Swarthmore College has sent letters of admission to 960 prospective members of the Class of 2021. Twenty-five percent of the admitted students are among the first generation in their family to attend college, and 31 percent are affiliated with local and national community-based organizations like QuestBridge. Sixty percent of the admitted students come from traditional public and public charter schools, 21 percent from private independent schools, 10 percent from parochial schools, and eight percent from schools overseas. Swarthmore expects to yield a first-year class of about 405 for next fall.

“Swarthmore experienced an increase in applications this year from underrepresented students, first generation to college students, and international students,” says Jim Bock '90, vice president and dean of admissions. “The students in the admitted class value a vibrant, socially engaged, intellectual community of scholars in a residential liberal arts setting, and I am impressed by their broad array of talents and interests. We look forward to welcoming them to Swarthmore and seeing the impact they will leave on our campus and the world. I continue to be humbled by their love of learning, commitment to the common good, and the work they have done to support their families and communities.”  

The admitted students come from or represent six continents, 69 nations, and 49 U.S. states as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and 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, Texas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Illinois, Florida, and Arizona.

China, with 14 students, is the most represented nation among non-U.S. citizens in the admitted class. Eight are from India, six are from Brazil and South Korea, five are from Mexico and Thailand, and four are from Hong Kong, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Three each are from Kenya, Nigeria, and Vietnam. Two each are from Canada, Chile, Greece, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, and Turkey. One each is from Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Bolivia, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt , Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Mauritius, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, New Zealand, Palestine, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, and Zambia.

Additionally, there are many students who carry dual citizenship with the U.S. or who have permanent residency whose nationalities are not included in this summary.

Ten percent of the 9,383 students who applied were offered a position in the first-year class. Of the admitted students attending high schools reporting class rank, 94 percent are in the top decile.

Engineering is the most popular intended major among the admitted students. Next, in order, are political science, biology, economics, computer science, English literature, mathematics, psychology, biochemistry, and physics.