admissions Archives - The Phoenix

News

Jim Bock ’90 Sheds Light on Admissions Process, Early Decision Challenges

Dean of Admissions explains how Swarthmore recruits and enrolls students while sustaining its test-optional policy amid national debates over standardized testing.

December 4, 2025

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: The Role of AI and Standardized Testing in College Admissions

Political Scientist Sam Handlin argues that the college should require standardized testing for admissions in the time of artificial intelligence.

December 4, 2025

News

Swarthmore Continues Test-Optional Policy

The college renewed its test-optional policy for up to five more years.

November 20, 2025

Opinion·Swat Says

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Swatties share their thoughts on admissions decisions, understaffed departments, and their Swat day from hell.

November 13, 2025

News

Swarthmore Reviews Early Applicants under Changed Conditions

Regular and winter early decision application review is underway at Swarthmore College as the admissions team continues to adjust to “race-neutral” admissions policies. Winter early decision is the second of two rounds of admissions decisions that are binding unless families can’t afford

February 6, 2025

News

Data on Class of 2028 Shows Declines in Students from Underrepresented Minorities, Jim Bock Shares Thoughts

In mid-October, the Swarthmore College Institutional Effectiveness, Research & Assessment (IERA) released its summary of Fall 2024 enrollment. The data breaks the college’s first-year class and student body down by resident status, race, ethnicity, and gender. The report is notable as the

October 31, 2024

News

Swarthmore Acceptance Rate Rises to 7.46% for Class of 2028 Amid Changing Admissions Landscape

On Friday, March 22, Swarthmore released its admissions decisions for the class of 2028. The college received 13,065 applications in this year’s cycle and admitted 975 prospective students, equating to a 7.46% acceptance rate for the college, slightly above last year’s acceptance

March 28, 2024

Opinion

After Students For Fair Admission, We Must End Legacy Admissions

This summer, the Supreme Court decided to gut affirmative action, calling into question the practices of admissions offices across the country, including Swarthmore’s. Swarthmore’s admissions process is guided by a commitment to “living in a community of people with diverse backgrounds.” After

December 15, 2023

News

Prospective Students Roam Campus: Students and Faculty Reflect on Discover Swarthmore 2023

Last week, high school seniors interested in applying to Swarthmore arrived on campus for the 25th annual Discover Swarthmore. Prospective applicants roomed with current students, sat in on and participated in classes, attended campus events, and interacted with the broader Swarthmore community

November 2, 2023

News

College Admissions Teams Gear Up For Improving AI Tools

When Lisa Meeden wrote her Swarthmore College admissions essay, it took her less than a minute. More accurately, it took an artificial intelligence (AI) tool 30 seconds to create a false student and their experiences—including a service trip to Guatemala and multiple

October 5, 2023

admissions

Jim Bock ’90 Sheds Light on Admissions Process, Early Decision Challenges

Letter to the Editor: The Role of AI and Standardized Testing in College Admissions

Swarthmore Continues Test-Optional Policy

Weekly Column: Swat Says

Swarthmore Reviews Early Applicants under Changed Conditions

Data on Class of 2028 Shows Declines in Students from Underrepresented Minorities, Jim Bock Shares Thoughts

Swarthmore Acceptance Rate Rises to 7.46% for Class of 2028 Amid Changing Admissions Landscape

After Students For Fair Admission, We Must End Legacy Admissions

Prospective Students Roam Campus: Students and Faculty Reflect on Discover Swarthmore 2023

College Admissions Teams Gear Up For Improving AI Tools

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Jim Bock ’90 Sheds Light on Admissions Process, Early Decision Challenges

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