Swarthmore College Top Questions

There are tons of organizations for whatever group you are interested in. Many discussions are held on campus, and you can really take full advantage of the diversity presented. The students are really laid back, and it's guaranteed that you will be accepted and respected on campus. There's tons of activism on campus, and you can chose to partake in that, or just devote yourself to your studies.

I think that most Swarthmore students accept that there is diversity in race, religion, LGBT, socio-economic, and other diversity on campus; however, I think that there is a difference between accepting the existence of diversity and becoming actually comfortable and approving of the persistence of this diversity. I think that there is enough diversity on campus that no type of student would feel out of place. Half of Swarthmore's population is not on any type of financial aid. We are predominantly left-wingers. I think that what we will earn in the future is not a consideration in the job that most Swatties decide to take.

School is pretty open and accomodating. Most people are liberal or they claim to be for fear of being dragged into a 3hour debate about the merits of liberalism with an overzealous classmate! There is an increasingly vocal group of moderates/conservatives on campus and I think its a great addition to the plurality of the school community.

Swarthmore students are very liberal, but most aren't in-you-face about it. Most students are intelligent and accepting.

I feel that sometimes certain groups like the Christian group is very repressed. I just personally think that as a Christian, that this group deserves a lot more respect. Many of the individuals on the campus feel as though they know everything about Christians and they don't.

Swarthmore has an extremely vocal left wing, which I think can lead to a lot of more conservative opinions being hushed, and those who hold those opinions being made to feel like they have no place here. In that sense, I think the common perspective here, though very liberal, is also very narrow-minded in a way- people aren't always willing to consider alternative arguments and perspectives, especially when they are closer to the right.

Conservatives beware. Really. Swarthmore is welcoming to everyone and anyone, so long as they're not registered as a Republican. Story: the College Republicans recently experienced a resurgence in activity (all five of them) and posted flyers all over campus advertising for their meeting. The flyers proclaimed that it was okay to "come out of the closet" as conservatives. A huge controversy built up over the use of the term "coming out" by Republicans, who are, as we all know, not generally queer-friendly. There were counter-flyers. There were chalkings. There were newspaper articles. Capiche? As an Arab student, I've personally been a bit disappointed by the lack of Middle Eastern students, and I'm sure there are plenty of people here who feel a little lonely for similar reasons. As I said before, such a small student body can't sustain large populations of every ethnicity. There are a lot of token minorities. Swat makes a huge effort at maintaining diversity, and usually does a pretty decent job. Of course, we all speak English really well, have most of the same politics, and come predominantly from the suburbs, but Admissions is doing what it can.

Very diverse campus culturally, but not so much in terms of thought. As in, most people are militant liberals. Republicans tend to feel really out of place, even attacked, as do social conservatives. There's a niche for pretty much anyone. That's one of the things I like--that social groups aren't exclusive.

The Intercultural Center on campus is kind of weak because there isn't that much administrative support.

Swarthmore's student body is mad small. Its like 1500 people at this school. Compared to other institutions, swarthmore is really small. Different types of students do interact, but since the school is so small, u see the same people over and over again.... like u in tha pen or somethin like that. But u gotta take the good with the bad. People are very socially conscious around here which is nice, which is good because it eliminates the amount of ignorance that is expressed at Swat.

I'm sure many surveyors have commented on the incredibly diversity at Swarthmore, and I completely agree. To emphasize this fact, there are, to my knowledge, 5 distinct LGBT groups on our small, 1500-person campus: Swarthmore Queer Union, Queer Straight Alliance, COLORS (Group for Queer Minorities), QAS (Queer Asians at Swarthmore, and a group for omni- and pan-sexual identifying students.

The student body here is so varied, it's impossible to make many generalizations. There are certainly some identifiable groups, but it's hard to ever pick out any "loners." Whether you're a political maniac or a sports nut, you'll find a circle of friends.

The student body is mostly very accepting of the differences between themselves and other people. A preppy, party-hard student would feel very out of place here. Most students look like bums when they go to class. A lot of people look like they got dressed in the dark. Sometimes different types of students interact. Four tables of students include: jock/jock-wannabees; loud people; quiet people; other. Most Swarthmore students are from PA, NJ, NY, CA, and OH. They come from a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds. We are predominantly left.

Everybody has a strong opinion about their group, and even strong opinions for those outside their own group. A certain few swatties will jump down your throat for an egregiously ignorant slip and put themselves on a self-righteous pedestal for being a corrective agent in making the world a more accepting place. What kind of student would feel out of place at swat?......A student that doesn't like to work, doesn't expect pressure, refuses to open up to new opinions and discuss them, expects to party it up at college without anymore parental supervision, patronizes the "harcore frat" scene....these kinds of students would feel out of place. there isn't really a way to describe what "most students wear to class". it ranges from ghetto fabolous to out of boarding school prep and all the flavors among them. There really are no "tables" at swarthmore. just the "frat table" for DU, which doesnt' really count... Most swatties are from the east coast? I'm not sure on that one though. there are a fair number from california and the midwest and the south. a fair number of international students (many of whom overwhelmingly come from south korea....? i do not know why) Students are generally very aware socially and also quite active (at least in theory and from their mouth) Most swatties tend to be fairly well off, but there are plenty who receive financial aid.

I personally find Swarthmore very diverse because my group of friends is very diverse, racially, religiously, and economically. I count myself very lucky that I am at a school where this is not only possible but not unusual. At the same time, there are plenty of tables in Sharples with just athletes, just white people, etc. There are only two kinds of students who would feel out of place at Swarthmore: a student who didn't take academics very seriously or a student who was conservative politically or socially. In addition, I think that while there are plenty of people who are politically apathetic by Swat standards, they are still better informed about politics than your average person. Most Swatties are from the East or West Coasts and upper middle class backgrounds. A good number of students are first generation American. I receive financial aid, and while 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of Swatties receive financial aid, there are times within my group of friends when I am made very conscious of the fact that my family is merely middle class and not upper "middle" class.

Swarthmore is super cognizant of racial, religious, LGBT, and socio-economic issues on campus. There are a million groups that look at the disenfranchisement and discrimination of these groups in the U.S. and the world. There are tons of activities, discussions, meetings, lectures, etc. about these issues. It really shows how tolerance and acceptance can be fruitfully realized in a community. I doubt any student would feel out of place at Swarthmore. There's always a niche to be found due to the diversity that Swarthmore provides. Unless you are a huge asshole or not interested at all in anything remotely intellectual, then you probably wouldn't fit in. That or if you were a zebra, then you would be pretty out of place. People wear all kinds of things to class, there's really no set dress because of the variety of people here. Style is unique, conformity is bland and Swat has got style for sure. Don't want to wear clothes? There's a Naked Club on campus. Different types of students interact all the time. Each student is a different type on his or her own, really. Tables of students in the dining hall: There are lot of groups on campus that will organize meals together to discuss intellectual issues or practice a foreign language. Sports team often eat together as well. Besides that, eat with your friends-that's what meals are for. Students are predominantly left but there is space for those who are right as well. There's no discrimination against any political inclination. People are very politically active, discussing political issues, organizing groups, and campaigning for Obama or Hillary.

It's easy to take for granted the value of the students around whom I live every day. I'm confident that I'll never find myself in such smart, aware, and artistic company ever again (that may yet be a good thing; being around so much intelligence and talent can be smothering). We're exceptionally diverse, but several things tie us together: political leftism, intellectual curiosity, a love of irony and a loathing of the mainstream that can both become tiresome. In general, Swatties care about too many things to be efficacious about any of them, but occasionally you'll find someone with one passion who works hard and explores his or her dream, and there I believe is a product Swarthmore can be proud of. Everyone can find a place at Swarthmore. It's not hard. But moving between niches gives me a feeling of the diversity of this place, and that's the trick.

I can't imagine any kind of student feeling out of place at Swarthmore. Unless a student has no motivation to learn, then I feel they'd find their place here. When it is cold, students wear many layers. When it is warm, students wear shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt. I've been to UPenn many times and seen what the students there wear to class. I think it's pretty ridiculous how much they dress up and it makes me appreciate Swarthmore that much more. You'll go to a random table in Sharples (the dining hall) and it'll resemble Model UN. Of these, many tend to be students that participate in the same student activities, e.g. sports teams, because many eat together after their activity. Students from the upper-middle class is most prevalent. Students are from all over the world, increasingly so with each incoming class. I've maybe run into one or two students who talk about their future income, but most people I know don't really think about that.

Brilliant, intense, passionate, politically active, diverse (in terms of race, class, geography). There are over 110 student run organizations at Swarthmore in everything you could imagine. Grad school after Swarthmore is a given.

Honestly, I don't really know too many people on campus yet. I am a freshman who played varsity soccer in the fall, and I had a boyfriend for the majority of the year so I kind of kept to myself and wasn't that social. I really regret that, but I am now ready to start experiencing the social life that swarthmore has to offer. In terms of the political spectrum...the majority of people are extremely liberal here, but I am ok with that and have no problems with anyone.