Swarthmore, PA
Swarthmore College was founded in 1864 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), with its first classes held in 1869, making it one of the earliest coeducational colleges in the United States. Though nonsectarian in control since 1908, the college states that its Quaker roots still inform how students learn and work toward what it calls being "leaders for the common good."
Admissions
Test scores for the Fall 2025 entering class come from Swarthmore College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set: 40% submitted SAT scores, 15% submitted ACT scores.
Application deadlines for Fall 2027 entry
- Early Decision I: Nov 15, 2026
- Early Decision II: Jan 4, 2027
- Regular Decision: Jan 4, 2027
Confirm on Swarthmore College's own admissions site before you apply.
Cost & outcomes
From the US Dept of Education College Scorecard, most recent year reported. Not every school reports every field. Tuition & fees are the sticker price for a full-time first-year undergrad, before financial aid, and don't include room and board.
Where do you stand against Swarthmore College's numbers?
Check your chances hereHow Swarthmore College weighs your application
From Swarthmore College's own Common Data Set, 2025-26, Section C7 -- not a generic admissions checklist. What is a Common Data Set?
What applicants who posted their results listed
42 self-reported applicant profiles from public posts, 2024–25 and 2025–26 admissions cycles: 11 admitted, 31 rejected or waitlisted. Figures read admitted vs. rejected or waitlisted.
Most common activities
Most common awards among admits
Who posted
How this compares across selective liberal arts colleges: Liberal Arts College Accepted vs. Rejected Applicants →
These are people who chose to post their results publicly, mostly on Reddit -- a group that skews toward high scores and STEM. They describe posters, not Swarthmore College's admitted class, and recruited athletes are left out. For official numbers, use the admissions figures above.
See full profile -- financial aid, campus life, and what Swarthmore College weighs in your application
Paying it back
"Still growing" means a borrower's payments aren't yet covering interest 3 years into repayment -- not a default rate. A high number here can mean real repayment difficulty, or just a lot of grads who deferred for graduate school, so read it alongside the school's typical outcomes above.
Majors & earnings
Median earnings 4 years after graduation, by major, from the US Dept of Education. Only shown where the school reports a real figure for that major -- most schools don't report every major they offer, especially smaller programs.
Campus life
Room and board are shown separately from the cost of attendance above -- that total already includes them alongside tuition and fees, this just breaks out the living-cost portion.
What matters in your application
From this school's own reporting to the US Dept of Education on what it formally requires, considers, or doesn't use when reviewing applications.
Frequently asked questions
What does Swarthmore College look for in applicants?
Per Swarthmore College's own Common Data Set (Section C7), it rates rigor of secondary school record, class rank, academic GPA, application essay, recommendations, character/personal qualities as "very important" in admissions decisions -- its own stated top factors, not a generic guess.
What is Swarthmore College's acceptance rate?
Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA admits approximately 7% of applicants, based on the US Dept of Education's most recently reported figures.
What SAT score do I need for Swarthmore College?
Per Swarthmore College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1480–1550 on the SAT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
What ACT score do I need for Swarthmore College?
Per Swarthmore College's own 2025-26 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 33–35 on the ACT (25th–75th percentile, among students who submitted scores).
How much does Swarthmore College cost?
Swarthmore College's total cost of attendance is reported at $84,103 per year, including tuition, fees, and room and board.
When is the application deadline for Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College's deadlines are Early Decision I Nov 15, 2026; Early Decision II Jan 4, 2027; Regular Decision Jan 4, 2027, per its own published admissions calendar.
Does Swarthmore College require students to live on campus?
Yes -- Swarthmore College requires students to live in on-campus housing.
Related reading
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