Hi all.
I was just wondering if anyone knows the pros and cons of visiting Swarthmore. It’s near the top of my list, might even apply ED when it comes to it, but I don’t want myself to be bound to a place where people regret going. I have read a couple posts on here where people have displayed signs of regret about attending Swarthmore (whether after they graduated or during their time). I would never want to feel that way about college. DO students at Swarthmore actually love the school? are they happy? is everyone always getting bad grades? anything specific would help!
thank you
Pros & cons of visiting or attending? Visiting is strongly recommended- maybe even twice. Sit in on a class. Stay overnight.
The thing about Swat is that it is very much a fit school: the people it suits, it suits really well- but if it doesn’t suit you, it really doesn’t suit.
Like any place with reviews- of restaurants, movies, music, books, etc- people have a range of opinions that say as much about them- what they like, what their expectations are- as it does about the place.
And yes, choosing a college is a big decision, with a lot of variables, incomplete information and no way to be 100% sure that it will work out. What you can do is think a lot about what things work best for you, do as much research as you can, and make the jump. It is, always and for every single student, ultimately a leap of faith.
And the good news is that 1) colleges are better than most people give them credit for at figuring out who will fit and thrive; 2) to an amazing extent you will shape your own college experience and 3) if you end up someplace that ends up not being the right fit there is the transfer option (and at Swat you also have the option to take classes at other members of the consortium).