<p>Hi everyone,
Please give me some advice regarding how I should answer Swarthmore's supplement question. It seems the college takes the question very seriously, so what whould I do to make my response stand out? Anybody who want's to is more than welcome to shed some light here!</p>
<p>My tip: Do a search on this board. There are plenty of tips around.</p>
<p>Have you visited? Sat in on classes? My S#1 was able to write that essay with no trouble after his visits to Swat. If you live very far away and have never visited, have you gone through their web site extensively? There is much to be gleaned there. I know a current applicant who read through their course catalog, and that's what sparked his "Why Swarthmore" essay.</p>
<p>Visiting would be great but it's not indispensable. Studying the website, going through their brochure, picking out their particularities (which are probably why you want Swarthmore anyway) and getting a feel of the college would be a good start. You learn so much from how they present the college. What's making you apply there? What makes you feel warmly about Swarthmore? Write down a few key ideas then turn them into an essay. I imagine they would want to know whether you made a good research about them and picked out what they are proud of.</p>
<p>Swarthmore's website is amazing and very comprehensive. You can find endless information about what makes the school fabulous and unique on the website alone--although I've now visited five times, I knew Swarthmore would be my first choice before visiting once, simply through (perhaps excessive) perusal of the website. I'd recommend checking out the Daily Gazette and The Phoenix--the student newspapers--online in particular, they allow you to gain a true feel for what life is like at Swat. At least that's how it seems to me, from the outside looking in. :/</p>