Swarthmore College, a highly selective college of liberal arts and engineering, celebrates the life of the mind. Since its founding in 1864, Swarthmore has given young men and women of uncommon intellectual ability the knowledge, insight, skills, and experience to become leaders for the common good. The College is private, yet open to all regardless of financial need.

A student/faculty ratio of 8:1 ensures that students have close, meaningful engagement with their professors. The College's Honors program features small groups of students working closely with faculty; an emphasis on independent learning; students entering into a dialogue with peers, teachers, and examiners; a demanding program of study in major and minor fields; and an examination at the end of two years' study by outside scholars.

Located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Swarthmore's idyllic, 399-acre campus is a designated arboretum.