Resources › For Students and Parents Swarthmore College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics Print aimintang/Getty Images For Students and Parents College Admissions College Profiles College Admissions Process College Rankings Choosing A College Application Tips Essay Samples & Tips Testing Graphs College Financial Aid Advanced Placement Homework Help Private School Test Prep College Life Graduate School Business School Law School Distance Learning View More By Allen Grove Allen Grove College Admissions Expert Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on April 03, 2020 Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts college with an acceptance rate of 8.9%. A registered national arboretum, Swarthmore’s 399-acre campus is located just 11 miles from downtown Philadelphia. Students have the opportunity to take classes at neighboring Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and the University of Pennsylvania. The college can boast of an impressive 8-to-1 student/faculty ratio and a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Swarthmore consistently ranks near top of U.S. liberal arts colleges. In athletics, the Swarthmore Garnet compete in the NCAA Division III Centennial Conference. Considering applying to this highly selective school? Here are the Swarthmore College admissions statistics you should know. Acceptance Rate During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Swarthmore College had an acceptance rate of 8.9%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 8 students were admitted, making Swarthmore's admissions process highly competitive. Admissions Statistics (2018-19) Number of Applicants 11,442 Percent Admitted 8.9% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 41% SAT Scores and Requirements Swarthmore requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 68% of admitted students submitted SAT scores. SAT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile ERW 680 750 Math 700 790 ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing This admissions data tells us that most of Swarthmore's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Swarthmore scored between 680 and 750, while 25% scored below 680 and 25% scored above 750. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 700 and 790, while 25% scored below 700 and 25% scored above 790. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1540 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Swarthmore. Read More Haverford College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics By Allen Grove Requirements Swarthmore does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that Swarthmore participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject tests are not required, but Swarthmore will consider your scores if you submit them. Applicants interested in engineering are encouraged to submit SAT Math 2 Subject test scores. ACT Scores and Requirements Swarthmore requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 37% of admitted students submitted ACT scores. ACT Range (Admitted Students) Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile English 33 35 Math 29 34 Composite 31 35 This admissions data tells us that most of Swarthmore's admitted students fall within the top 5% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Swarthmore received a composite ACT score between 31 and 35, while 25% scored above 35 and 25% scored below 31. Requirements Swarthmore College does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many schools, Swarthmore superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered. GPA Swarthmore College does not provide data about admitted students' high school GPAs. In 2019, 87% of admitted students who provided data indicated that they ranked in the top tenth of their high school class. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph Swarthmore College Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Swarthmore College. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances With an acceptance rate of just under 9%, Swarthmore College is one of the country's most selective colleges. However, Swarthmore has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. All applicants will also need to write a supplemental short answer essay explaining their reasons for wanting to attend Swarthmore. An interview with an admissions officer is not required but is recommended, as is a campus visit and tour. Students with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their grades and test scores are outside Swarthmore's average range. To apply, students can use the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the Questbridge Application. Swarthmore has an Early Decision program that can improve admission chances for students who are sure the college is their top choice school. If you're applying to Swarthmore College, you should consider the school a reach even if you have exceptional grades and standardized test scores. The graph above illustrates why. Many students with unweighted "A" averages and extremely high standardized test scores were still rejected by Swarthmore. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Swarthmore College Undergraduate Admissions Office. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Grove, Allen. "Swarthmore College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/swarthmore-college-admissions-787227. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 27). Swarthmore College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/swarthmore-college-admissions-787227 Grove, Allen. "Swarthmore College: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/swarthmore-college-admissions-787227 (accessed April 18, 2024). copy citation By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies