Swarthmore Engineering - How's their reputation?

Hi all, just wondering about the engineering program at Swarthmore. How does it stand in terms of ranking and reputation, especially compared to other liberal arts colleges with engineering programs? I'm not stressing over prestige, just want to make sure the program is legit.

Swarthmore College indeed offers Bachelor's in Engineering, which is somewhat unique among liberal arts colleges. Swarthmore’s Engineering program is quite reputable and its small size allows for a personalized learning experience with a lot of face-to-face interaction. The school doesn't make it to the top of popular engineering rankings mainly because it's a liberal arts school rather than a university or tech school, and ranking formulas heavily favor research funding and graduate programs. Swarthmore’s engineering program instead is focused more on undergraduate education which tends to be the main focus in liberal arts colleges, thus it's not as research-oriented.

In comparison to other liberal arts colleges, it's up there with schools like Harvey Mudd, Bucknell, and Lafayette – all small liberal arts colleges that have well-regarded engineering programs. However, be informed that if you're planning on specializing in a specific field of engineering, such as chemical or aerospace, Swarthmore might not be the best fit as their curriculum is geared more towards a general engineering education.

The strength of such programs at liberal arts colleges lies in their emphasis on creating well-rounded engineers, as opposed to focusing solely on technical skills. So, you'll likely graduate with a strong foundation in engineering principles, combined with good critical thinking and communication skills because of the liberal arts education.

If you are concerned about post-graduation opportunities, Swarthmore's engineering grads do well in terms of job placements and further studies at top graduate programs. Ultimately, the decision should be made considering factors such as class size, faculty interaction, and how well the overall culture and curriculum fit with your academic and personal goals.