Greetings from Swarthmore College! We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and well during this unusual and challenging school year.
Let your counselor know if you would like to be nominated for the Discover Swarthmore (DS) fly-in program, an all-expenses-paid visit to one of the best liberal arts and engineering colleges in the country. Prospective students get a taste of the college experience by meeting current students and professors, eating in our dining hall, and spending a few nights in our residence halls with student hosts. They also gain valuable information about college admissions and financial aid from our staff of experts.
While the Fall 2022 program dates have not yet been finalized, we typically offer two DS programs to give students maximum flexibility, in mid-September and late October. We offered a week-long virtual program in late September 2020 and 2021. While students were unable to visit our campus in person last fall, they participated in virtual community-building opportunities, attended special faculty lectures and webinars, and learned more about the application process from our teams in Swarthmore’s Admissions Office and Financial Aid Office.
Nomination and Selection Criteria
All rising high school seniors are eligible for Discover Swarthmore. During our review, the selection committee prioritizes applications from students who are:
- Underrepresented students (Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, Middle Eastern and North African, Native Hawaiian, and Native and Indigenous American)
- First generation in their family to attend college
- Low-income students (Pell-eligible, free/reduced lunch, etc.), and students who might not otherwise be able to afford a trip to campus
- Rural and small town students
- Undocumented and DACA-eligible students
Our deadline for us to nominate students is Friday, May 13, 2022.
Next Steps
We contact all nominated students in April to let them know that they have been nominated for Discover Swarthmore and must complete the application in order to be considered. If a student chooses to apply and is accepted to the program that is hosted on-campus, Swarthmore pays for round-trip airfare/train fare, housing, meals, and travel incidentals to attend.
Sincerely,
Swarthmore Admissions Office
P.S. In case you’re not familiar with Swarthmore, we are a top liberal arts and engineering college located just outside of Philadelphia — it’s about a 25-minute train ride from campus to downtown Philly. We have about 1,640 students, and nearly 75% of our classes have fewer than 20 students, allowing faculty to provide personalized support and instruction. Swarthmore offers need-based financial aid that meets 100% of determined need with loan-free financial aid decisions. Visit our website to learn more about Swarthmore's commitments to affordability and access.
