Historically Black College/University?
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:
48%20-21:
46%22-24:
4%25+:
0%Faculty Diversity
African American:
6%Asian American:
6%Hispanic:
3%International:
6%Native American:
0%White:
80%Unknown:
0%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).