<p>It is not so clear that the average student at Swarthmore today is more competent than the average student a decade or more ago. From Swarthmore’s Institutional Research publications come the following data:</p>
<p>1995
% of class in the top 2% of their high school graduating class = 47%
Average Critical Reading SAT = 711
Average Math SAT = 693</p>
<p>2010
% of class in the top 2% of their high school graduating class = 41%
Average Critical Reading SAT = 716
Average Math SAT = 709</p>
<p>So the average SAT 1600 combined has gone up from 1404 to 1425, but the percentage in the top 2% of their high school graduating class has gone down from 47% to 41%. Neither are probably terribly significant changes. I think it is more accurate to say that Swarthmore students on average are about as academically talented as they have always been. There has probably been somewhat less grade inflation at Swarthmore than at other highly selective colleges and universities. </p>
<p>This is not to say that there have not been significant changes in the student body. For example, ethnic diversity today is much higher than it was several decades ago.</p>