From my understanding, Swarthmore provides 100% demonstrated financial need and the amount does not vary much depending on early or regular decision. Is Swarthmore’s financial aid generous? Will I be able to apply early decision without worrying too much about finances?
They pride themselves on meeting 100% need. ED will not impact aid.
Do they also meet 100% for internationals?
Swarthmore, like a most highly selective schools is need aware for international students. But for those internationals that they do accept, they do tend to meet full need, as is the case, again, for such schools. No sense wasting an admit for an international who can’t afford the school because certain loan programs and other venues are not available for non citizens, and a student visa requires listing and proof of affordability.
My opinion, not shared by all esteemed members of this board, is that if finances are an issue, don’t apply ED. You can’t compare and if you look at the remarks from a lot of those who are not getting fin aid packages, they can vary widely even among full need met schools. You have to take a chance ED that a package is indeed as good as you are going to get and if you are going to try to make it work, sometimes even scaping some low down barrels and stressing out the family in doing so, when a better offer might have been possible had you given it a good. Yes, you can get out of ED, but you have to do so without seeing what other possibilities you can get. It could well be your best offer at such a school, it could be a poor offer. You just don’t know.