Swarthmore College Top Questions

The school's academic rigor is unprecedented and the coursework is often at a graduate level. There is also a tremendous emphasis on hard work, which is incredibly refreshing when more and more schools are inflating their grades and handing out A's for nothing. On another note, the majority of students are very thoughtful and tend to choose philosophical discussions over beer and football games. Most of the student body is very nerdy and frequently quirky-- even our rugby jocks (nope, there's no football here) were nerds in high school.

Very liberal/diverse in terms of race and sexual orientations. Reverse of most schools in that eccentric kids are embraced openly while athletes are somewhat marginalized by the Swattie population. That is changing though as more athletes are being admitted and the athletic programs are becoming very competitive in the Centennial League and beyond (Men's soccer went to the round of 16 at the DIII NCAA tournament).

Swarthmore's a great place but there are a lot of negatives. I think it's important to visit and try to spend the night over, and walk all around campus and talk to people and see basically what a typical day is like here. I really don't like the weather here--it's too sunny, and it's almost winter. I just really like the cloudy days back in Seattle. People here are really nice, but I find a few of them arrogant and self-righteous, and these people seem to think that they're smarter, and just superior to their friends, and that really sucks. People here should be more willing to listen to different perspectives and should get a reality check that they're still students. I really like the close interaction between students and faculty--I think it's really special to know that professors really care that you learn. I sometimes get the feeling that I'm not getting a 'world-class education,' but I think that really has to do with the fact that we're not in a big university, and a lot of people associate 'world-class education' with famous universities, and we're not a famous university. We're a small college, Swarthmore, dedicated to learning in an academic, close-knit community, where students often try to make the world a better place and have fun while they're at it. I think that's what Swarthmore's about.

a challenging school yet it has a warm and friendly atmosphere..

Visit the school, but make sure you don't just stay with your host. Walk around. Find your crowd. Talk to those people. It could be a shock for you if you don't.

Swarthmore is really small so we have a really intimate community.

Swarthmore's academic culture suffuses EVERYTHING it does, from the arts to the late-night conversations to the fact that we're nearly constantly working. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, but it's a very rigorous way of doing things. However, I think there's a degree to which it also maturely recognizes that academics aren't everything: this includes its socio-political engagement, the fun that the professors and students have together, and just the Romantic beauty of the campus itself, which is a nationally recognized arboretum.

Although Swarthmore is not the most accepting place for conservative thought, I would highly recommend that conservative students come to Swarthmore. Conservatives have the unique advantage over liberal students by being challenged not just academically, but also socially and politically. Swarthmore can also be referred to as a bubble...students tend to get so wrapped up in Swat life that they forget that there is an outside world. Luckily enough, there is a train at the bottom of campus that takes you directly into Philly (25 minute ride). The Swarthmore Ville also isn't the most appealing college town. Nothing is open late, the grocery store is expensive, and there aren't many restaurants. The college has been working on improving college/student relations, and recently a Dunkin Donuts was added. Also, Fall of '08, a BYOB restaurant is opening. Although the Ville is improving, it still has a long way to go. My favorite Chinese food ever, is in the Ville though, Cheng Hing!

I'm from the class of '04, so my impressions might be out of date. I've heard that the admissions people are increasing going after more conventional students, the types who will graduate, get well-paying jobs in established professions, donate lots of money, and help the school climb the rankings. I certainly hope not. Swatties tend to bitch and moan, as people in general do, but most of the people I know had extremely positive experiences, and are very happy that they went to Swarthmore. Sorry, I don't have much dirt.

Swarthmore is a great school, but it isn't for everyone, so I recommend visiting before deciding to come!