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Is Swarthmore as tough on its students as University of Chicago is on its undergrads?

By Achat (Achat) on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 10:47 pm: Edit

There is absolutely no grade inflation if that is what you mean.....academics are tough. I just returned from Swarthmore and got the student newspaper 'The Phoenix' while I was there.

There was a section on candidates running for student council. Some people are running on the promise of keeping Swarthmore the last bastion of academic rigor and not having to pretend that it isn't. This is in response to an effort to remake Swarthmore's image as a place where people also have fun. If you visit the website, you can see the 'Swarthmore Unscripted' videos.

But on the other hand, today was a great day, the weather was fantastic and all the adirondack chairs were out and people were sunbathing and playing frisbee and softball. A musical was being performed in front of the steps of Parrish Hall. People were having fun. I think this weekend was 'Friends and Family' weekend.

By Achat (Achat) on Saturday, April 17, 2004 - 10:55 pm: Edit

I'd like to add that graduate schools do know about Swarthmore's reputation for no grade inflation and take that into consideration when they admit students into graduate programs. And Swarthmore has a great reputation with graduate schools, B-schools, law schools and medical schools.

If you go to the bookstore, you can buy a T-shirt that says 'Anywhere else it would have been an 'A'...really!'

By Call_Me_Ishmael (Call_Me_Ishmael) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 11:46 pm: Edit

Yeah, I really struggled with the decision between Swarthmore and University of Chicago . . . because they're basically different manifestations of the same school! They both have some sort of phoenix association (at chicago it's on the seal), they both have a reputation for quirky intellectual (*coughdorkycough*) students, they both top the charts for numbers of students going on to grad school, and they both pride themselves for not having given into the current trend of grade inflation . . . hell, don't they both even have maroon as a school color?

I think it's some sort of conspiracy.

Anyhow . . . the point of all this (i think) is that both are probably equally challenging academically, but also equally fulfilling. And people at both places do know how and when to have fun.

By Dbzkenshinfreak (Dbzkenshinfreak) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 04:41 am: Edit

www.gradeinflation.com. if you look at the average gpas of both schools, you'll realise that there is some relative grade inflation at the university of chicago and swarthmore. both probably average around 3.24-3.26 as it is right now. i think the perhaps biased reputation of having the lack of grade inflation comes from the simple fact that students at those schools have to work for their grades. take williams, which has an average gpa of around 3.34 (probably closer to 3.40). as great as a school it is, the people do not work as hard as those at swarthmore. i would assume that a 3.25 looks better at swarthmore than a 3.40 at williams. swarthmore still has grade inflation, but it's one of the few places (maybe the only place) where the students deserve it.

i actually wanted to go to swarthmore, but i had familial obligations to attend to still. that's why i stayed in sunny california

By Achat (Achat) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 08:06 am: Edit

'Call_Me_Ishmael' (great name), what did you choose finally??

By Call_Me_Ishmael (Call_Me_Ishmael) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 09:39 am: Edit

'Achat', I will be going to UofC next year. The only notable differences I could find between the schools were size and location . . . I chose the larger, more urban school.

By Haon (Haon) on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 09:54 am: Edit

Dbzkenshinfreak--actually the average grades at Williams have fallen fairly significantly since the data on gradeinflation.com was collected.

Even if the average GPA is higher at Williams, I'd argue that it's higher because students work harder. It's important to note that employers DON'T differentiate GPAs between Amherst, Williams, and Swarthmore at all, so a 3.25 at Swat looks exactly like a 3.25 at Williams. Sorry to dissapoint.

By Annakat (Annakat) on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 01:11 am: Edit

what are the average grades at williams now, and what is your source?

By Haon (Haon) on Thursday, May 13, 2004 - 09:16 pm: Edit

My source is the office of the registrar, and I do not know how much they were fallen. I was told that they have fallen "significantly."

The CEP took steps to lower average grades (steps which I strongly disagree with) so expect the Williams average GPA to fall further.