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Swarthmore College

Overview

At a Glance

School type

Private, not-for-profit, 4-year or above

School Size & Setting

Large | Suburb

Students-to-Faculty Ratio

6:1

Religious affliation

Not applicable

General Information

Address

Swarthmore College

500 College Ave, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

See on Map
Phone

(610) 328-8000

Website
www.swarthmore.edu/

Mission Statement

Swarthmore students are expected to prepare themselves for full, balanced lives as individuals and as responsible citizens through exacting intellectual study supplemented by a varied program of sports and other extracurricular activities. The purpose of Swarthmore College is to make its students more valuable human beings and more useful members of society. Although it shares this purpose with other educational institutions, each school, college and university seeks to realize that purpose in its own way. Swarthmore seeks to help its students realize their fullest intellectual and personal potential combined with a deep sense of ethical and social concern.

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Mission Statement

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Swarthmore students are expected to prepare themselves for full, balanced lives as individuals and as responsible citizens through exacting intellectual study supplemented by a varied program of sports and other extracurricular activities. The purpose of Swarthmore College is to make its students more valuable human beings and more useful members of society. Although it shares this purpose with other educational institutions, each school, college and university seeks to realize that purpose in its own way. Swarthmore seeks to help its students realize their fullest intellectual and personal potential combined with a deep sense of ethical and social concern.

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cost & financial aid

Annual tuition & fees

Undergraduate

In state

$59,328

Out of state

$59,328
Graduate

In state

No information

Out of state

No information

Financial Aid: Undergraduates

Received financial aid
68%
Type of aid % of students receiving aid Average amount
Federal grants 44.0% $4,021
State/local grants 2.0% $4,015
Institutional grants 53.0% $52,904
Loans 9.0% $7,705

Other Estimated Costs

Housing

$18,026 per year

Books & Supplies

$760 per year

Personal Expenses

$1,900 per year

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Financial aid resources

Paying for college

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Academics

Most Popular Undergraduate majors

  • Economics, General
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
  • Mathematics, General
  • Political Science and Government, General
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Full List of Majors

Undergraduate Majors X

  • BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES
    • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
      • A general program of biology at the introductory, basic level or a program in biology or the biological sciences that is undifferentiated as to title or content. Includes instruction in general biology and programs covering a variety of biological specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biochemistry
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the chemistry of living systems, their fundamental chemical substances and reactions, and their chemical pathways and information transfer systems, with particular reference to carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Includes instruction in bio-organic chemistry, protein chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, bioseparations, regulatory biochemistry, enzymology, hormonal chemistry, calorimetry, and research methods and equipment operation. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biophysics
      • A program that focuses on the application of physics principles to the scientific study of the mechanisms of biological processes and assemblies at all levels of complexity. Includes instruction in research methods and equipment operation and applications to subjects such as bioenergetics, biophysical theory and modeling, electrophysics, membrane biology, channels, receptors and transporters, contractility and muscle function, protein shaping and folding, molecular and supramolecular structures and assemblies, and computational science. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biometry/Biometrics
      • A program that focuses on the application of statistics and other computational methods to the study of problems in the biological sciences and related fields in agriculture and natural resources. Includes instruction in computational biology, mathematical statistics, matrix algebra, applied calculus, experimental design, linear modeling, sampling theory, stochastic processes, spatial and temporal analysis, longitudinal analysis, sparse/unbalanced data and complex error, and applications to such topics as population genetics, animal breeding, forest genetics, population dynamics, wildlife biometry, ecology, and agricultural and natural resource management. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
    • Neuroscience
      • A program that focuses on the interdisciplinary scientific study of the molecular, structural, physiologic, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of the brain and nervous system. Includes instruction in molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain science, anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, molecular and biochemical bases of information processing, behavioral neuroscience, biology of neuropsychiatric disorders, and applications to the clinical sciences and biomedical engineering. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other
  • COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES
    • Computer and Information Sciences, General
      • A general program that focuses on computing, computer science, and information science and systems. Such programs are undifferentiated as to title and content and are not to be confused with specific programs in computer science, information science, or related support services. See other colleges that offer this major
  • EDUCATION
    • Education, General
      • A program that focuses on the general theory and practice of learning and teaching, the basic principles of educational psychology, the art of teaching, the planning and administration of educational activities, school safety and health issues, and the social foundations of education. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education, Other
    • Education, Other
  • ENGINEERING
    • Engineering, General
      • A program that generally prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to solve a wide variety of practical problems in industry, social organization, public works, and commerce. Includes instruction in undifferentiated and individualized programs in engineering. See other colleges that offer this major
  • ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS
  • FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS
    • Linguistics
      • A program that focuses on language, language development, and relationships among languages and language groups from a humanistic and/or scientific perspective. Includes instruction in subjects such as psycholinguistics, behavioral linguistics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, mathematical and computational linguistics, grammatical theory and theoretical linguistics, philosophical linguistics, philology and historical linguistics, comparative linguistics, phonetics, phonemics, dialectology, semantics, functional grammar and linguistics, language typology, lexicography, morphology and syntax, orthography, stylistics, structuralism, rhetoric, and applications to artificial intelligence. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chinese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the languages of China and associated dialects and literature. Includes instruction in philology; linguistics; dialects and pidgins; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Japanese Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Japanese language. Includes instruction in philology; Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Japanese; dialects; and applications to business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • French Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the French language and related dialects and creoles. Includes instruction in philology; Metropolitan French; Canadian French; African and Caribbean Creoles; dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Spanish Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Spanish language and related dialects. Includes instruction in philology; Modern Castillan; Latin American and regional Spanish dialects; and applications in business, science/technology, and other settings. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
    • Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Greek language and literature from its origins through the fall of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire, as a secular and/or theological subject. Includes instruction in philology, Attic and Hellenistic dialects, Koine (Biblical) Greek, and Medieval or Byzantine Greek. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Latin Language and Literature
      • A program that focuses on the Latin language and literature from its origins through its decline and its current ecclesiastical usage, as a secular and/or theological subject. Includes instruction in philology, related Italic dialects, Late Roman and Medieval Latin, and modern Church Latin. See other colleges that offer this major
  • HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND RELATED PROGRAMS
  • HISTORY
    • History, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study and interpretation of the past, including the gathering, recording, synthesizing and criticizing of evidence and theories about past events. Includes instruction in historiography; historical research methods; studies of specific periods, issues and cultures; and applications to areas such as historic preservation, public policy, and records administration. See other colleges that offer this major
    • History, Other
  • LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES
  • MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
    • Mathematics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the analysis of quantities, magnitudes, forms, and their relationships, using symbolic logic and language. Includes instruction in algebra, calculus, functional analysis, geometry, number theory, logic, topology and other mathematical specializations. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Applied Mathematics, Other
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
    • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
      • Instructional programs that derive from two or more distinct programs to provide a cross-cutting focus on a subject concentration that is not subsumed under a single discipline or occupational field. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Biological and Physical Sciences
      • A program that is either a general synthesis of one or more of the biological and physical sciences, or a specialization which draws from the biological and physical sciences. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
      • A program that focuses on the origins, resolution and prevention of international and inter-group conflicts. Includes instruction in peace research methods and related social scientific and psychological knowledge bases. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Mathematics and Computer Science
    • Medieval and Renaissance Studies
      • A program that focuses on the study of the Medieval and/or Renaissance periods in European and circum-Mediterranean history from the perspective of various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, including history and archeology, as well as studies of period art and music. See other colleges that offer this major
    • International/Globalization Studies
    • Cognitive Science, General
      • A program that focuses on the study of the mind and the nature of intelligence from the interdisciplinary perspectives of computer science, philosophy, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and other disciplines. Includes instruction in mathematics and logic, cognitive process modeling, dynamic systems, learning theories, brain and cognition, neural networking, programming, and applications to topics such as language acquisition, computer systems, and perception and behavior. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis
      • An interdisciplinary program that focuses on the analysis and critique of culture in its varied forms, including values, ideas, belief systems, and expressive acts, and the relationship between cultural forms, everyday life, and structures of power. Includes instruction in anthropology, communications, history, literary studies, philosophy, political economy, and sociology, as well as recent theories and methodologies such as semiotics, deconstruction, postcolonial studies, gender theory, and ethnography. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Sustainability Studies
      • A program that focuses on the concept of sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective. Includes instruction in sustainable development, environmental policies, ethics, ecology, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, economics, natural resources, sociology, and anthropology. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
  • PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES
    • Philosophy
      • A program that focuses on ideas and their logical structure, including arguments and investigations about abstract and real phenomena. Includes instruction in logic, ethics, aesthetics, epistemology, metaphysics, symbolism, and history of philosophy, and applications to the theoretical foundations and methods of other disciplines. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Religion/Religious Studies
      • A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Islamic Studies
      • A program that focuses on Islam as preached by the Prophet Muhammad in 6th century Arabia and subsequently interpreted and elaborated by Islamic scholars and others; together with the cultural and social milieu related to the faith in various periods, localities, and branches. Includes instruction in Islamic scripture and related written authorities and commentaries See other colleges that offer this major
    • Jewish/Judaic Studies
      • A program that focuses on the history, culture, and religion of the Jewish people. Includes instruction in Jewish religious heritage, sacred texts, and law; Jewish philosophy and intellectual history; Jewish life and culture, both in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora; historical Jewish minority cultures such as the Yiddish, Sephardic, and other; anti-Semitism, gentile relations and Shoa; Zionism; and modern developments within Judaism. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other
  • PHYSICAL SCIENCES
    • Astronomy
      • A general program that focuses on the planetary, galactic, and stellar phenomena occurring in outer space. Includes instruction in celestial mechanics, cosmology, stellar physics, galactic evolution, quasars, stellar distribution and motion, interstellar medium, atomic and molecular constituents of astronomical phenomena, planetary science, solar system evolution, and specific methodologies such as optical astronomy, radioastronomy, and theoretical astronomy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Astrophysics
      • A program that focuses on the theoretical and observational study of the structure, properties, and behavior of stars, star systems and clusters, stellar life cycles, and related phenomena. Includes instruction in cosmology, plasma kinetics, stellar physics, convolution and non-equilibrium radiation transfer theory, non-Euclidean geometries, mathematical modeling, galactic structure theory, and relativistic astronomy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chemistry, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of the composition and behavior of matter, including its micro- and macro-structure, the processes of chemical change, and the theoretical description and laboratory simulation of these phenomena. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Chemical Physics
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of structural phenomena combining the disciplines of physical chemistry and atomic/molecular physics. Includes instruction in heterogeneous structures, alignment and surface phenomena, quantum theory, mathematical physics, statistical and classical mechanics, chemical kinetics, and laser physics. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Geology/Earth Science, General
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the earth; the forces acting upon it; and the behavior of the solids, liquids and gases comprising it. Includes instruction in historical geology, geomorphology, and sedimentology, the chemistry of rocks and soils, stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrology, geostatistics, volcanology, glaciology, geophysical principles, and applications to research and industrial problems. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Geophysics and Seismology
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the physics of solids and its application to the study of the earth and other planets. Includes instruction in gravimetric, seismology, earthquake forecasting, magnetrometry, electrical properties of solid bodies, plate tectonics, active deformation, thermodynamics, remote sensing, geodesy, and laboratory simulations of geological processes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Physics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of matter and energy, and the formulation and testing of the laws governing the behavior of the matter-energy continuum. Includes instruction in classical and modern physics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, mechanics, wave properties, nuclear processes, relativity and quantum theory, quantitative methods, and laboratory methods. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Physical Sciences, Other
  • PSYCHOLOGY
    • Psychology, General
      • A general program that focuses on the scientific study of individual and collective behavior, the physical and environmental bases of behavior, and the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders. Includes instruction in the principles of the various subfields of psychology, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Behavioral Neuroscience
      • A program that focuses on the scientific study of the biological bases of behavior and psychological functioning, and their application to experimental and therapeutic research problems. Includes instruction in functional neuroanatomy, neural system development, biochemical neural regulatory mechanisms, neurological biophysics, memory storage and retrieval, physiology of cognition and perception, physiological bases of psychopathology and behavioral disorders, psychopharmacology, comparative psychobiology, molecular and cellular neuroscience, brain science, anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, and specialized experimental design and research methods. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
    • Psychology, Other
  • PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS
    • Public Policy Analysis, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic analysis of public policy issues and decision processes. Includes instruction in the role of economic and political factors in public decision-making and policy formulation, microeconomic analysis of policy issues, resource allocation and decision modeling, cost/benefit analysis, statistical methods, and applications to specific public policy topics. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Health Policy Analysis
      • A program that focuses on the systematic analysis of public policy issues related to domestic and international health and health care systems. Includes instruction in contemporary health issues and policies, politics and economics of health care delivery, epidemiology, public health, comparative and global health, medical law and ethics, statistical methods, and applications to specific public policy topics. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
    • Social Sciences, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study of human social behavior and social institutions using any of the methodologies common to the social sciences and/or history, or an undifferentiated program of study in the social sciences. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Medical Anthropology
      • A program that focuses on biological, socio-cultural, psychological, and behavioral factors as they relate to health, illness, medical practices, and access to health care services. Includes instruction in ethno-medicine, urban health, international health, psychiatric and psychological anthropology, aging, and health and identity. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Anthropology, Other
    • Archeology
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of extinct societies, and the past of living societies, via the excavation, analysis and interpretation of their artifactual, human, and associated remains. Includes instruction in archeological theory, field methods, dating methods, conservation and museum studies, cultural and physical evolution, and the study of specific selected past cultures. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Economics, General
      • A general program that focuses on the systematic study of the production, conservation and allocation of resources in conditions of scarcity, together with the organizational frameworks related to these processes. Includes instruction in economic theory, micro- and macroeconomics, comparative economic systems, money and banking systems, international economics, quantitative analytical methods, and applications to specific industries and public policy issues. See other colleges that offer this major
    • International Relations and Affairs
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of international politics and institutions, and the conduct of diplomacy and foreign policy. Includes instruction in international relations theory, foreign policy analysis, international law and organization, the comparative study of specific countries and regions, and the theory and practice of diplomacy. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Political Science and Government, General
      • A general program that focuses on the systematic study of political institutions and behavior. Includes instruction in political philosophy, political theory, comparative government and politics, political parties and interest groups, public opinion, political research methods, studies of the government and politics of specific countries, and studies of specific political institutions and processes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Political Science and Government, Other
    • Sociology, General
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of human social institutions and social relationships. Includes instruction in social theory, sociological research methods, social organization and structure, social stratification and hierarchies, dynamics of social change, family structures, social deviance and control, and applications to the study of specific social groups, social institutions, and social problems. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Urban Studies/Affairs
      • A program that focuses on the application of social science principles to the study of urban institutions and the forces influencing urban social and political life. Includes instruction in urban theory, the development and evolution of urban areas, urban sociology, principles of urban and social planning, and the politics and economics of urban government and services. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • A program that combines sociology and anthropology to study how society is organized, the origins and development of social institutions, social change, social organizations, race, class, gender and culture. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Social Sciences, Other
  • VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
    • Industrial and Product Design
      • A program in the applied visual arts that prepares individuals to use artistic techniques to effectively communicate ideas and information to business and consumer audiences via the creation of effective forms, shapes, and packaging for manufactured products. Includes instruction in designing in a wide variety of plastic and digital media, prototype construction, design development and refinement, principles of cost saving, and product structure and performance criteria relevant to aesthetic design parameters. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
      • A program that focuses on the general study of dramatic works and their performance. Includes instruction in major works of dramatic literature, dramatic styles and types, and the principles of organizing and producing full live or filmed productions. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Film/Cinema/Media Studies
      • A program in the visual arts that focuses on the study of the history, development, theory, and criticism of the film/media arts, as well as the basic principles of filmmaking and film production. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other
    • Art/Art Studies, General
      • A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of the visual arts. Includes instruction in art, photography, and other visual communications media. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Fine/Studio Arts, General
      • A program that prepares individuals to generally function as creative artists in the visual and plastic media. Includes instruction in the traditional fine arts media (drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, CAD/CAM) and/or modern media (ceramics, textiles, intermedia, photography, digital images), theory of art, color theory, composition and perspective, anatomy, the techniques and procedures for maintaining equipment and managing a studio, and art portfolio marketing. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
      • A program that focuses on the study of the historical development of art as social and intellectual phenomenon, the analysis of works of art, and art conservation. Includes instruction in the theory of art, art history research methods, connoisseurship, the preservation and conservation of works of art, and the study of specific periods, cultures, styles, and themes. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other
    • Music, General
      • A general program that focuses on the introductory study and appreciation of music and the performing arts. Includes instruction in music, dance, and other performing arts media. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Musicology and Ethnomusicology
      • A program that focuses on the systematic study of the forms and methods of music art, and the functions of music, in Western and non-Western societies and cultures. Includes instruction in music theory, musicological research methods, and studies of specific cultural styles such as jazz, folk music, rock, ethnic musical traditions, and the music of non-Western cultures. See other colleges that offer this major
    • Music, Other
    • Visual and Performing Arts, Other
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Admissions

Undergraduate acceptance rate

Acceptance rate
6.93%
  • Apply 14,707
  • Accepted 1,019
  • Attend 433

Application Fee

Undergraduate
$60
Graduate
No information

Undergraduate application requirements

  • High school transcript

    Required

  • High school GPA

    Not applicable

  • Recommendation letter

    Required

  • Admissions test
    (SAT or ACT)

    Not applicable

  • TOEFL
    (international students)

    Not applicable

  • Completion of college
    prep program

    Not applicable

  • Demonstration of
    competencies

    Not applicable

Average Test Scores

SAT Math
730-790
ACT Composite
32-35
SAT Reading
710-770
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Student Life

Student Demographics

Female Students
51%
Male Students
49%
Student Ethnicities
  1. Caucasian31.63%
  2. Two Or More Ethnicities23.7%
  3. Asian17.66%
  4. Hispanic/Latino14.4%
  5. Black8.98%
  6. Not Specified3.14%
  7. American Indian/Alaska Native0.43%
  8. Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander0.06%

Student body breakdown

Total students enrolled

1,716

Undergraduate students

1,716

Full Time Students
95%
Part Time Students
5%

Student services

  • Meal plan
  • Counseling services
  • Remedial services
  • Work-study
  • Placement services
  • Study abroad
  • Weekend/evening classes
  • On-campus day care for student's children

Top five largest sports teams

Male sports:
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
  • Lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
Female sports:
  • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
  • Soccer
  • Swimming
  • Lacrosse
  • Field Hockey
Full List of Athletics

Full List of Athletics X

    • Male

    • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    • Lacrosse
    • Baseball
    • Soccer
    • Swimming
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Golf

    • Female

    • Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
    • Soccer
    • Swimming
    • Lacrosse
    • Field Hockey
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Basketball
    • Badminton
No Information for this section

Data supplied by Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center of Education Statistics, Defense Manpower Data Center (View our update schedule). Contact any business, college or military service branch to answer additional questions.