Swarthmore College - Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and chance of acceptance

Your chances of getting into Swarthmore College

Admission Rate & Difficulty

Percent Admitted

6.9%

Admission Difficulty for Swarthmore College
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Extreme

Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Swarthmore is 6.9%. Its admission rate is the 3rd lowest in Pennsylvania and the 20th lowest the nation.

Admission Selectivity

How hard is it to get into Swarthmore and can you get accepted?

Swarthmore is an extremely competitive school to get into and is highly selective who it accepts. You have a very low chance of acceptance even even if you meet the admission criteria. It's critical that you meet their GPA requirements to get past the first round of consideration. Last year, only 992 out of the 14,287 who applied were admitted.

Swarthmore College typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.9. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class or better. 42% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

Can you get into Swarthmore?

7% are accepted, can you get in? Use the admission calculator to see if you have the grades and test scores needed to get in. See your admission chances based on your extracurriculars, intended major, background, and more.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Swarthmore College you should:

Have a high school GPA of 3.9 or better
Earn A- grades in high school
Score 1510 on the SAT
Score 33 on the ACT
Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class

Swarthmore GPA

GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

3.9*

Typical High School Grades

A-

What GPA do you need to get into Swarthmore College?

GPA Requirements

The GPA requirements for getting into Swarthmore are to have around a 3.9 high school GPA. You are required to have exceptionally good grades and you should be graduating near the top of your class.

Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Swarthmore extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.9 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.9 GPA. If your grades do not meet the GPA requirements, you will have very little chance of being considered for admission.

Average GPA

The average unweighted GPA at Swarthmore is 3.9 on the 4.0 scale. To achieve the average GPA for admission, you need to earn A- letter grades and regularly score around 90-92 percent on tests and assignments in high school. The school ranks #3 in Pennsylvania for highest average GPA.

Importance of GPA

Since Swarthmore is a test optional college, extra focus will be placed on your GPA when the school considers your application. As a result, it is very important that you meet the GPA requirements.

See additional colleges accepting applicants in the 3.9 GPA range.

*This school has not published high school GPA data for its incoming freshman class. In these cases, CollegeSimply uses an algorithm to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of college GPA data. 3.9 is a prediction of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

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Swarthmore SAT Scores

Testing Requirements

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Swarthmore College. If you optionally submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 40% of students submitted SAT scores and 14% submitted ACT scores for admission for the most recent academic year..

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1460-1560

Applicants Submitting SAT

40%

SAT Scores for Swarthmore College
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	720
Math 25th Percentile	740
Composite 25th Percentile	1460

SAT Scores for Swarthmore College
SAT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	770
Math 75th Percentile	790
Composite 75th Percentile	1560
Average SAT Score	1510

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for you to be admitted to Swarthmore College?

Average Score & Range

The average SAT score at Swarthmore is 1510 out of 1600 and the range for the middle 50% of accepted students is 1460-1560. Students who get into Swarthmore College score in the top 2 percent of all SAT test takers.. Swarthmore ranks #3 in the state of Pennsylvania and #26 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

You should target scoring 1510 or above to be most competitive with other applicants. Swarthmore regularly admits students with SAT scores down to 1460 on a 1600 scale. However, three quarter of admitted students score higher. If you score below a 1460, admission should be considered a reach. Some students may be accepted with minimum SAT's as low as 1410, but scores this low are outside the normal range.

Score Submission Requirements

Swarthmore College is a test optional school meaning do not have to submit SAT scores with your application. The position on SAT scores from the college is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

View other colleges which accept students in the 1510 SAT score range.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

The table below outlines your predicted admission chances based on SAT score alone. If you are an average applicant with a score of 1510, you have around a 7% chance of being admitted. A 1560 places you well ahead of most other applicants and gives you about a 13% chance of getting in.

Swarthmore College admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1560 and Above	Good	>13%
1510 to 1560	Avg +	7%-13%
1460 to 1510	Avg -	4%-7%
1410 to 1460	Reach	2%-4%
Less than 1410	Low	<2%

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Swarthmore ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

33-34

Applicants Submitting ACT

14%

ACT Scores for Swarthmore College
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
Reading 25th Percentile	34
Math 25th Percentile	31
Composite 25th Percentile	33

ACT Scores for Swarthmore College
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
Reading 75th Percentile	35
Math 75th Percentile	35
Composite 75th Percentile	34
Average ACT Score	33

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for students to get into Swarthmore?

Score Range

The average ACT score for admitted students to Swarthmore is 33, while the middle 50% of students (25th to 75th percentile) score between a 33 and 34. The school ranks #4 in Pennsylvania and #52 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score.

Score for Acceptance

For the best chance of admission, you should have an ACT of 33. This will place you in solid competition against other applicants. At a minimum, you should aim for a 33 and score in the score in the top 2 percent nationally.

14 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Swarthmore College.

Score Submission Requirements

You do not have to to submit ACT scores with your application as Swarthmore College is test optional. The policy from the school on ACT scores is "not required for admission, but considered if submitted (test optional)".

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Here are your predicted chances of getting into Swarthmore for different ACT score ranges. A typical applicant with a 33 score has around 7% chance of getting in. Your odds increase to about 21% with a 34 ACT score.

Swarthmore College admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
34 and Above	Good	>21%
33 to 34	Avg +	7%-21%
33 to 33	Avg -	7%-7%
33 to 33	Reach	7%-7%
Less than 33	Low	<7%

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High School Class Rank

90% of Swarthmore College freshman are in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class. For your application to be competitive, you need to graduate at the top of your class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Swarthmore College students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	90%
Top 25% of class	99%
Top 50% of class	100%

Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Admission and enrollment rates by gender are detailed the the table below.

Swarthmore College admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	8,296	5,991	14,287
Accepted	502	490	992
Acceptance Rate	6%	8%	7%
Enrolled	207	208	415
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	41%	42%	42%

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2023 starting class

Fall 2025 Application Deadline

Applications Due

Jan 4, 2025

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2025 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 4, 2025.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Swarthmore College is $60.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Swarthmore College and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Swarthmore College Application Requirements
Test Scores	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
High School GPA	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
High School Class Rank	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted
Recommendations	Required to be considered for admission
Demonstration of Competencies	Not required for admission, but considered if submitted

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Swarthmore College
AP Credit	Yes
Dual Credit	No
Credit for Life Experiences	No

Admission Requirements Summary

Because Swarthmore is extremely competitive, you have a very low likelihood of acceptance. It is critical that you earn at least a 3.9 GPA to have any chance. Additionally, you need to score at least a 1510 on the SAT and optimally 1560 to put yourself in a competitive position. For ACT scores, you should really strive for a 33 to have the best chance of getting in.