona classes or over 2,700 options through cross-registration across the five undergraduate colleges.
The key idea: you are admitted to one college, not to the consortium. Choose the college whose mission, majors and community fit you, then use the others as extras.
Worked example
Count the institutions (invented check).
5 undergraduate.
2 graduate.
5 + 2.
7 institutions.
Practice problem and solution
How many undergraduate colleges are in the consortium? Enter a number.
Pomona, Scripps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Pitzer.
Mental model: Seven institutions, five undergraduate, apply to each separately.
Common trap: Assuming one application reaches all five colleges.
2. Applying to the five undergraduate colleges
Learning goal: Plan separate applications and understand the application platforms Pomona accepts.
The consortium says prospective students apply to each campus of interest individually. That means separate requirements, essays, deadlines and decisions at each college. A strong application to one college is not an application to the others.
Pomona accepts the Common Application, the Coalition application on Scoir and the QuestBridge application, and says it gives no preference based on which you submit. Check each college's own page, because platforms and supplements can differ.
Pomona also offers Early Decision rounds, ED I and ED II. Early Decision is binding, so use it only if the college is your clear first choice and the financial package will work. Pomona says both rounds are evaluated the same way; the only difference is timing. Other colleges have their own early options.
Make a college-by-college table: platform, supplements, deadlines, interview options and aid forms. Fill it from each official admissions page and date your notes. This is the same method you would use for any list of selective schools.
Worked example
You apply to all 5 colleges with 2 supplement essays each (invented). Total supplement essays?
5 colleges.
2 each.
5 x 2.
10 essays.
Practice problem and solution
5 colleges with 3 required essays each. How many essays in total? (Invented.)
5 x 3 = 15.
Mental model: Apply to each college. Check platforms and early rounds on each page.
Common trap: Assuming all five colleges have the same rules.
3. Cross-registration and the consortium advantage
Learning goal: Understand how students take courses across colleges and why limits matter.
Students are enrolled at one college but can take classes at the others. This is called cross-registration. Pomona lists more than 2,700 class options through cross-registration. The Harvey Mudd admissions page also points students to how they register for courses at other colleges.
Limits are set by each college. Claremont McKenna says first-years and sophomores may take one course off-campus and juniors and seniors may take two, which is half of the course load. Courses in joint and cooperative programs do not count against that limit. Other colleges have their own policies, so check yours.
Use cross-registration for subject depth: a course in a field your home college lacks, an advanced seminar or a language. Plan around timetable and walking time, and check that courses count toward your major or distribution requirements.
The advantage is real but not unlimited. Treat it as a way to add breadth, not a way to avoid your home college's requirements. Ask the registrar before you plan an entire semester off-campus.
Worked example
A CMC junior takes 4 courses, 2 of them off campus (invented). What fraction is off campus?
2 of 4.
= 1/2.
That matches half of the load.
Within the junior limit of 2 courses.
Practice problem and solution
A CMC junior takes 4 courses. What is the maximum number off-campus under the stated limit?
Juniors and seniors may take 2, which is half of a typical load.
Mental model: Home college rules apply. Check limits and credit with the registrar.
Common trap: Planning off-campus courses without checking the limit.
4. Choosing a home college within the 5Cs
Learning goal: Compare the five undergraduate colleges by mission, size and fit using official pages.
Each college has its own mission and culture. The consortium says each institution has its own student body, faculty, governance and curricular emphasis. Use that: read each college's about page and note what it says about itself.
Compare on questions that matter to you: size of the student body, strengths in your majors, how the curriculum works, and the community feel. Harvey Mudd is known on its own pages for science and engineering, and others differ. Always cite the college's own page before you rely on a claim.
Visit if you can, or attend virtual sessions. Talk to current students and look at sample schedules. Ask how cross-registration works in practice for your interests.
Build a weighted decision table. Rate each college on fit, curriculum, cost after aid and community. Weights reflect your priorities, not a national ranking. Revisit it after each visit or conversation.
Worked example
Weights: fit 40, curriculum 30, cost 30 (invented). A college scores 8, 7, 6 out of 10. Weighted score?
8x0.4 = 3.2.
7x0.3 = 2.1.
6x0.3 = 1.8.
Total 7.1.
Practice problem and solution
Weights 40, 30, 30 and scores 8, 7, 6. Weighted score out of 10?
3.2 + 2.1 + 1.8 = 7.1.
Mental model: Compare on your priorities with official data and visits.
Common trap: Choosing by a ranking alone.
5. The graduate institutions: CGU and KGI
Learning goal: Understand the two graduate institutions in the consortium and how they differ from the 5Cs.
The consortium includes two graduate institutions: Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute. Like the colleges, each has its own student body, faculty and governance. Admission to a graduate institution is separate from admission to an undergraduate college.
Graduate applicants apply to the institution they want. Look at each institution's own admissions page for programs, deadlines and requirements. Do not assume a Claremont undergraduate degree gives preference or any guaranteed place; check what each page says.
Use the same decision method as before: list programs, deadlines and costs, then fill a table from official pages. For funding, look at each institution's financial aid page.
If you are choosing between a graduate program here and elsewhere, compare faculty fit, funding, placement outcomes and location. The next course family on this site covers masters, law, medical, MBA and PhD paths.
Worked example
Two graduate institutions; you apply to both with 1 statement each (invented). How many statements?
2 institutions.
1 statement each.
2 x 1.
2 statements.
Practice problem and solution
How many graduate institutions are in the consortium? Enter a number.
Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute.
Mental model: Separate graduate admission. Check each page.
Common trap: Assuming undergraduate status carries over.
6. Deadlines side by side: four of the 5Cs
Learning goal: Read the official deadline tables and build one calendar for the colleges you apply to.
Four colleges publish first-year deadlines that look alike but are not identical. Early Decision I is November 15 at Scripps, Pitzer and Harvey Mudd. Early Decision II and Regular Decision are January 8 at Scripps, January 10 at Pitzer and January 5 at Harvey Mudd. These are the dates published for the current cycle on each college's page, read in October 2026.
Other dates matter as much. Scripps lists an interview deadline and a financial aid deadline for each plan, with aid for ED I due November 15 and for ED II and RD due January 31. Harvey Mudd lists CSS Profile, IDOC and FAFSA dates for each plan and a merit scholarship deadline of February 1. Pitzer lists optional interview deadlines.
Decision release also differs: Harvey Mudd releases ED I decisions December 15 and RD decisions April 1, Pitzer by December 18 for ED I and by April 1 for RD, and Scripps mid-December for ED I and by April 1 for RD. Reply dates for RD are May 1.
Build a single calendar with every deadline, each written with its time zone, including aid forms, recommendations and interviews. Copy the dates from each official page, add the date you checked, and re-check before you submit, because colleges can change them.
Worked example
Scripps ED II is due January 8 and Pitzer January 10 (current cycle). How many days apart are they?
Same month.
10 - 8.
= 2.
Pitzer is 2 days later.
Practice problem and solution
Scripps RD is due January 8 and Harvey Mudd RD January 5. How many days between them? Enter a number.
8 - 5 = 3.
Mental model: Dates look alike but differ. Build one calendar from official pages.
Common trap: Using last year's dates.
7. Testing policies: optional, free and returning
Learning goal: Know which college requires, allows or ignores SAT and ACT scores and when that changes.
Policies differ by college and are changing. Scripps says submitting SAT or ACT scores is completely optional, you do not need to justify not submitting and you are not disadvantaged. If you submit, Scripps superscores across test dates.
Pitzer has a test-free policy through the 2026-2027 admission cycle and plans to return to test-optional beginning with the 2027-2028 cycle. Harvey Mudd says it is test-optional for students applying to enter in fall 2027.
Claremont McKenna extended its provisional test-optional policy to applicants applying through the fall 2027 entry term and says it will return to a test-required policy for the fall 2028 application cycle. That is a clear example of why year matters.
Decide with your record: if your scores strengthen your case relative to the rest of your file, consider submitting where allowed. Where test-free applies, scores are not considered. Always read the page for your entry year.
Worked example
A student applies for fall 2027 entry. Which of the policies above apply to Harvey Mudd?
Entry term: fall 2027.
HMC says test-optional.
Not required.
Optional.
Practice problem and solution
CMC returns to test-required for the fall 2028 cycle. How many years after fall 2027 is that? Enter a number.
2028 - 2027 = 1.
Mental model: Test policy varies by college and entry year. Read each page.
Common trap: Applying a policy from the wrong year.
8. Application requirements: what each college asks for
Learning goal: Compare the common items and the extras that vary.
Pitzer lists the Common Application, a 70 dollar fee or fee waiver request, the Pitzer writing supplement, one teacher recommendation, the school report, a mid-year report and official transcripts. Claremont McKenna lists the Common or Coalition application, a 70 dollar fee or waiver, school report and counselor recommendation, one teacher recommendation and official transcripts.
Scripps's international checklist lists the Common Application, a 60 dollar fee, a school report and counselor recommendation, two academic teacher recommendations, official transcripts and English test results where needed. Fees and counts differ, so treat these as examples and check the college's current page.
Interviews are offered at some colleges and are often optional. Several colleges publish an interview deadline earlier than the application deadline. Book early.
Make a requirements matrix: rows are items, columns are colleges. It shows quickly where one recommendation serves several colleges and where you need extra writing. Ask teachers early and give them your list.
Worked example
Applying to Pitzer and CMC with 70 dollar fees (invented: no waivers). Total fees?
Two colleges.
70 each.
2 x 70.
140 dollars.
Practice problem and solution
Two colleges each charge 70 dollars and you have no waiver. Total in dollars? Enter a number.
2 x 70 = 140.
Mental model: Common items plus college-specific extras. Build a matrix.
Common trap: Assuming one recommendation set fits every college.
9. Financial aid at the 5Cs
Learning goal: Plan aid forms and compare net cost, not sticker price.
Harvey Mudd lists the CSS Profile and FAFSA with each plan: for ED I both are due November 15, for ED II January 5 and for RD February 1 for both, with the IDOC due on separate later dates. CMC also lists the FAFSA and CSS Profile for applicants applying for aid.
Scripps has its own financial aid deadlines: November 15 for ED I and January 31 for ED II and RD. Aid deadlines can be earlier than the application deadline and in some years they differ by plan, so check each college.
Use each college's net price calculator and compare offers by net cost: tuition, housing and fees minus grants. Early Decision is binding, so use the calculator before you commit and make sure the package will work.
Keep a record of each form, due date, login and confirmation. If a family situation changes, contact the aid office early.
Worked example
Cost 90,000, grants 65,000 (invented). Net cost?
Cost minus grants.
90,000 - 65,000.
= 25,000.
Per year.
Practice problem and solution
Cost 90,000 and grants 65,000. Net cost in dollars?
90,000 - 65,000 = 25,000.
Mental model: Aid forms have their own dates. Compare net cost before committing.
Common trap: Starting aid forms after the admission deadline.
10. Early Decision strategy and your final plan
Learning goal: Decide whether to apply early and build a plan that fits your list.
Harvey Mudd has two Early Decision rounds, November 15 and January 5, and says the only difference is the deadline. Scripps says applicants may only apply under one admission plan for each entry term. Early Decision is binding if you are admitted.
If you are denied in Early Decision at Harvey Mudd, you may not apply under Regular Decision there. Students may only have one active Early Decision application at a time, but if denied in round one elsewhere, they may apply ED II at another school with a later deadline.
Use Early Decision only if one college is clearly your first choice and the aid package works. Check the aid calculators before you apply. If you are unsure, Regular Decision keeps options open.
Final plan: pick a home college, list requirements, put every date in one calendar, ask teachers early, run the net price calculators and re-check each page a week before submission.
Worked example
You plan ED I on November 15 and RD on January 8 for different colleges (invented). Days between the two dates? Nov 15 to Jan 8.
Nov 15 to Nov 30 is 15 days.
December has 31.
Plus 8 in January.
54 days.
Practice problem and solution
From November 15 to January 8 how many days? Enter a number.
15 + 31 + 8 = 54.
Mental model: Use ED only for a clear first choice with a workable aid package.
Common trap: Applying ED without checking the net price.