As an alum, Swarthmore was an incredible and wonderful place for me. I had lots of fun, worked hard, and made lifelong friends. I owe my career to the professors I had there; the fact Swarthmore produces an astonishing number of PhDs across multiple disciplines attests to the outstanding mentorship that students receive there.
I agree with PPs that Swat has a well-deserved reputation for academic rigor and intensity, but it's not outwardly competitive. The kids who attend are self-driven and interested in pursuing their own intellectual interests. The school was (and still is, though I think to a lesser degree) self-selecting. The kids who choose to go there want that environment and thrive there--it's a unique and special college for the *right* student.
And yes the multi-billion dollar endowment that supports 1600 kids means that the college can meet all demonstrated need, and that once a student is on campus, there are few, if any, financial barriers to full participation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swat and Haverford are anti-semitic hellholes right now.

I've heard directly that Bryn Mawr is as well.

Are there any schools in the Northeast that are NOT anti-semitic hellholes? I think I've heard this accusation lobbied at every single school above the Mason Dixie line.

I believe this assertion comes from those conflating opposition to Zionism and genocide with anti-semitism. If one thinks genocide is no big deal, I would in fact suggest a southern party school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Swat and Haverford are anti-semitic hellholes right now.

I've heard directly that Bryn Mawr is as well.

Are there any schools in the Northeast that are NOT anti-semitic hellholes? I think I've heard this accusation lobbied at every single school above the Mason Dixie line.

My DD is there. I can't speak to financial aid, but I can tell you that it's not for everyone. The academics are intense, and it's not very social.

Yes they meet 100% need but remember they don’t define need, FAFSA and CSS forms do.

For example, when my DD was first applying our EFC (estimated family contribution; they call it something else now) was $46,000. So our “need” was the diff between the sticker price and the EFC; sometimes that included requiring DD to take loans.

Anonymous wrote:Swat and Haverford are anti-semitic hellholes right now.

I've heard directly that Bryn Mawr is as well.

Swat and Haverford are anti-semitic hellholes right now.

Anonymous wrote:We toured. I think they give a ton of aid to half the class. Like average package is 65K.

As someone on the bubble, I think we would be full pay. Which annoys me. Feels very all or nothing. My kid could easily have been a roommate with a kid paying 25k instead of 90K because their parents had their assets in a 2.5 million dollar home.

I think this is typical.

Anonymous wrote:Nerdier
More conveniently located than Williams, Amherst or Pomona for kids in DC

Yes it’s a grind…kids miserable.

As PP noted, Swat has a very intense vibe.
Amherst and Williams are both filled with super smart engaged students who take their studies seriously, but the campus vibe is more welcoming.
If you have a girl, Wellesley is of similar caliber plus X-registration with MIT is a nice bonus.

Anonymous wrote:Nerdier
More conveniently located than Williams, Amherst or Pomona for kids in DC

+1 Nerdier and more intense. My magnet kid liked it but is weary of that level of intensity after HS. Would like to be challenged but not continually exhausted by the workload.

Nerdier
More conveniently located than Williams, Amherst or Pomona for kids in DC

No, all of the most competitive SLACS meet 100% of need. Some, like Bowdoin and I believe Amherst and Williams, even do so for international students.

If you’re asking if the character of the school itself is different from other SLACs, it skews more intellectual and some would say nerdier than the NESCACs.

We toured. I think they give a ton of aid to half the class. Like average package is 65K.

As someone on the bubble, I think we would be full pay. Which annoys me. Feels very all or nothing. My kid could easily have been a roommate with a kid paying 25k instead of 90K because their parents had their assets in a 2.5 million dollar home.

Is it different than other SLACS like Amherst and Williams?

They claim to meet 100% of need. Is this different than others SLACS?

Thanks for any info.