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Swarthmore College
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Swarthmore College - Diversity - Diversity - College ProwlerCollege Prowler5.00

Diversity

A+
Where does this grade come from?View all Diversity rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Diversity Grades:

Quick Stats

African American 9%
Asian American 17%
Hispanic 11%
International 7%
Native American 1%
White 44%
Unknown 12%
Historically Black College/University? No
Tribal College? No
Out-of-State Students 88%
Common States of Residence
  • California
  • Foreign countries
  • Maryland
  • New Jersey
  • New York
Student Age Breakdown Under 18: 2%
18-19: 47%
20-21: 46%
22-24: 5%
25+: 0%
Female Faculty 42%
Male Faculty 58%
Faculty Diversity African American: 6%
Asian American: 6%
Hispanic: 3%
International: 6%
Native American: 0%
White: 80%
Unknown: 0%

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Swarthmore prides itself on its diversity. There are students from all 50 states and more than 60 foreign countries here, and this diversity adds richness to classroom discussions and social interactions. It is true that similar people tend to stick together and only converse with one another, but due to the size and attitude of the College, everyone is very welcoming. And while there are a few groups that don’t branch out and talk to people of different races, classes, genders, or sexualities, for the most part, everyone interacts with one another in a positive manner, regardless of their background. Students from various backgrounds often become the best of friends.

Swarthmore is a place to learn about and celebrate all cultures, and the administration is truly sensitive to the needs of minority students. Groups on campus, such as Enlace (a Latino organization), SOCA (a group for students of Caribbean ancestry), and SQU (Swarthmore Queer Union), can provide excellent support networks and help make the adjustment to Swarthmore easier. Minority organizations also play a major role in campus activities. Groups like Deshi, Enlace, SQU, and SASS (Swarthmore African American Society) throw some of the best parties and have also been known to attract the most interesting speakers and performers.

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Swarthmore Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Diversity at Swarthmore College

kelsey115

Psychology '13

4.6
A

Very Diverse

The percentage of international students and students of color is very high. I've met people from all over the world, which is a huge plus to any education. If you are queer or questioning you will be accepted with open arms. The only factor keeping me from rating diversity with an A+ is the lack of political diversity. Most students on campus are very liberal.

Mar 15, 2012

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Diversity at Swarthmore College

tomcat

Philosophy '12

3.8
B+

Diversity

Lots of self-segregated diversity. I think respect between groups is pretty high at least.

Nov 27, 2011

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Diversity at Swarthmore College

ylist1

Religion '14

5.0
A+

IC/BCC/WRC

Swarthmore is a tremendously welcoming environment, and has a lot of support networks in place to help students from all backgrounds be comfortable at Swarthmore.

The Intercultural Center, Black Cultural Center and Woman's Resource Center are all responsible for over thirty organizations dealing with issues of sexuality/gender, religion, race/ethnicity, etc.

Jan 26, 2011

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Page 1 of 6
User rating for Swarthmore College - Diversity is 4.6 out of 5 based on 16 user reviews.

Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

How diverse is the student body in the following areas?

How diverse is your personal circle of friends in the following areas?

How accepting is the campus community as a whole toward someone who falls into the minority (ethnic, sexual, or religious)?

How would you best describe your personal political beliefs?

How would you best describe the political beliefs of campus as a whole?

Facts

Gay Pride

Swarthmore is known for being one of the most gay-friendly schools in the country. The Swarthmore Queer Union is very active and sponsors two queer pride weeks during the school year. The first, Coming-Out Week, occurs in the fall. The second, Sager Week, named for Swat alum Richard Sager, includes a week-long symposium on queer issues and one of the year’s biggest campus parties, “Sager.”

Political Activity

There is a lot of political activity happening on Swarthmore's campus. Since the College is so close to Philadelphia, a lot of students work and campaign for politicians running for city, state, or nationwide positions. The ideology of the campus leans to the far left, as a very little portion of the student body is Republican.

Economic Status

Around 50 percent of Swarthmore students receive financial aid. This figure could indicate there is a relatively decent-sized lower- to middle-class student sector; however, once you flip the figure around, you’ll realize that means 50 percent of students can afford to pay the $50,000+ price tag each year. So, judging from this figure, more Swatties come from wealthier backgrounds than the average group of college students. However, basing a student’s status on the clothes they wear and the things they have is hard because “poor chic” pervades the campus dress code.

Most Common Religions

Swarthmore has Christian, Muslim, and Jewish student groups that are relatively quiet among the general student body but are active among their members. Despite this, Swarthmore has been named among the colleges “most likely to ignore God on a regular basis.” The claim is mostly true, and the average Swattie is probably a bit of a skeptic when it comes to religion.

Minority Clubs on Campus

Minority groups on campus have a pretty prominent position in campus life. The groups are very active within the entire student body and support their members well. Minority groups are generally known to throw the best campus parties and bring the best speakers and events to campus. A list of minority clubs include the IC (Intercultural Center), BCC (Black Cultural Center), SAO (Swarthmore Asian Organization), SASS (Swarthmore African American Society), SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry), and Enlace (Latino student organization).

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Most Recent Student Author View all

Name
Sudarshan Gopaladesikan
Hometown
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Major
Math and Engineering

College Prowler is seeking talented student authors to assist with writing and updating the College Prowler guides to their schools. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain experience and tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college.

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How do we get our information? Find out here or report an error here. The statistics on our site are from the National Center for Education Statistics IPEDS database.
We update this information twice annually, most recently in May 2012, but it may not be the most recent information available for a particular school.
For additional information we encourage you to visit school websites or contact the schools directly.