Vivek C. Varma

Since its founding in 1864, Swarthmore College has given students the knowledge, insight, skills, and experience to become leaders for the common good. Offering a liberal arts and engineering curriculum, the College is private, yet open to all regardless of financial need. It is also decidedly global in outlook, drawing students from around the world and all 50 states. The diversity of perspectives represented by Swarthmore students, faculty, and staff - including different viewpoints, identities, and histories - contributes to the community's strong sense of open dialogue and engagement with ideas and issues. So much of what Swarthmore stands for, from its commitment to curricular breadth and rigor to its demonstrated interest in facilitating discovery and fostering social responsibility, lies in the quality and passion of its faculty. A student/faculty ratio of 8:1 ensures that students have close, meaningful engagement with their professors, preparing the former to translate the skills and understanding gained at Swarthmore into the mark they want to make on the world. The College's Honors program features small groups of dedicated and accomplished students working closely with faculty; an emphasis on independent learning; ongoing dialogue between students and their peers, teachers, and examiners; and an examination at the end of two years' study by outside scholars. Swarthmore's idyllic, 425-acre arboretum campus features rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails, and is located just 11 miles from Philadelphia.

A global center of study and service, American University features some of the most proficient scholars and offers a wealth of opportunities both locally and abroad. American University students have a reputation for being some of the most politically active students of any school in the nation. Considering that AU is located in Washington, D.C., it is certainly surrounded by many opportunities for such activity. However, the University itself also offers a wealth of centers, institutes and programs, such as the Center for Global Peace, the Center for Community Engagement and Service and the Women and Politics Institute, among many others. American University students pursue degrees in various academic areas. Offering more than 55 bachelor's degrees, over 50 master's degrees, a number of doctoral degrees and a J.D. program, AU offers students choices in six major schools or colleges. These include the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, and the School of Public Affairs. Active throughout the community and the world, many AU students undertake internships. Also, AU Abroad, American University's international study program, gives AU students the chance to study overseas. Through AU's world-renowned Washington semester program, students from other states and countries frequently come to AU to study as well. With more than 140 countries and all 50 states represented by its student body, AU has no shortage of diversity. Faculty at AU are top performers in their fields. Many are policy makers, journalists, diplomats and leaders in the fields of science, business and the arts. Financial aid opportunities are extensive and include both forms of aid that need to be repaid such as loans and such sources as grants, scholarships and fellowships which do not. These awards are available to eligible students, and can be discussed with one of AU's counselors.