How selective are Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore?
| Williams | Amherst | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class of 2030 (fall 2026) applicants and admits | Not found | 17,786 applied; 1,209 admitted; 501 enrolled | 13,029 applied; 969 admitted; 445 enrolled |
| Class of 2030 admit rate (by our calculation) | Not found | 6.8% | 7.4% |
| Class of 2029 (fall 2025), CDS 2025-26 | 1,336 of 15,520 admitted (8.6%); 567 enrolled | 1,222 of 15,819 admitted (7.7%); 485 enrolled | CDS could not be read |
| Early Decision, fall 2025 (CDS C21) | 256 of 964 (26.6%), by our reading of unlabeled values | 216 of 971 (22.2%), with a caveat below | Could not verify |
| SAT middle 50%, enrolled students (CDS 2025-26) | 1490 to 1550 | 1470 to 1540 (section header reads Fall 2024) | Could not verify |
Two notes on the Early Decision figures. The Williams CDS prints its ED values without labels, so the pairing is our reading. The Amherst CDS 2025-26 lists its ED counts under a leftover “For the Fall 2024 entering class” line. Amherst reports that 42% of its Class of 2030 enrolled through Early Decision. In our view, ED rates at these colleges can include recruited athletes and other special cases, so they do not show how much ED helps a typical applicant.
What are the deadlines and testing rules for fall 2027?
| Williams | Amherst | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 15, 2026 | November 9, 2026 | Fall ED: November 15, 2026 |
| Second ED round | None | None | Winter ED: January 4, 2027 |
| Regular Decision | January 4, 2027 | January 5, 2027 | January 4, 2027 |
| Testing | Optional | Optional | Optional |
Williams says it is “truly test optional” and leaves the choice to submit SAT or ACT results to the applicant (Williams). Amherst says testing “is an optional part of our admission application” (Amherst), and Swarthmore says non-submitters “will not be penalized” (Swarthmore). For a student deferred or denied in a fall early round, Swarthmore’s winter ED is the only second binding round of the three; our ED II strategy guide covers that choice.
How do the academic models differ?
- Williams tutorials and Winter Study. Williams tutorials pair two students with one professor and are “adapted from the Oxford University style of education.” Each week one student presents a point of view and the other critiques it, then they trade places. Every January, Winter Study offers about 150 courses, plus research, internships and fieldwork (tutorials, Winter Study).
- Amherst open curriculum. “Amherst has no distribution requirements and no core curriculum.” Amherst is a member of the Five College Consortium with Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, which offers open cross-registration and a free bus service (open curriculum, Five Colleges).
- Swarthmore Honors Program. Honors students take seminars and programs that include at least two disciplines, and “More than 100 outside examiners travel to Swarthmore each spring” to evaluate them. The college is “located just 11 miles from Philadelphia” (Honors Program, Meet Swarthmore).
In our experience, these structures are the clearest way to tell the three apart. Our guides to Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore go further on each application.
How does financial aid compare?
| Williams | Amherst | Swarthmore | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meets full need | Yes, “100% of demonstrated need” | Yes, “100% of our students’ calculated need” | Yes, “100% of the determined need” for eligible admits |
| Loans in aid | None, and no work-study expectation | “no required loans” | Loan-free (grants plus the opportunity for a part-time campus job) |
| Tuition threshold | Free tuition for families that “earn $200K or less (with typical assets)” | No income threshold published | At least tuition covered at $200,000 or less, starting fall 2027 |
| Need-blind | “need-blind admission for domestic applicants, including undocumented and DACA-designated students” | “need-blind for all applicants” (domestic, international and undocumented) | For U.S. citizens, permanent residents, undocumented and DACA students and asylee or refugee applicants graduating from a U.S. high school |
| Merit scholarships | “only need-based financial aid, not merit scholarships” | “There are no merit scholarships awarded at Amherst.” | Not covered on the pages |
Williams lists 2026-27 comprehensive fees of $95,960 before study away and books (Williams). In our view, for upper-middle-income families, the Williams and Swarthmore tuition commitments at $200,000 matter more than the small differences in selectivity. Families should run each net price calculator before choosing an ED school; our guide to comparing aid offers explains how.
Which one should a student apply to Early Decision?
The view of Oriel Admissions is that ED should go to the college whose academic model the student wants most, after the family has checked each aid estimate. Students who want close writing and debate with a professor lean toward Williams, students who want to design their own course of study lean toward Amherst, and students who want seminar-based work judged by outside examiners lean toward Swarthmore. ED is binding, so a family that needs to compare aid offers may prefer Regular Decision; our ED versus RD guide covers the trade-offs.
Do Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore consider legacy status?
Amherst announced on October 20, 2021 “that it is ending the longstanding practice of a legacy admission preference” (Amherst news release). The Williams and Swarthmore admissions pages we read do not state a legacy policy. Our legacy admissions guide tracks which colleges still consider it.
Are these colleges a strong alternative to the Ivy League?
Yes, for students who want small classes and close faculty contact. In the latest figures above, first-year enrollment ranged from 445 (Swarthmore, fall 2026) to 567 (Williams, fall 2025). For a broader look at the trade-offs, see our guides on liberal arts colleges versus research universities and whether an Ivy League degree is worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Williams, Amherst and Swarthmore
About 6.8% by our calculation. Amherst received 17,786 applications, admitted 1,209 students and enrolled 501.
About 7.4% by our calculation. Swarthmore reports 13,029 applicants, 969 admitted and 445 enrolled for fall 2026.
We did not find Williams Class of 2030 figures as of October 27, 2026. Its Common Data Set for fall 2025 shows 1,336 admitted from 15,520 applicants, or 8.6% by our calculation.
Only Swarthmore. Its winter Early Decision deadline is January 4, 2027. Williams and Amherst offer one ED round in November.
Yes. All three state that SAT or ACT scores are optional for first-year applicants.
No. All three meet full need without loans. Williams offers free tuition at family incomes of $200,000 or less, and Swarthmore will cover at least tuition at that level starting in fall 2027.
Yes. Amherst announced on October 20, 2021 that it was ending its legacy admission preference.
Oriel Admissions compares each academic model, aid estimate and early round against the goals of the student, then helps decide where an Early Decision application makes sense for that student.
Sources: Williams College Common Data Set 2025-2026, Williams College, Apply, Williams College, Tuition and Aid, Williams College, Types of Aid and Financing, Williams College, Tutorials, Williams College, Winter Study, Amherst College, Class of 2030 Admission and Enrollment Profile, Amherst College Common Data Set 2025-2026, Section C, Amherst College, Calendar and Deadlines, Amherst College, Standardized Testing, Amherst College, Office of Financial Aid, Amherst College, Financial Aid FAQ, Amherst College, Affording Amherst, Amherst College, Open Curriculum, Amherst College, To End Legacy Preference, October 20, 2021, Five Colleges, Incorporated, About the Consortium, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore by the Numbers, Swarthmore College, Application Materials and Deadlines, Swarthmore College, Standardized Testing Policy, Swarthmore College, Financial Aid, Swarthmore College, Honors Program, Swarthmore College, Meet Swarthmore.
About Oriel Admissions
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