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959 Students Admitted to Swarthmore Class of 2013

Swarthmore College Admits 959
Students to Class of 2013

Seventeen Percent Accepted from
Pool of 5,574 Applications

by Stacey Kutish
4/7/2009

Parrish Hall

Parrish Hall

Swarthmore College has sent letters of admission to 959 prospective members of the Class of 2013. Seventeen percent of the 5,574 students who applied were offered a position in the first year class. Based on previous admissions patterns, Swarthmore expects this group of admitted students to yield a first-year class of about 390 for next fall.

The 5,574 applications mark the second-highest number the College has ever received. "Despite the economy, Swarthmore continues to attract the highest quality of applicants, and the admitted class is one of the strongest ever," says Jim Bock, dean of admissions and financial aid. "Even during these tougher economic times, Swarthmore has re-affirmed its need-blind admissions policy as well as its commitment to meet the demonstrated financial need of admitted students with loan-free financial aid awards."

Of the admitted students attending high schools reporting class rank, 32 percent are valedictorians or salutatorians. Fifty-six percent are in the top two percent of their high school class and 88 percent are in the top decile.

The admitted students come from five continents, 58 nations, and 50 U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. California is the most highly represented home state of members in the newly admitted class. Following, in order, are New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Massachusetts, Florida, Connecticut, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington.

South Korea, with twelve students, is the most represented nation among international students in the admitted class. Five are from China. Four each are from Mexico and Singapore. Two each are from Canada, Ecuador, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Turkey, and Vietnam. One each is from Argentina, Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, England, Germany, Greece, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Norway, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.

Fifty-six percent of the admitted students come from public high schools, 30 percent from private independent schools, seven percent from parochial schools, and seven percent from schools overseas. Engineering is the most popular intended major among the admitted students. Next, in order, are biology, political science, "undecided," economics, English, history, math, physics, and peace studies.

Fifty-two percent of all accepted students identify themselves as domestic students of color. Asian Americans make up 18 percent of the admitted class; Latino/a students 18 percent; African Americans, 15 percent; and, Native Americans make up one percent.