Editing Swarthmore College (section)

==Academics==
[[File:Swarthmore College Observatory.jpg|thumb|Cunningham House|left]]
Swarthmore's [[Oxbridge]] tutorial-inspired Honors Program, introduced in 1922,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wood |first=Ruth Shoemaker |title=Transforming campus culture : Frank Aydelotte's honors experiment at Swarthmore College |date=2012 |publisher=University of Delaware Press |isbn=978-1-61149-371-9 |location=Newark|oclc=744296891}}</ref> allows students to take double-credit seminars from their third year, and they often write honors [[theses]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pennock |first=J. Roland |date=1953 |title=The Swarthmore Honors System |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/1976961 |journal=The Journal of Higher Education |volume=24 |issue=2 |pages=57–106 |doi=10.2307/1976961 |jstor=1976961 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Seminars are usually composed of four to eight students. Students in seminars will usually write at least three 10-page papers per seminar, and often one of these papers is expanded into a 20–30-page paper by the end of the seminar. At the end of their final year, Honors students take oral and written examinations conducted by outside experts in their field. Usually one student in each discipline is awarded "Highest Honors"; others are either awarded "High Honors" or "Honors"; rarely, a student is denied Honors altogether by the outside examiner. Each department usually has a grade threshold for admission to the Honors program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.swarthmore.edu/honors-program|title=Honors Program :: Swarthmore College|website=www.swarthmore.edu|language=en|access-date=April 27, 2017|date=July 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428142552/http://www.swarthmore.edu/honors-program|archive-date=April 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Uncommon for a liberal arts college, Swarthmore has an [[engineering]] program in which, at the completion of four years' work, students are granted a B.S. in engineering. Other notable programs include minors in [[peace and conflict studies]], [[cognitive science]] and [[Critical theory|interpretation theory]].<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.har.com/selective-liberal-arts-colleges--information-session-and-visit/event_E0-001-093360433-8|title=Selective Liberal Arts Colleges – Information Session and Visit |website=Homes And Rentals – HAR.com|language=en|access-date=April 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428142550/http://www.har.com/selective-liberal-arts-colleges--information-session-and-visit/event_E0-001-093360433-8|archive-date=April 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

Swarthmore has an undergraduate student enrollment of 1,620 (for the 2016–2017 year) and 187 faculty members (99% with a terminal degree), for a student-faculty ratio of 8:1. The small college offers more than 600 courses per year in over 40 courses of study.<ref name=":3"/>

Its most popular majors, based on 2021 graduates, were:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=swarthmore&s=all&id=216287#programs |website=nces.ed.gov |publisher=U.S. Dept of Education |title=Swarthmore College |access-date=February 18, 2023}}</ref>
* Economics (53)
* Biology/Biological Sciences (37)
* Computer & Information Sciences (36)
* Engineering (23)
* Mathematics (18)
* Research & Experimental Psychology (16)

===Rankings===
{{Infobox US university ranking
| Forbes = 27
| THE_WSJ = 11
| USNWR_LA = 3
| Wamo_LA = 4
}}

Some sources, including ''Greene's Guides'',<ref name="green2">Greene, Howard and Matthew Greene (2000) ''Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning: The Hidden Ivies: Thirty Colleges of Excellence'', HarperCollins, {{ISBN|0-06-095362-4}}, excerpt at [http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060953624&tc=cx HarperCollins.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050321143927/http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060953624&tc=cx |date=March 21, 2005 }}</ref> have termed Swarthmore one of the "[[Little Ivies]]". In its 2025 college ranking, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' ranked Swarthmore as the third-best liberal arts college in the nation, behind [[Williams College|Williams]] and [[Amherst College|Amherst]].<ref name=":5">{{cite web |title=U.S. News College Rankings |url=https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-liberal-arts-colleges |access-date=September 25, 2024}}</ref> Since the inception of the ''U.S. News'' rankings, Amherst, Williams and Swarthmore are the only colleges to have been ranked for the number one liberal arts college. Swarthmore has been ranked the number one liberal arts college in the country six times.<ref name=":2">[http://chronicle.com/stats/usnews/index.php?category=Liberal+Arts+Colleges "Liberal Arts College rankings"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413004239/http://chronicle.com/stats/usnews/index.php?category=Liberal+Arts+Colleges |date=April 13, 2012 }}, ''Chronicle of Higher Education''</ref>

''[[Forbes]]'' magazine ranked Swarthmore 27th in its 2024-25 ranking of the top 500 U.S. colleges, universities and service academies .<ref>{{cite web |title=America's Top Colleges |url=https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/#tab:rank |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810053444/http://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/#tab:rank |archive-date=August 10, 2016 |access-date=February 19, 2025 |magazine=Forbes}}</ref>

Swarthmore ranked third among all institutions of higher education in the United States as measured by the percentage of graduates who went on to earn Ph.D.s between 2013 and 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swarthmore.edu/institutional-effectiveness-research-assessment/doctorates-awarded|title=''Weighted Baccalaureate Origins Study'', This shows baccalaureate origins of people granted Ph.D.s from 2013 to 2022. The listing shows institutions ranked by percentage of graduates who go on to earn a Ph.D. in selected disciplines|publisher=Swarthmore.edu|access-date=September 25, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606194007/https://www.swarthmore.edu/institutional-effectiveness-research-assessment/doctorates-awarded|archive-date=June 6, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/02/05/princeton-review-best-value-colleges-interactive/1890969/|title=2013 Princeton Review 150 Best Value Colleges|date=February 5, 2013|newspaper=USA Today|access-date=February 20, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220003212/http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/02/05/princeton-review-best-value-colleges-interactive/1890969/|archive-date=February 20, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Swarthmore was named the #1 "Best Value" private college by ''[[The Princeton Review]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/education/best-value-colleges.htm|title=Best Value Colleges for 2010 and how they were chosen|date=January 12, 2010|work=USA Today|access-date=May 24, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522020646/http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/best-value-colleges.htm|archive-date=May 22, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Overall selection criteria included more than 30 factors in three areas: academics, costs and financial aid. Swarthmore was also placed on ''The Princeton Review''{{'s}} Financial Aid Honor Roll along with twelve other institutions for receiving the highest possible rating in its ranking methodology.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/financial-aid-rating-press-release.aspx|title=Financial Aid Rating Press Release|date=August 2, 2010|publisher=Princetonreview.com|access-date=March 24, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323072029/http://www.princetonreview.com/financial-aid-rating-press-release.aspx|archive-date=March 23, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Admissions===
{{Infobox U.S. college admissions
|year               = 2022<!-- Comparison year is automatically set to five years prior -->
|ref                = <ref name="CDS">{{cite web |title=Common Data Set |url=https://www.swarthmore.edu/institutional-effectiveness-research-assessment/common-data-set |publisher=Swarthmore College |access-date=26 September 2023 |language=en |date=8 July 2014}}</ref>
|change ref         = <ref name="CDS" />
|admit rate         = 6.9%
|admit rate change  = -3.8
|yield rate         = 42%
|yield rate change  = +3

|test optional      = recent
|SAT EBRW           = 710–770<!-- use an em-dash (–) -->
|SAT EBRW change    = +20
|SAT Math           = 730–790<!-- use an em-dash (–) -->
|SAT Math change    = +20
|ACT                = 32–35<!-- use an em-dash (–) -->
|ACT change         = +1

|top decile         = 89%
|top decile change  = -2
|top quarter        = 100%
|top quarter change = +1
|top half           = 100%
|top half change    = 0
}}

The college is considered by ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' as "most selective", with 10.7% of the 9,383 applicants accepted during the 2016–2017 admissions cycle.<ref name="2017 Fact Sheet">{{cite web|title=2017 Fact Sheet|url=http://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/admissions-aid/2017%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf|publisher=Swarthmore College|access-date=September 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914125508/http://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/admissions-aid/2017%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf|archive-date=September 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The number of applicants was the highest in the college's history and among the highest overall of any liberal arts college.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.pomona.edu/news/2017/03/17-pomona-college-receives-record-breaking-number-applications-class-2021|title=Pomona College Receives Record-Breaking Number of Applications for the Class of 2021|date=March 16, 2017|work=Pomona College in Claremont, California|access-date=August 19, 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803130147/https://www.pomona.edu/news/2017/03/17-pomona-college-receives-record-breaking-number-applications-class-2021|archive-date=August 3, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wellesley.edu/news/2017/node/114856#UBAPX3Fy0YSY3Xhq.97|title=Meet the Record-Setting Wellesley College Class of 2021|website=Wellesley College|language=en|access-date=August 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820035010/http://www.wellesley.edu/news/2017/node/114856#UBAPX3Fy0YSY3Xhq.97|archive-date=August 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wesleyanargus.com/2017/03/30/class-of-2021-wesleyan-record-low-acceptance-rate/|title=Class of 2021 Sees Record Low Acceptance Rate|website=The Wesleyan Argus|date=March 30, 2017 |access-date=August 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819103524/http://wesleyanargus.com/2017/03/30/class-of-2021-wesleyan-record-low-acceptance-rate/|archive-date=August 19, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/3_23_2017_admittedstudents/|title=Williams College Admits 1,253 Students to Class of 2021|work=Office of Communications|access-date=August 19, 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820073911/https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/3_23_2017_admittedstudents/|archive-date=August 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The college saw increases in the number of underrepresented students, first-generation college students, and international students. The college reports that "Twenty-five percent of the admitted students are among the first generation in their family to attend college" and "Of the admitted students attending high schools reporting class rank, 94 percent are in the top decile".<ref name=":6">{{cite web|url=http://www.swarthmore.edu/news-events/960-students-admitted-to-swarthmore-class-2021|title=960 Students Admitted to Swarthmore Class of 2021 :: News & Events :: Swarthmore College|website=www.swarthmore.edu|language=en|access-date=August 19, 2017|date=March 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819234030/http://www.swarthmore.edu/news-events/960-students-admitted-to-swarthmore-class-2021|archive-date=August 19, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The class of 2022 admissions statistics have been fully released, where 13,012 applicants resulted in 1013 admits for an admit rate of 7.78%.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|date=2023-08-20|title=Swarthmore by the Numbers|url=https://www.swarthmore.edu/meet-swarthmore/swarthmore-numbers|access-date=2023-08-20|website=www.swarthmore.edu|language=en|archive-date=February 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217055842/https://www.swarthmore.edu/meet-swarthmore/swarthmore-numbers|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012, ''[[The Princeton Review]]'' gave Swarthmore a 99 out of 99 on their Admissions Selectivity Rating.<ref name="theprincetonreview.com2">{{cite web|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeAdmissions.aspx?iid=1024057|title=Test Prep: GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, SAT, ACT, and More|publisher=Theprincetonreview.com|access-date=February 19, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330170018/http://www.princetonreview.com/schools/college/CollegeAdmissions.aspx?iid=1024057|archive-date=March 30, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Graduates===
At Swarthmore, 15% of earners of undergraduate degrees immediately enter graduate or professional school, and, within five years of graduation, 75% of alumni enter these programs. Alumni of the school earn graduate degrees most commonly at institutions that include [[Harvard University]], the [[University of Pennsylvania]], [[Yale University]], [[Princeton University]], [[Brown University]], the [[University of Cambridge]], [[Columbia University]] and the [[University of Chicago]].<ref name=":02">{{cite web|url=https://www.swarthmore.edu/career-services/post-graduation-statistics|title=Post Graduation Statistics|website=www.swarthmore.edu|date=July 8, 2014 |access-date=March 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021031116/https://www.swarthmore.edu/career-services/post-graduation-statistics|archive-date=October 21, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> At graduate programs, the most common fields for Swarthmore graduates to enter are math & physical sciences, humanities, social sciences, life sciences and engineering.<ref name=":02"/>

[[PayScale]] reports that Swarthmore graduates have an average starting salary of $70,800 and an average mid-career salary of $142,900, making their salaries the 31st highest among all college and university graduates with only a bachelor's. This puts them above larger institutions such as [[Vanderbilt University|Vanderbilt]], [[Brown University|Brown]] and [[Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins]]—ranked 70th, 33rd and 95th, respectively. Swarthmore is also ninth among liberal arts colleges alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors|title=Highest Salary College Rankings by School|access-date=September 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914202430/https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors|archive-date=September 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/best-schools-by-type/bachelors/liberal-arts-schools|title=Best Liberal Arts Colleges with Highest Paid Graduates|access-date=September 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914192339/https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/best-schools-by-type/bachelors/liberal-arts-schools|archive-date=September 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>