Is Williams or Swarthmore better for undergraduate research opportunities?

Swarthmore has a slight edge for undergraduate research opportunities. It has a particularly strong culture of faculty-student scholarship across disciplines, and its location near Philadelphia expands access to off-campus labs, archives, hospitals, and research partnerships that can matter even if you are not focused on one major yet. Swarthmore also has a reputation for students being deeply integrated into serious academic work early, not just in the summer but during the academic year.

One concrete difference is the surrounding ecosystem. Swarthmore students can tap into the wider Tri-Co academic network with Bryn Mawr and Haverford, which broadens course options, faculty connections, and sometimes research pathways. Being close to a major city also makes it easier to find independent research, internships, and project-based work beyond campus when a department is small or a niche interest is not fully covered in-house.

Another differentiator is the style of faculty mentorship. Swarthmore is known for intense academic engagement and close professor relationships, and that often translates into students taking on substantial research roles rather than mainly assisting with routine tasks. The campus culture can feel especially oriented toward inquiry, discussion, and original work, which helps if you want research to be central to your undergraduate experience.

Williams is excellent too, especially because of its small size, tutorial system, and very strong faculty access. The tutorial model can sharpen the same skills that make students good researchers: independent thinking, close reading, and defending ideas one-on-one or in very small groups. But for overall research environment, especially when you include cross-campus and nearby-city opportunities, Swarthmore is the one I would lean toward.