Grove City College vs Swarthmore
Grove City College and Swarthmore College, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, stand apart in their unique offerings and student experiences. Grove City, a private Christian college in Pennsylvania, boasts a 98% acceptance rate, while Swarthmore, a private liberal arts college also in Pennsylvania, maintains a highly selective 11% acceptance rate. In terms of popular majors, Grove City students often pursue Business, Engineering, and Education, while Swarthmore students gravitate towards Social Sciences, Humanities, and Natural Sciences. The student body demographics reflect these differences, with Grove City's student body being predominantly White and Christian, and Swarthmore's student body being more diverse. Finally, Grove City boasts a 92% graduation rate, while Swarthmore's graduation rate stands at an impressive 94%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two exceptional colleges and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
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![]() Grove City College |
![]() Swarthmore College |
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Overview |
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Location | Grove City, Pennsylvania | Swarthmore, Pennsylvania |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | Suburb: Large |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Private (Non Profit) | Private (Non Profit) |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 89.0% | 95.0% |
![]() |
No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | Undenominational | |
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 72.6% | 7.8% |
Application fees | $50 | $60 |
SAT range | 1130 - 1382 | 1430 - 1560 |
ACT range | 23 - 30 | 33 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 49.0% | 39.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 22.0% | 21.0% |
Total number of applicants | 2,082 | 13,012 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,511 | 1,013 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 618 | 454 |
Yield rate | 40.9% | 44.8% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Not required |
Recommendation letters | Required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Not required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price | $31,840 | $75,793 |
Average net price | $21,846 | $19,733 |
Tuition | $19,310 | $55,856 |
Room & board | $10,680 |
Room/dormitory:
$8,796
Meal plan:
$8,354
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
67.0%
Average amount $8,807 |
76.0%
Average amount $40,072 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
0.0%
Average amount $0 |
6.0%
Average amount $5,191 |
Students taking out private loans |
30.0%
Average amount $14,341 |
1.0%
Average amount $30,543 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,306
Men 51.6% Women 48.4% |
1,651
Men 49.7% Women 50.3% |
Graduate students |
11
Men 63.6% Women 36.4% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Very Low
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Moderate
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Out-of-state students | 51.2% | 89.9% |
International students | 1.0% | 15.4% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | Suburb: Large |
Dormitory capacity | 2,249 | 1,605 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Pennsylvania Ohio New York Virginia Michigan | New York California Pennsylvania New Jersey Texas |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 13:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education | Middle States Commission on Higher Education |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 87.5% | 94.1% |
Dropout rate | 6.1% | 5.7% |
Transferred out | 6.2% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) | N/A |
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Education, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
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