<p>I was wondering if Swarthmore has a core (i.e. Columbia's) and if so, could anyone give a description of which classes are required? I know the idea of cores varies from place (such as Brown, which has none whatsoever) to Columbia (which is fairly tight and rigerous). Any responses are much appreciated!</p>
<p>Additionally, if anyone knows off-hand, I'd be interested in hearing how Swarthmore's core system (or lack of it) compares to other LACs like Williams and Amherst.</p>
<p>You have to take three courses in each of the three divisions:</p>
<p>1) science, math, engineering</p>
<p>2) social sciences</p>
<p>3) arts and humanities</p>
<p>The three courses in each division have to be taken in at least two different departments.</p>
<p>AP credits can be used to satisfy some of the requirements, although this varies from department to department.</p>
<p>There is a language requirement, but if you've had extensive high school language, that will typically satisfy that requirement.</p>
<p>You have to take three courses designated as "writing" courses. Generally speaking, these are courses that pay particular attention to teaching college writing, i.e. turning in a draft paper, getting comments from the professor, and revising the paper.</p>
<p>Williams is rather similar to Swarthmore. Williams recognizes the same three academic divisions that Swarthmore does, and requires three courses from each division. </p>
<p>Williams also requires at least one course that satifies a "Peoples and Cultures" requirement, one course that satisfies a "Quantitative/Formal Reasoning Requirement", and two courses that satisfy a "Writing Requirement". In addition, Williams requires some "physical education" credits to be earned outside the classroom.</p>
<p>So Swarthmore and Williams do not have true "core" systems as at Columbia, where all students are required to take certain specific classes. It would be more accurate to say that Swarthmore and Williams have "distribution requirements". </p>
<p>I expect that most students at Williams and Swarthmore do not find it difficult to fulfill the distribution requirements. Students at good LACs tend to have broad interests, and many probably find that they fulfill the requirements without even trying. In particular, the PE requirement is not normally a hardship for Williams students.</p>
<p>Amherst, on the other hand, claims to have an "open curriculum": there are no course requirements other than those for your major. Technically, though, Amherst does have a single distribution requirement: all incoming students are required to enroll in one of ~ 20 "first-year seminar" courses.</p>
<p>Incidentally, Williams does have one "core" requirement that all students have to meet. Williams is one of those colleges that still requires all students to pass a swim test.</p>
<p>Swarthmore has a swimming test requirement and a PE requirement as well. I didn't mention them because they are really trivial to complete.</p>
<p>I used to take golf for PE at Williams. In exchange for sitting through a couple of boring group instruction sessions, the requirement was to turn in scorecards from "x" number of rounds at the Taconic. I can't think of a better way to spend a fall afternoon than nine-holes at the Taconic after classes.</p>
<p>The "swim test" is indeed trivial for the vast majority of students and prospective students...but for the rare exceptions, it can be a critical, high-priority concern. In fact, you can find examples by searching the forums here for "swim test".</p>
<p>As far as I can tell, Amherst has no PE or swim test requirement.</p>
<p>You can play golf at the Taconic ?? I thought it was for cross-country skiing</p>
<p>
[quote]
The "swim test" is indeed trivial for the vast majority of students and prospective students...but for the rare exceptions, it can be a critical, high-priority concern.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Even in those cases, it's relatively trivial. If you can't pass the test during freshman orientation, you simply have to take a swimming class as one of your PE requirements. As I understand it, completion of that class satisfies the "swim test" requirement, whether or not you can actually swim. In other words, it is highly unlikely that a diploma would be withheld if you were unable to swim, as long as you made some effort to get in the water and flop around for the duration of a swim class.</p>
<p>A friend of mine was allowed to graduate even though he never passed the swim test or took an aquatics class. They say they require it, but they aren't going to deny a diploma to a future donor for such a stupid reason.</p>