How intense is Swarthmore?

Swarthmore is a great place to pursue your academic passions and push yourself to realize your full potential. It's not for everyone; the academics can be pretty intense, depending on your major and if you choose to enter the Honors Program, and the social scene can be subdued compared to other colleges.

Is Swarthmore academically rigorous?

Aside from offering one of the most vigorous academic experiences in the world, what's unique about learning at Swarthmore? Your first semester is pass-fail, so you can learn for learning's sake. We have a one-of-a-kind Honors Program.

Is Swarthmore College difficult?

Swarthmore is very challenging academically, and students don't just focus on grades there, they love to learn. They also appreciate Swarthmore's flexible academic requirements, professors and resources.

Do Swarthmore students have fun?

Because of the challenging nature of Swarthmore, I think that having fun is one of the most important things that students do here. Trust that, should you come here, you'd have fun too.

What is the Swarthmore controversy?

Swarthmore College drew national notoriety last spring after a trove of internal fraternity documents describing horrendous behavior was leaked and published by two campus media organizations. Students held multiple protests and demanded that the college's two on-campus fraternities be permanently closed.

Why Swarthmore?

What kind of students does Swarthmore look for?

With a GPA of 4.09, Swarthmore requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

What is so special about Swarthmore College?

With a curriculum unmatched among liberal arts colleges of its size, Swarthmore offers more than 600 courses and undergraduate research opportunities—from the humanities and performing arts to the social and natural sciences and engineering.

What is the most popular major at Swarthmore College?

The most popular majors at Swarthmore College include: Social Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Mathematics and Statistics; Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies; Visual and Performing Arts; Engineering; Physical Sciences; Foreign Languages, Literatures, and ...

What percent of Swarthmore is white?

book Enrollment

The enrolled student population at Swarthmore College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 33.3% White, 17.4% Asian, 13.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.27% Two or More Races, 7.69% Black or African American, 0.303% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.121% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Why is it so hard to get into Swarthmore?

Admissions officials at Swarthmore College consider a student's GPA a very important academic factor. An applicant's high school class rank, when available, is considered very important and letters of recommendation are considered very important for admissions officials at Swarthmore College.

Is Swarthmore worth the money?

Below Average Value Nationwide

Based on our analysis of other colleges at similar price points, we believe Swarthmore College is overpriced for the quality education it provides. (This takes into account average financial aid and may not apply to you if you have further scholarships, grant or aid provided to you.)

Why is Swarthmore acceptance rate so low?

The selectivity of applicants for undergraduate admissions to Swarthmore is considered highly selective. Many accepted applicants score in the top-range on the SAT or ACT exam, as well as having a solid high school GPA and number of college prep courses.

Is Swarthmore an elite College?

Awarded one of America's Best Colleges

Swarthmore is an elite and demanding liberal arts school founded by the Quakers in 1864. Though relatively small, with about 1,600 undergraduates, the private school offers students unusually expansive opportunities.

Is Swarthmore a Tier 1 school?

Tier 2 represents selective private liberal arts colleges (like Williams, Smith, Swarthmore, and Amherst Colleges); Tier 3 refers to public research universities (like UT Austin, Brandeis, Occidental, and UCLA);

What is Swarthmore good at?

Unlike most other liberal arts colleges, Swarthmore also offers an undergraduate engineering program. Swarthmore has many unique traditions, including the Crum Regatta, where students race homemade boats down Crum Creek; and Worthstock, which features live music, dancing and food.

Is Swarthmore a little ivy?

Swarthmore is considered one of the “Little Ivies”, a colloquial term for smaller colleges with ample academic prowess that rivals the Ivy League universities. Swarthmore provides each student the opportunity to design their own major by choosing from more than 40 courses.

What is the average class size at Swarthmore?

At the end of their senior year, they take exams. One student is awarded “Highest Honors,” and the others are usually awarded “High Honors” or “Honors.” There are many educational opportunities at Swarthmore. Class sizes remain small, with 70 percent of courses having fewer than 20 students.

Is Swarthmore campus pretty?

Swarthmore College came in 7^th on a national list of the 50 most beautiful college campuses in America by Architectural Digest. The college's oldest building, Parrish Hall was built in 1869.

Is Swarthmore hard to get into?

Swarthmore is classified as most selective, with a 9% admissions rate. Of the 11,630 students who applied, only 1,054 were admitted. Thirty-three students were admitted off the waitlist in the 2020–2021 cycle.

Are Swarthmore graduates successful?

Thirty-seven percent work in fields related to their major, and nearly one-quarter (24%) are working in the field of their major. Most often, those alumni not currently employed are pursuing further education (4% of all respondents). The rates at which Swarthmore graduates earn advanced degrees are very high.

What do you call Swarthmore students?

Swarthmoreans before a certain period would never be caught calling the College “Swat” or themselves “Swatties”—not just avoiding the appellation, struggling against it. Quaker roots and such. Never a nickname synonymous with a blow. Sad to see paddleboard hazing become common parlance.

Who gets into Swarthmore?

The average AMCAS GPA for accepted Swarthmore applicants was 3.70. Our experience at Swarthmore is that a strong A- average is a solid basis for applying. This places a student in the top half of the graduating class, which had a median GPA of A- in 2023.

Does Swarthmore care about demonstrated interest?

Interviews are not required. Applicants who do not interview are not at a disadvantage, and Swarthmore does not practice 'demonstrated interest' in its application review process.

What percent of Swarthmore is athletes?

The participation rate of students in intercollegiate or club sports is 40 percent. Swarthmore is a charter member of the Centennial Conference, a group of private colleges in Pennsylvania and Maryland and is a member of NCAA Division III.