Swarthmore, PA · Private · 1,613 undergraduates · suburban
Swarthmore College
Extremely selective
Swarthmore’s Honors Program turns advanced undergraduate work outward: seminars and projects culminate in written and oral examinations from external experts. That gives the college a concrete version of intellectual seriousness beyond the standard liberal-arts claim.
Institutional profile
Top tier Exceptional in academic standing, and exceptional in student experience.- Admission
- 6.9% admitted
- Price by income
- Varies across five income ranges
- Completion
- 94.5%
14,287 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$80,257 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Swarthmore apart
Externally examined Honors work
Honors students take seminars and projects culminating in written and oral examinations conducted by outside experts; students may also design an approved major.
Seminar-intensive study
Most students live in College residence halls through all eight semesters, with first-years required to live on campus.
Residential continuity
The residential campus links academically and socially with nearby partner colleges while retaining a concentrated undergraduate setting.
The Swarthmore test
Put undergraduate work before outside experts
Honors makes advanced undergraduate inquiry accountable to evaluators beyond the campus.
Choose a demanding question
Seminars and projects require sustained intellectual focus.
Develop an argument or project
Faculty guidance supports depth rather than surface coverage.
Meet external evaluators
Written and oral exams test the result against an outside standard.
Can I get in?
6.9% admitted
The file should show readiness for sustained inquiry, seminar discussion, and work that can withstand serious external evaluation.
Recent applicant pool
14,287About 7 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 40% submitted an SAT, and 14% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Swarthmore, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Swarthmore weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Honors students take seminars and projects culminating in written and oral examinations conducted by outside experts; students may also design an approved major.
Make the institutional fit specific
The file should show readiness for sustained inquiry, seminar discussion, and work that can withstand serious external evaluation.
Use the application route carefully
Swarthmore offers fall and winter Early Decision rounds and remains test-optional.
Give commitments a clear through-line
Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Swarthmore offers fall and winter Early Decision rounds and remains test-optional.
Fee waiver: accepted
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Swarthmore College publishes one merit award. All of them renew past the first year.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
In the season card
This award, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Swarthmore
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read the outcomes panel alongside the residential campus links academically and socially with nearby partner colleges while retaining a concentrated undergraduate setting. Completion, borrowing, and field mix matter more than one university-wide earnings figure.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Economics
Computer and Information Sciences, General
Mathematics
Political Science and Government
Engineering, General
What is campus life like?
Swarthmore beyond the classroom
The residential campus links academically and socially with nearby partner colleges while retaining a concentrated undergraduate setting.
Externally examined Honors work
Honors students take seminars and projects culminating in written and oral examinations conducted by outside experts; students may also design an approved major.
The residential structure matters
Most students live in College residence halls through all eight semesters, with first-years required to live on campus.
Dining follows the residential map
Campus dining is part of the daily social pattern; compare the meal-plan structure and nearby options against the routine you expect.
Seminar-intensive study
The residential campus links academically and socially with nearby partner colleges while retaining a concentrated undergraduate setting.
Use the institution beyond class
Student organizations, faculty programs, research, service, and campus events are most useful when they reinforce a clear academic or personal direction.
Residential continuity
The strongest social fit comes from understanding how housing, traditions, organizations, and the surrounding setting shape an ordinary week.