Chances of getting into Swarthmore College
Acceptance Rate
How hard is it to get into Swarthmore and can I get accepted?
The acceptance rate at Swarthmore is 9%. It ranks #2 in Pennsylvania and #19 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. Swarthmore is extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Last year, 1,054 out of 11,630 applicants were admitted.
The school has exceptionally high admission requirements for SAT and ACT scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 5 percent (SAT 1395/1540 ACT 31/34). 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. 35% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
The Swarthmore application fee is $60 and applications are due by Jan 1.
Testing Requirements
You are required to submit admission test scores with your application. Swarthmore College is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to confirm the most up to date testing requirements.
Swarthmore SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 690 |
| SAT Math 25th | 705 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1395 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 750 |
| SAT Math 75th | 790 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1540 |
| Average SAT Score | 1470
|
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Swarthmore College?
Swarthmore College typically prefers applicants to be in the top 100 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1395 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1320. The average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1470 out of 1600. Swarthmore ranks #3 in Pennsylvania and #25 in the nation for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 62 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
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Swarthmore ACT Scores
ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 33 |
| ACT Math 25th | 29 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 31 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 36 |
| ACT Math 75th | 34 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 34 |
| Average ACT Score | 32
|
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Swarthmore?
Admission data indicates that Swarthmore regularly accepts students with ACT's of 31 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 5 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 32 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 34 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #4 in Pennsylvania and #53 in the U.S. for highest average ACT composite score. 43 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Swarthmore College.
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Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2020 starting classEstimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
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Swarthmore GPA
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
What GPA do you need to get into Swarthmore College?
Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Swarthmore. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Swarthmore College was 3.9 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #5 in Pennsylvania for highest average GPA. 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.
Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements
*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.9 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.
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High School Class Rank
93% of Swarthmore College freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 93% |
| Top 25% of class | 100% |
| Top 50% of class | 100% |
Applying
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 6,832 | 4,798 | 11,630 |
| Accepted | 539 | 515 | 1,054 |
| Acceptance Rate | 8% | 11% | 9% |
| Enrolled | 187 | 187 | 374 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 35% | 36% | 35% |
Fall 2022 Application Deadline
Applications are Due
Days left to Apply
Applicants have 28 days left until the Fall 2022 term applications are due on Jan 1, 2023.
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?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Considered but not required |
| High School Class Rank | Considered but not required |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=216287 IPEDS survey data for Swarthmore College.
FAQs
Does Swarthmore College prefer SAT or ACT?
62% of students submit their SAT scores to Swarthmore. 43% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.
What is my chance of getting into Swarthmore College?
9% of those who apply are granted admission to Swarthmore. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.
What SAT score is required for Swarthmore College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1395 and 1540. 62% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.
What ACT score is required for Swarthmore College?
The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 31 and 34. 43% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.