If you’re reading this, you’re likely wondering whether your child has a shot at getting into Swarthmore College. You’ve come to the right place! We’re going to answer all your admissions questions and more. But first, let’s learn what makes this school in Pennsylvania small but mighty. 

About Swarthmore College 

Swarthmore College’s campus is an actual arboretum located in a suburb outside of Philadelphia. It has only 1,600 undergraduate students, making it a small school. But that doesn’t mean Swarthmore College has a small impact: author Jonathan Franzen, Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, suffragette Alice Paul, and Hawaii governor Josh Green all attended Swarthmore, among many other illustrious alumni. Swarthmore’s alumni base has some of the highest rates of Ph.D. completion and Nobel Prize reception per graduate (trailing just behind Harvard and Caltech).

Swarthmore is part of the Tri-College Consortium with Haverford College and the all-women’s school Bryn Mawr College. Students at Swarthmore have the option to cross-register with these two schools’ course offerings.

Swarthmore has an acceptance rate of 6.1%. That means getting in will require strategic planning (and the help of Ivy Coach’s college admissions experts certainly wouldn’t hurt!). 

Swarthmore Admissions Requirements

Obviously, GPA, standardized testing scores, and extracurricular achievements are the key components of a successful application to Swarthmore College and to any school. That being said, what do these components actually look like for Swarthmore admits? Without further ado, let’s dive in!

What Kind of GPA Is Necessary To Get Into Swarthmore College?

The following is the class rank breakdown of Swarthmore’s Class of 2028 members, as reported in the 2024-25 Common Data Set. Unfortunately, the college hasn’t reported any GPA data for recently admitted cohorts, so the class rank data below is the closest to gauging the GPA requirements for admission in the Swarthmore competitive admissions process.

Assessment	Percent in Swarthmore Class of 2028
Percent in top tenth of high school graduating class	89%
Percent in top quarter of high school graduating class	99%
Percent in top half of high school graduating class	100%
Percent in bottom half of high school graduating class	0%
Percent of total first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted high school class rank:	31%

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into Swarthmore College?

The average SAT score for the Swarthmore Class of 2028 was a 1530, and the average ACT score was a 34. These are some mighty high scores! Though Swarthmore is test-optional, 55% of applicants to the Class of 2028 submitted their scores. We at Ivy Coach believe that test-optional policies are nothing more than a happy-go-lucky fable. If you want in at Swarthmore, definitely nail those tests and submit those scores! 

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into Swarthmore College?

While Swarthmore College does not explicitly state any minimum high school course preparation for applicants, we at Ivy Coach know that highly selective colleges like Swarthmore want to see students excelling in each core subject (English, history, math, science, and foreign language) all four years of high school. In fact, they expect to see five years for foreign language since most students begin their first level of foreign language in eighth grade.

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does Swarthmore College Like To See?

We’re going to clear up a common misunderstanding: highly selective colleges are not looking for well-rounded students. They’re looking for a well-rounded student body comprised of students who are each singularly talented. 

In terms of extracurriculars, that means Swarthmore College is looking for depth over breadth. If you’re a member of the debate team, the robotics team, the field hockey team, and the drama department…well, then, you’re merely a member of those groups. You don’t stand out in any of these pursuits. Swarthmore College would much rather accept a nationally ranked debate champ than a kid who spent an hour or two on debate a week because he spent the rest forgetting Shakespeare lines and fumbling the ball in football practice. 

Swarthmore Application Requirements

Swarthmore accepts the Common App or Coalition App.  They ask for one guidance counselor recommendation and one teacher recommendation. Finally, they ask applicants to respond to the two following supplemental questions: 

• Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry. All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities. Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more. What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own. (250 words) 
• Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education. Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring? (250 words) 

Who Should Students Ask For Letters of Recommendation For Swarthmore? 

Swarthmore applicants should ask two teachers, ideally two junior year teachers in core subjects. Obviously, the applicant should have a good relationship with the teacher or at least have performed well in their class. In addition, at least one of the recommenders’ subject area should be related to the student’s hook: if a student’s singular hook is studying fruit fly DNA, it wouldn’t make sense if their recommenders were their History and English teachers.

Does Swarthmore Require An Interview? 

Yes, Swarthmore offers alumni interviews to applicants.  

What Are Swarthmore College’s Application Deadlines? 

Early Decision I applications to Swarthmore are due Nov. 15. Early Decision II  and Regular Decision applications are due Jan. 4. 

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into Swarthmore

If you’re interested in discerning if your child has a shot of getting into Swarthmore College, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Swarthmore College, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.