We’ve visited the campus twice now, it’s only about an hour and a half drive for us and it’s a pleasure to visit, my husband loves to photograph the gardens. Kiddo has been on the official tour and a ‘wander around’ tour. Kiddo would love to do the sleepover and attend a class or two and DiscoSwat seems to be a great opportunity to do that, and to meet other kids who might be in his year and to see the campus without his folks breathing down his neck.
But we’re not very poor and my kid has the opportunity to visit at other times. Should we hold off on applying to DiscoSwat to leave more funds there for poorer students? Or should the kid apply anyway and let them decide if we meet their income cutoffs?
Apply! If you meet the income requirements, that’s all that matters.
As long as you are truthful in your application, I see no reason to hold back. Its up to the school to determine who should benefit from that program. You have no idea if the spot you “free” out of your own generosity will actually go to someone more needy than yourself.
I would suggest applying, because it’s a really great opportunity for the kids!
My impression, based on our experience last year, is that the school promotes DS far and wide–beyond traditional underrepresented groups. They WANT you to apply. I was a bit cynical about Swat’s heavy marketing and constant emails and mailings urging our son to apply to DS because he did not seem to fit target profile of program like this. None of the peer schools marketed their fly-in programs as relentlessly as Swat. Do they really want non-URM, FG, etc or are they just trying to boost applications to make the program appear more selective? I have no way of knowing. Go ahead and apply but realize that kids outside target groups probably won’t be admissions priority. No need to worry yourself about allocating funds–the school will make that decision based on its own objectives.
Hi, current student. I think its possible to arrange for prospective students to spend a night outside of disco swat, as well. I at least have been asked to host students in the middle of the week sometimes. So you could check with the admissions office on that? Then again, this might be only for legacy/athletes/etc. applicants, who have a leg up on everyone else in the application process for some reason…
You can stay overnight as a “regular applicant.” My daughter did that a number of years ago and it still looks like an option. Of course you won’t get the full “sales pitch” of discoSwat. https://www.swarthmore.edu/admissions-aid/individual-student-visits