swarthmore essay prompts 2023

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How to Write the Swarthmore College Essays 2024-2025

Swarthmore College has two required supplemental essay prompts. The first prompt is about identity and background, and the second is about a topic that has fascinated you recently.

Since Swarthmore receives thousands of applications from academically strong students, your essays are one of your best opportunities to stand out. In this post, we’ll discuss how to craft an engaging response to each of these prompts.

Read this Swarthmore essay example to inspire your writing.

Swarthmore College Supplemental Essay Prompts

Prompt 1: Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry.

All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities.

Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more., what aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own. (150-250 words).

Prompt 2: Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring? (150-250 words)

Swarthmore college maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry..

This prompt is a prime example of the common diversity prompt . Colleges that provide diversity prompts are interested in learning about your background and the influence it has had on your perspectives and personal growth.

In June 2023, the United States Supreme Court struck down the use of affirmative action in college admissions. The ruling, however, still allows colleges to consider race on an individual basis, which is one reason many schools are now including diversity prompts as one of their supplemental essay prompts. If you feel that your racial background has impacted you significantly, this is the place to discuss that.

When approaching a prompt like this, there are some things to take into consideration. The most important of these things is what aspects of your background you choose to write about. Your background or communities you are part of can include ethnicity/race, country of origin, language, gender, hometown, income class/socioeconomic status, illness/disability, and even interests or activities.

In reality, a person’s self-identity is made up of a combination of all these things and more, but you have 250 words maximum to write your response, so it’s best not to get into every aspect. Do note, however, that the prompt specifies “aspects” as a plural, meaning you should write about more than one. Ideally, your response will pick two or three facets of your identity that complement each other in some cohesive way.

For example, consider the following hypothetical students:

• A Mexican-American student did a high school project on immigration to the United States. Her ability to interview immigrants in Spanish and her firsthand experience as the child of Mexican immigrants gave her a more nuanced view than someone who doesn’t have the same attributes, and allowed her to navigate the topic in a way that taught her classmates a lot.
• A student whose mother has an illness had to pick up a job to help his family financially. His life experiences—both with his mother at the hospital and as a forward-facing retail employee—dramatically increased his capacity for understanding and profoundly changed the way that he interacts with people. He has developed a high degree of empathy because of this.
• A student has had yearslong fascination with film direction and editing. Years of watching YouTube videos and documentaries about the filmmaking process have taught her a great deal about what things work and why. When she took an acting class in high school, her knowledge of direction allowed her to give insightful advice to her peers. This experience made everyone involved a stronger storyteller, and instilled in the student a deep appreciation of the usefulness of having different backgrounds in a group when tackling a singular issue.

In the first example, the student’s ethnic background and language helped her understand an important topic and convey it to others more thoroughly. In the second, the student’s role as the child of someone with a severe illness and his family’s socioeconomic status (as is implied by his getting a job) contribute to his increased empathy when interacting with others in general. And finally, the third student’s particular interest and growing expertise in a field allowed her to help improve her peers’ performances in a different, albeit related, field.

The above examples work because there is a direct throughline that connects each student’s aspects of identity to their individual growth. Note that even though the third student’s essay would only be about one aspect of identity, it’s a much less common aspect than the admissions committee is used to seeing, so its uniqueness is likely to compensate for the lack of other aspects. Additionally, if she found a way to make it relevant to her anecdote, that student could discuss her gender identity and the traditional level of underrepresentation that her identity has in her industry.

One thing you want to avoid is being generic. The examples above aren’t fully fleshed out because they are hypothetical topics—not example responses. In your essay, go beyond just saying something like “This environment taught me to value relationships with others.” Anyone could write that kind of sentence, and it really doesn’t offer the admissions officers much about what makes your background important or special to you.

There’s a golden rule of writing that you may have heard before—”Show, don’t tell.” Instead of offering a generic statement, consider using an anecdote in which your background plays a central role. Use the events of your anecdote to illustrate the lessons you’ve learned rather than just trying to explain the lessons in a nonspecific clichéd way.

No matter which aspects of your identity you choose to highlight, be sure that you can clearly convey the ways in which those aspects have helped you grow in your ability to navigate differences when you engage with other people or communities. Make sure your reader can see the direct links that tie your background, your anecdote, and your growth together.

Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

This prompt is a bit like the common “Why This Major?” prompt , but is more broad. Instead of asking you about the major you’ve chosen, this prompt invites you to talk about any topic that has fascinated you recently. Prompts like this one are meant to gauge your curiosity, interests, and capacity for exploring new subject matter.

Before you begin writing, you’ll need to decide on a topic. Unlike a typical “Why This Major?” prompt, this prompt doesn’t restrict you to an academic subject. There’s nothing wrong with writing about an academic subject here, but if there’s something more extracurricular in nature that you’re really passionate about, that would be a great topic to write about. Remember, supplemental essays are there for you to give the admissions committee a more thorough look into who you are.

The best topic to write about in this essay will ideally be one you have been enthralled by recently. Think about the subjects you’ve spent a lot of time on lately. Perhaps you fell down a rabbit hole online and watched a dozen YouTube documentaries about the geopolitics of a country, or maybe you’ve been putting a lot of practice into learning the guitar.

Whatever your chosen subject is, make sure it’s something you’ve really enjoyed and cared about. Don’t write about some deeply cerebral scientific study you don’t know much about just because you think that’s what the admissions committee wants to hear. If you choose a subject that has truly fascinated you, your sincerity will shine through in your response.

That being said, specificity is important. While it’s good to be interested in a field broadly, an essay like this really benefits from particulars. For example, it’s easy to ramble generally for 250 words talking about how much you like filmmaking, but it would be even better to home in on your interest in the use of camera angles to convey subtle emotional connotations in a scene. The more specific you can get about your chosen topic, the more your genuine interest in it will come across in your essay.

Once you have narrowed your ideas down into something you want to write about, brainstorm answers to all the parts of the prompt:

• What made you curious about the topic?
• Has the topic connected across other areas of your interests?
• How has this experience shaped you?
• What encourages you to keep exploring?

You consider these questions carefully and honestly. If you got into a topic because your friend told you to look it up, that’s fine, but be sure to discuss what exactly about that subject piqued your interest and made you curious. Address each point the prompt is asking so you can have a complete answer.

Try to draw clear connections between other areas of your interests, and even your desired major if you can. Using the above filmmaking example again, a prospective psychology major who is interested in filmmaking and music as well might draw links between these disparate elements by mentioning her fascination with how film composers utilize music theory principles to evoke specific emotional responses.

Also talk about what the topic means to you. The prompt asks how your experience has shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring. These questions are both great ways to gauge your personal growth and intellectual curiosity, so don’t miss this great opportunity to showcase those attributes.

Where to Get Your Swarthmore Essay Edited

Do you want feedback on your Swarthmore essay? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Swarthmore Supplemental Essays 2024-25 — Prompts & Advice

August 7, 2024

Getting accepted into Swarthmore College, one of the very best liberal arts schools in the country, is equivalent to gaining acceptance into an Ivy League school. With a 7% acceptance rate for the Class of 2028, Swarthmore rejects the bulk of perfectly qualified candidates who apply each year. Therefore, those who want to maximize their chances of getting in need to shine in every single aspect of their application. The required Swarthmore supplemental essays provide one such opportunity.

 (Want to learn more about How to Get Into Swarthmore? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Swarthmore College: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

In our experience, successful Swarthmore applicants have a few things in common. In addition to near-perfect grades and test scores, they also compose exceptional Common App and Swarthmore-specific essays. Let’s dive right in and begin examining the two required essay prompts that Swarthmore offers.

Swarthmore Supplemental Essay – Prompt #1

Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry.

All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities.

Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more.

What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own. (250 words)

This essay has two parts: 1) a discussion of an aspect of your identity or background that is most significant to you and 2) a reflection of how said aspect has enabled you to collaborate and/or navigate differences with others outside of your immediate circle.

First, let’s tackle part one. Take note of its wide-open nature—you are essentially invited to talk about any of the following topics:

• A perspective you hold
• An experience you had
• A community you belong to
• Your cultural background
• Your family background

Swarthmore Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Although this prompt’s open floor plan may feel daunting, a good tactic is to first consider what has already been communicated within your Common App personal statement and activities list. What important aspects of yourself have not been shared (or sufficiently discussed)?

Now for part two: after you select/discuss an element of your identity/background that is meaningful to you, you’ll need to share how it has also enabled you to better navigate differences with others. The U.S. presently finds itself in an extreme state of polarization, and within this divided world, it can be hard for individuals with competing viewpoints to engage in civil and productive dialogue. Here, Swat is giving you the chance to show that you are an open-minded and intellectually curious young person. Illustrate how you are willing to engage or collaborate with people who hold opposing positions on topics of great importance to you or are outside your immediate community. One key thing to remember when addressing this prompt is that you don’t have to be the hero of the anecdote. In fact, you may be one who learned to expand their thinking.

Most importantly, your story should be personal, sincere, and revealing of your core character and developing values system.

Swarthmore Supplemental Essay — Prompt #2

Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring? (250 words)

This prompt is an opportunity to reveal more about the way you pursue knowledge and make connections across disciplines. Swarthmore is a school that places serious emphasis on one’s intellectual curiosity and drive for knowledge. Similar to Brown University or Wesleyan University , Swat genuinely wants to know that you are the type of student who will take intellectual risks and will continue those pursuits outside of the classroom.

In light of that…out of everything on this Earth, what makes you tick? What keeps you up at night? What subject makes you read books and online content until your eyes bleed? Immerse the reader in your intellectual journey of choice. Share what made you interested in the topic, how you’ve pursued it, and what types of cross-disciplinary connections you’ve made. Finally, be sure to address what you’ve learned about yourself and why the experience has encouraged you to continue boldly pursuing newfound knowledge and skills.

How important are the Swarthmore supplemental essays?

Overall, Swarthmore views six factors as being “very important” to the admissions process. Those factors are: the rigor of your high school classes, GPA, class rank, recommendations, character/personal qualities, and your application essays. In fact, the essays are of greater importance than test scores, activities, or talent/ability.

Want Personalized Assistance?

In conclusion, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced essay coaches as you craft your Swarthmore supplemental essays, we encourage you to get a quote  today.

Looking for additional writing resources? Consider checking out the following:

• Common App Essay Prompts
• 10 Instructive Common App Essay Examples
• College Application Essay Topics to Avoid
• How to Quickly Format Your Common App Essay
• Should I Complete Optional College Essays?
• How to Brainstorm a College Essay
• 25 Inspiring College Essay Topics
• “Why This College?” Essay Examples
• How to Write the Community Essay
• College Essay

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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Swarthmore College’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Diversity short response.

Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry.

All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities.

Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more.

What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.

Intellectual Curiosity Short Response

Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?

Common App Personal Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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• Common Application, Coalition on Scoir Application, or QuestBridge Application

Swarthmore College maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry. All who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities. Our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more.  

• What aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you? Reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own.  
• Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. What made you curious about this? Has this topic connected across other areas of your interests? How has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring?
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*Eligible students for application fee waivers to Swarthmore College are determined by Swarthmore College, Common Application, NACAC, The College Board, or the ACT. All students with financial need are welcome to complete  SwatPass  to find out if you qualify for an application fee waiver.

• Self-reported or official standardized test scores ( Swarthmore's Testing Policy ).  For students applying to Swarthmore in the 2024-25 admissions cycle, we have suspended our requirement that applicants submit SAT or ACT scores. Instead, test scores are optional. 
• Swarthmore offers optional interviews . Please note that applicants who do not interview are not at a disadvantage.  
• All students have the option to submit a video response as a supplement to your application. We want to hear directly from you and give you the chance to give us unique insight into your thought process or experiences. After you submit your application, you will have the option to record a video response in your Swarthmore application portal. Application portals open by mid-October.
• Students with especially strong backgrounds and interest in pursuing the arts at Swarthmore can share samples of their work via  SlideRoom , free of charge. We accept supplements in creative writing (written or spoken word poetry and fiction), dance (performance and choreography), music (performance and composition), theater, and the visual arts. Submissions provide our Admissions Committee with examples of students’ artistic talents and are subject to faculty review. Please know, however, that we cannot guarantee all works will be evaluated.
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• Please review financial aid application instructions and deadlines for first-year applicants.

Your school documents must be submitted directly from a school official, including teacher recommendations and transcripts. School officials can submit these documents via the Common Application, Scoir, QuestBridge, Naviance, or Parchment/Docufide. In rare cases, school officials can submit relevant documents as PDFs via email .

• Fall Early Decision Application Deadline: November 15 All testing should be complete by early November. Admission decisions are released online in mid-December.
• Winter Early Decision Application Deadline: January 4 All testing should be complete by mid-December. Admission decisions are released online in mid-February. 
• Regular Decision Application Deadline: January 4 We strongly encourage all applicants to complete testing by mid-December, but may be able to consider scores for tests completed by early February. Admission decisions are released online by April 1.
• Transfer Decision Application Deadline: April 1 Admission decisions are released online, typically in mid-May, through the applicant portal.

We understand that there may be unexpected complications that impact students during the application process and prevent them from meeting certain application deadlines. We are committed to offering flexibility with deadlines for students who experience adversity, whether born out of a personal challenge or a natural disaster. Accommodations will be made on a case by case basis, please contact our office to discuss your situation.

If you will apply Early Decision, please include:

• Common Application Early Decision Agreement [PDF] , Coalition on SCOIR Application Early Decision Agreement [PDF] , or  QuestBridge Application Early Decision Agreement
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Admission applications and application credentials submitted to Swarthmore College are treated with confidentiality. As such, admissions staff members communicate directly with applicants about their application materials and admission decision. Admissions communicates primarily via email with applicants at the email address provided in their application. In limited circumstances, admissions staff may communicate with a parent/guardian, a school official, or a college access advisor.

The Admissions Office receives and processes admission applications and application credentials. The educational records of matriculating students are shared with appropriate campus departments, including Information Technology Services, the Registrar, the Dean’s Office, and faculty advisors. The Admissions Office purges the evaluative materials of all applicant records, including any notes from admissions reader review forms, interview reports, faculty and staff evaluations of supplementary materials, and all other supplementary material.  Application credentials for students who do not matriculate are also purged.

Note to applicants:  Swarthmore College reserves the right to evaluate an application and make a final decision, even if all parts of the application have not been received. Swarthmore College may be required to report incidents of abuse that are disclosed in applications.

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Swarthmore College 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Decision: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 4

Swarthmore College 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: Two essays of 250 words each

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Community

Please complete both prompts below (in 250 words or fewer). 

Topic 1: swarthmore college maintains an ongoing commitment of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive residential community dedicated to rigorous intellectual inquiry., all who engage in our community are empowered through the open exchange of ideas guided by equity and social responsibility to thrive and contribute as bridge builders within global communities., our identities and perspectives are supported and developed by our immediate contexts and lived experiences – in our neighborhoods, families, classrooms, communities of faith, and more., what aspects of your self-identity or personal background are most significant to you reflecting on the elements of your home, school, or other communities that have shaped your life, explain how you have grown in your ability to navigate differences when engaging with others, or demonstrated your ability to collaborate in communities other than your own. .

If there were an award for the longest supplemental essay prompt ever, Swarthmore would win. Luckily, this prompt is pretty straightforward at the end of the day. Admissions wants to invite students to campus who are eager to meet new people, exchange ideas, and contribute to their inclusive community. To determine if you are a good fit, they want to hear a story about (1) what has shaped your identity and (2) how you have navigated differences in the past. Maybe you want to write about your experience moving around the country as a military kid and how attending a new school every couple of years forced you to step outside your comfort zone time and time again to try to make new friends, regardless of what region of the country you were in. Perhaps you want to write about your experience getting involved in a community service project, in which you met people from all walks of life and worked together toward a common goal. (If you go this route, however, you won’t be the only one, so you’ll want to make sure your essay is so specific, no one else could have possibly written it.) Show admissions that you’re eager to make your mark in their diverse, inclusive community.

Topic 2: Swarthmore’s community of learners inspire one another through their collaborative and flexible approach to learning. Swarthmore students are comfortable with intellectual experimentation and connection of ideas across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and interdisciplinary studies through a liberal arts education.

Tell us about a topic that has fascinated you recently – either inside or outside of the classroom. what made you curious about this has this topic connected across other areas of your interests how has this experience shaped you and what encourages you to keep exploring .

Swarthmore wants to accept intellectually curious applicants, so take this opportunity to rant and rave about your current obsession! Maybe you find Greek mythology to be absolutely fascinating and cannot read enough about all the gods and goddesses (and their very messy timelines). Where did your interest originate? Are you also considering a major in Classics ? Or perhaps, after recently joining your grandfather on a bird-watching expedition, you’ve developed an interest in all things avian. How does this fascination connect to some of your other interests and what about birds keeps you observing (quietly from afar)? What was the last fact or skill you learned that truly captured your imagination? The bottom line here is to discuss examples of what truly fascinates you while also reflecting on what these examples say about your personality traits, interests, or learning style.

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