A method of preparing a polycarbonate composition, comprising: melt polymerizing in a polymerization unit a dihydroxy compound of formula: wherein R a and R b are each independently a halogen, C 1-12 alkoxy, or C 1-12 alkyl; p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4; X a is a substituted or unsubstituted C 3-18 cycloalkylidene; a C 1-25 alkylidene of the formula -C(R c)(R d) - wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen, C 1-12 alkyl, C 1-12 cycloalkyl, C 7-12 arylalkyl, C 1-12 heteroalkyl, or cyclic C 7-12 heteroarylalkyl; or a group of the formula -C(=R e)- wherein R e is a divalent C 1-12 hydrocarbon group; with a diaryl carbonate compound of formula wherein each n is independently an integer of 1 to 3 and each R i is independently a linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1-34 alkyl, C 1-34 alkoxy, C 5-34 cycloalkyl, C 7-34 alkylaryl, C 6-34 aryl, a halogen radical, or -C(=O)OR' wherein R' is H, linear or branched C 1-34 alkyl, C 1-34 alkoxy, C 5-34 cycloalkyl, C 7-34 alkylaryl, or C 6-34 aryl; and removing a stream of color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group from the polymerization unit, to form a polycarbonate composition; wherein the polycarbonate composition has a color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group level less than or equal to 170 ppm determined in accordance with the method laid down in the description, wherein said color inducing species comprises isopropenyl phenol, an isopropenyl phenol dimer, an isopropenyl phenol trimer, an isopropenyl phenol oligomer, an isopropenyl phenyl carbonate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, wherein the polymerization unit comprises an oligomerization section and a polymerization section, and wherein the color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group is removed from the oligomerization section, wherein the oligomerization section further comprises an extraction column that extracts phenol from the oligomerization section and returns the dihydroxy compound, the diaryl carbonate compound or a mixture thereof, to the oligomerization section, the removing comprising removing a color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group from the extraction column. melt polymerizing in a polymerization unit a dihydroxy compound of formula: wherein R a and R b are each independently a halogen, C 1-12 alkoxy, or C 1-12 alkyl; p and q are each independently integers of 0 to 4; X a is a substituted or unsubstituted C 3-18 cycloalkylidene; a C 1-25 alkylidene of the formula -C(R c)(R d) - wherein R c and R d are each independently hydrogen, C 1-12 alkyl, C 1-12 cycloalkyl, C 7-12 arylalkyl, C 1-12 heteroalkyl, or cyclic C 7-12 heteroarylalkyl; or a group of the formula -C(=R e)- wherein R e is a divalent C 1-12 hydrocarbon group; with a diaryl carbonate compound of formula wherein each n is independently an integer of 1 to 3 and each R i is independently a linear or branched, optionally substituted C 1-34 alkyl, C 1-34 alkoxy, C 5-34 cycloalkyl, C 7-34 alkylaryl, C 6-34 aryl, a halogen radical, or -C(=O)OR' wherein R' is H, linear or branched C 1-34 alkyl, C 1-34 alkoxy, C 5-34 cycloalkyl, C 7-34 alkylaryl, or C 6-34 aryl; and removing a stream of color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group from the polymerization unit, to form a polycarbonate composition; wherein the polycarbonate composition has a color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group level less than or equal to 170 ppm determined in accordance with the method laid down in the description, wherein said color inducing species comprises isopropenyl phenol, an isopropenyl phenol dimer, an isopropenyl phenol trimer, an isopropenyl phenol oligomer, an isopropenyl phenyl carbonate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, wherein the polymerization unit comprises an oligomerization section and a polymerization section, and wherein the color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group is removed from the oligomerization section, wherein the oligomerization section further comprises an extraction column that extracts phenol from the oligomerization section and returns the dihydroxy compound, the diaryl carbonate compound or a mixture thereof, to the oligomerization section, the removing comprising removing a color inducing species containing an isopropenyl phenyl-containing group from the extraction column.