Swarthmore College

Colleges Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College

Swarthmore College

www.swarthmore.edu

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location students adm. int’l. fresh grad GPA ACT SAT TOEFL
Swarthmore, PA 1,625 7% 14% 94% 90% 4.0 33 1500 100+

Swarthmore College is a private institution that was founded in 1864. It is located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia—far enough away to have a 425-acre campus that is designated as an arboretum, but close enough to enjoy the many historic and cultural attractions. Self-discovery is communal here. Swarthmore’s vibrant campus culture connects students to other people with shared interests. Although only freshmen are required to live on campus, less than 10% of students live off campus. The school has more than 100 organizations that students can get involved in, and about 40% of students study abroad. Swarthmore students can take courses at Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College through the Tri-College Consortium. Unlike most other liberal arts colleges, Swarthmore also offers an undergraduate engineering program.

Academics

All students have significant undergraduate research opportunities in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and engineering. One hallmark of the college’s academic program is that first-year students take their fall semester courses pass-fail. The Honors Program brims with intellectual exploration, celebrating the free and spirited exchange of ideas through small-group interactions and challenging students to assert leadership with discussions. The student-faculty ratio at Swarthmore is 8:1, and the school has 74% of classes with fewer than 20 students. Popular majors include Economics, Information Science, Biology, and Mathematics.

Special Highlights

Club Sports. A club sport is a chartered student organization that is run by students who have a common interest in a particular activity for competitive, recreational, or instructional purposes. There are currently seven groups recognized as club sports at Swarthmore: men’s badminton, men’s and women’s fencing, men’s and women’s rugby, and men’s and women’s Ultimate Frisbee. Depending upon the sport and the students involved, the club may operate much like a varsity sport, including serious intercollegiate competition, or be more informal and not as competitive.

E.A.T. Enjoy, Appreciate, Taste. E.A.T. is a diverse community that promotes the exchange and understanding of different cultures through cooking and eating. We also provide a platform for discussions on the politics, history, and science implicated in the production, circulation, and consumption of food. With an emphasis on the multiple aspects of food, we also provide a space for students to share and learn from one another’s concepts of home through their cooking and dining experiences.

School Mission & Unique Qualities

Swarthmore College is one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States. It was established as a college under the Religious Society of Friends. By 1906, Swarthmore had dropped its religious affiliation and officially became non-sectarian. Swarthmore is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. It is a member of the Tri-College Consortium, a cooperative academic arrangement with Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College. Swarthmore is also affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania through the Quaker Consortium, which allows students to cross-register for classes at all four institutions. 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. Most college campuses are made up of spaces that surround you for four years but don’t necessarily influence how and what you learn. Swarthmore’s is different.

Student Reviews…

“Among the best undergrad programs on earth. The combination of intellectual students, excellent professors, beautiful campus, and proximity to Philadelphia is unbeatable. Classes are intense and stimulating. Attending this college really feels like you’re going to Hogwarts.”