Swarthmore College, established in 1864, is a private, nonprofit institution offering undergraduate courses in engineering and liberal arts. In addition to regional accreditation, Swarthmore has its engineering baccalaureate program accreditation with ABET. The 330-acre campus is in a suburban area 10 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Including residence halls, there are 46 buildings.

HOUSING
All students can be accommodated in college housing, which includes single-sex and coed dormitories. In addition, there are substance-free dormitory wings. On-campus housing is required for the freshman year and is also available for upper-classmen. 93% of students live on campus. Seniors may keep cars, but it is difficult to get a permit. 

ACTIVITIES
There are 100 groups on campus, including 1 local fraternity and 1 national fraternity, art, band, chess, choir, chorus, computers, dance, debate, drama, ethnic, film, gay, honors, international, jazz band, literary magazine, musical theater, newspaper, orchestra, pep band, photography, political, radio and TV, religious, social, social service, student government, and yearbook. Popular campus events include fall and spring formals, Crum Regatta, an all-day music festival, and a multicultural festival.

SPORTS
There are 10 intercollegiate sports for men and 11 for women, and 11 intramural sports for men and 10 for women. Facilities include a field house with a 500-seat auditorium, an indoor track, and several multipurpose courts for basketball, volleyball, and tennis, 6 squash courts, an Olympic-size indoor pool, a 3,000-seat football/track  stadium, an all-weather track, a new state-of-the-art tennis and fitness center, and 12 newly surfaced tennis courts. Grass-surface playing fields are also available.


PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Swarthmore confers B.A. and B.S. degrees. Bachelors degrees are awarded in BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE (biology/ biological science, biochemistry, biological anthropology), THE ARTS (art, art history and appreciation, classics, dance, dramatic arts, English literature, French, German, Greek, Latin, linguistics, literature, music, Russian, and Spanish), COMPUTER AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE (astronomy, astrophysics, chemistry, chemical physics, computer science, mathematics, and physics), EDUCATION (education), ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (engineering and environmental science), SOCIAL SCIENCE (Asian/Oriental studies, classical/ancient civilization, economics, French studies, German area studies, history, humanities, medieval studies,  philosophy, political science/government, psychology, psychobiology,  religion, sociology, and anthropology). Economics, biology, and political science are the largest.

VISIT INFORMATION
We invite you to visit our campus and meet with one of our deans. Interviews are conducted on campus on weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on Saturday mornings in the fall (September through December). Seniors can schedule an on-campus interview, or an interview off campus with an alumnus or alumna of Swarthmore College who lives in your area. To schedule an on campus interview, call the Admissions Office at (610) 328-8300 . 

Note: interviews are highly encouraged by the Office of Admissions but are NOT required.

Campus Tour. Campus tours usually last about one hour and are available throughout the year. Tours begin in the Admissions Office in Parrish Hall. No appointment is necessary. If you cannot join a formal tour, please pick up a campus map in the Admissions Office and explore Swarthmore on your own. To learn more about tour times, visit our tour schedule.

Group Information Sessions. Prospective students and their families have the opportunity to learn about the college in a 45-60 minute group information session led by one of the College's admissions counselors. No appointment is necessary.

DIRECTIONS TO SWARTHMORE

From Pennsylvania Turnpike, going East
From Exit 24 (Valley Forge) take I-76 East (Schuylkill Expressway) about 2 1/2 miles to I-476 South. Take I-476 approx. 13 miles to Exit 2, Media/Swarthmore. At bottom of exit ramp, follow sign for Swarthmore by turning left onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of the way.")

From Pennsylvania Turnpike, going West
From Exit 25A (Norristown) follow signs for I-476 South. Stay on I-476 approx. 17 miles to Exit 2, Swarthmore/Media. At bottom of exit ramp, follow sign for Swarthmore by turning left onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of the way.")

From the New Jersey Turnpike
Take Exit 6 (PA Turnpike) and proceed as directed above "From Pennsylvania Turnpike, going West."

From the South
Traveling north on I-95, pass the Chester exits and continue to Exit 7, I-476 North/Plymouth Meeting. Take I-476 to Exit 2, Media/Swarthmore. At bottom of exit ramp, follow sign for Swarthmore by turning right onto Baltimore Pike. (See below for ". . . the rest of the way.")

". . . the rest of the way"
Stay in right lane and in less than 1/4 mile turn right onto Route 320 South (Please note: there is currently a major construction project on Route 320. Disregard the detour signs and continue to follow Route 320, watching the turns!). Proceed through the second light at College Avenue to the first driveway on your right....this is Visitor Parking at the Benjamin West House. The Benjamin West House is the College's visitor center and is open 24 hours. Someone inside will be happy to provide you with a map and further directions to the Admissions Office, located just up the hill.

By Train
The College is readily accessible from Philadelphia by train. Amtrak trains from New York and Washington arrive hourly at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. From 30th Street Station, the SEPTA Media Local (R3) takes 21 minutes to reach the campus.

By Plane
An express train runs from the airport to 30th Street Station where you can take the SEPTA Media Local (R3) train directly to the Swarthmore campus. The combined fare is about $8.00, and the trip requires about one hour. Taxi service is also available. The fare is approximately $20.00, and the trip requires about 20 minutes.