Swarthmore College states on its admission pages that Fall Early Decision for fall 2027 entry is due November 15, with decisions released online in mid-December. Irvine 12th graders have 25 days left, and every applicant in the 2026-27 cycle answers two short answer questions of no more than 250 words each.
Who Is Affected by the Swarthmore Early Decision Deadline
The deadline affects high school seniors applying to Swarthmore College for fall 2027 entry. The three rounds are:
| Round | Application deadline | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Early Decision | November 15 | Mid-December |
| Winter Early Decision | January 4 | Mid-February |
| Regular Decision | January 4 | By April 1 |
Fall Early Decision applicants should finish standardized testing by early November and must also submit the Early Decision Agreement and first quarter or trimester 12th grade grades. Swarthmore College has no preference among the Common Application, the Coalition on Scoir Application, and the QuestBridge Application.
What to Do About the Swarthmore Short Answers and AI Rules Now
Gather material for both prompts. The first question asks about the aspects of identity or background that matter most to the applicant and how home, school, or other communities have helped the applicant learn to navigate differences or collaborate in communities other than their own. The second asks about a topic that has fascinated the applicant recently: where the curiosity came from, how it connects to other interests, and what keeps the applicant exploring.
Revise within Swarthmore’s AI limits. Swarthmore College states that its admission committee does not use AI tools in making decisions. The college does not accept materials substantially created by AI or another person, such as asking AI or another person to outline, draft, or rewrite a significant portion of an essay, using AI to translate writing from another language into English, or using AI to change the tone. The college recommends that outside help come only at the beginning or end: brainstorming topics at the start, and feedback on readability, spelling, and mechanics at the end. Any AI-generated content must be acknowledged or cited.
Prepare the remaining materials. The application fee is $60, and fee waivers are available; applicants also need a school report, a counselor recommendation, a transcript, and two academic teacher recommendations. Test scores are optional; applicants may ask the college not to consider scores already submitted, but AP and IB scores cannot be suppressed once submitted.
For short answer topic selection and revision, see the EDUBUS College Essay Bootcamp; for early round planning, see University Admissions Planning.
Sources
- Swarthmore College: Application Materials & Deadlines (accessed October 21, 2026)
- Swarthmore College: Admissions Guidance on Usage of Artificial Intelligence (accessed October 21, 2026)
- Swarthmore College: Standardized Testing Policy (accessed October 21, 2026)
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