Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Claremont McKenna's yield is 7 pts higher than Swarthmore's
Yield rate - 2
Swarthmore admits 7.5% vs. 9.4% at Claremont McKenna
Acceptance rate - 3
Swarthmore's SAT midpoint is 15 points higher than Claremont McKenna's
SAT midpoint
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- SwarthmoreHighly selective
- Claremont McKennaHighly selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1400–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 29–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- SwarthmoreTest-optional
- Claremont McKennaTest scores required
How they read a record
Swarthmore
The high school record is required; GPA, class rank, and a college-prep program are considered.
Claremont McKenna
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered.
What they look at
| Factor | Swarthmore | Claremont McKenna |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Considered | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Considered |
| College-prep program | Considered | Required |
| Recommendations | Required | Very important |
| Essay | Required | Very important |
| Legacy status | Considered | Considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Considered | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent release;Claremont McKenna College (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;Claremont McKenna College Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Claremont McKenna College Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why