Swarthmore College Top Questions

To a degree: people here are smart and not ashamed of being intellectual (which I love!). People here aren't all ugly, really, the truth is that the vast majority of people are just average looking. You're going to have some really beautiful, and some really hideous people, but mostly everyone falls in between. As for being socially awkward, a lot of people actually are-- but it's not always terrible. Sometimes it's endearing, because chances are, you're the same way.

Well, sure. On the other hand, I've really appreciated seeing so much diversity on campus in terms of how people dress, having the definition of "attractive" expanded from what it meant in high school. There is pride here in being out of / independent of the mainstream. Swatties are very political and activisty in general. Not everyone but a lot of people. Even most of the earnest lefties are ironic or cynical to some degree about their participation, though. The wide-eyed, idealistic, "let's change the world!" types are rare on the ground, at least, after freshman year. And classes are hard. There's a lot of reading and since classes are small it's hard to keep up and seem involved if you don't do it. That said, most people work because they enjoy it. They get excited about their classes and talk about what they've learned. Swarthmore is a safe space to be a dork?to get passionate about ideas.

Pretty much, all students have to choose three of the four, if you do all you must be some kind of a genius or time manipulator.