Swarthmore College is a formerly Quaker, private liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. We’re shocked – a liberal arts school named after the town it’s in! Who’d have thought?? Anyways, Swarthmore is part of the Quaker and Tri-College consortiums (consortii?) which means you can take classes at UPenn, Bryn Mawr, and Haverford.
If you’re thinking about transferring to Swarthmore, know it is highly, highly competitive. The first-year acceptance rate is 8%, and last year they only accepted 2.4% of transfer students. Very few students leave each year, which is a testament to satisfaction with the school, so we get why you’re eyeing them. Don’t get too panicked, we have some tricks and tips to help you maximize your Swarthmore transfer app.
Swarthmore’s Requirements
Here are Swarthmore’s eligibility requirements:
“Swarthmore admits transfer students for fall enrollment only. You may apply for transfer admissions if you have completed the equivalent of two or more semesters of college or university-level coursework by the end of the current academic year.
You are not eligible for transfer admission if you have already completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, and we discourage transfer applications from students who have completed the equivalent of six or more semesters of college coursework. International students who require financial aid to attend Swarthmore are also not eligible to transfer.”
They also only accept Fall transfers.
Here are their other requirements:
Transfer Common App
Essays (more on that later)
Two faculty recommendations (can be professor or TA)
School/College report
Midterm report
Official Transcripts (college + high school)
Optional requirements:
Test scores
Interviews
More on their requirements and process for transfer applicants here.
Pick the Right Classes
If you want to study, say, Econ (their most popular major), you should probably take some Econ classes. “Duh,” you’re thinking to yourself, but stop sassing us, we have sage wisdom to share. If you are more drawn to Macro than Micro, then you should probably take classes that, idk, actually fit into that! Don’t just take any and all Econ classes, focus your efforts on what actually interests you.
Don’t shirk your prereqs, though. They are a liberal arts school that wants students who have a liberal arts background, so definitely take those classes. With a 2.4% acceptance rate, you should have a safety net built at your current institution in case your transfer dreams don’t become reality.
Get Really Good Grades
Let’s hear it straight from Phineas the Phoenix’s (that’s their mascot) mouth: “Competitive candidates typically have earned mostly A’s and B’s in a liberal arts curriculum.” With a, to repeat ourselves a third time, 2.4% acceptance rate, you better bet your bottom dollar you should be getting all As.
In order to help you get good grades: perhaps do not take the classes that made you stress in high school. If you can take like, marine science instead of OChem, maybe do that. And also, go to all your office hours. Building relationships with professors can help your grades, build community, and helps when it’s time to ask for rec letters.
Develop Your Niche
Taking a few Econ classes is fine and dandy, but you need to do more to prove that you’ve formed a true passion in your interest area. Some things you can do to do that are:
Research with a professor
Joining (or starting) clubs
Writing for an on-campus publication
Getting an internship
Getting a paying job
Volunteering (in something related to your major)
This isn’t just resume-building, it’s to help you figure out that you actually want to do this thing, plus it goes back into that whole safety-net-thing we keep mentioning, you know, because of that 2.4% acceptance rate.
Write Good Essays
Swarthmore has three total essay 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. (150 to 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? (150 to 250 words)
Great news, students! These are the same questions they ask you as a first-year applicant. This means we have a lot of guidance on how to specifically answer these questions here. The also good news: these are common college essay fare, asking about community and curiosity.
The Common App Essay
They want you to write a Common App essay. We have several different blog posts on how to brainstorm, execute, and edit your Common App essay. Godspeed.
We hope these tips help you a) prepare to transfer and b) make that transfer application happen. Good luck with your Swarthmore application and make sure to keep your grades up, get plugged into your community, and dive into your passions.
If you need help with your transfer applications, reach out to us today.