Founded in 1903, Skidmore College is an independent, coeducational, liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York, that prides itself on its creative approaches to just about everything. Creativity powers the way we think, communicate and do. We boldly declare that, here, at Skidmore, more than anything, Creative Thought Matters. With a diverse student body of 2,500 students from 40 states and 70 countries and a faculty of 304 dedicated teacher-scholars, Skidmore offers 43 majors in the arts, humanities, sciences and social sciences, as well as in pre-professional fields. Forty percent of our students are men, 60% women, 24% domestic students of color, 12% international and 15% first-generation collegians.
We are known for our interdisciplinary approach to learning, faculty-student collaborative research, funded research opportunities, off-campus study and the prominence of the performing and visual arts. The College's rigorous academic program begins with the foundational First-Year Experience, which integrates the curricular and cocurricular and gets students involved in the life of the community from day one. Students enjoy close relationships with faculty members who have earned recognition through Guggenheim, Pulitzer, and Emmy awards, and fellowships and grants from Fulbright, MacArthur, the National Science Foundation and others. About half of our students carry two majors or add a related minor to their major, and nearly 60% are attending graduate or professional school or have completed advanced degrees within five years of graduation.
About
From the School
Contact & Visit
Campus Visits Contact
Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid
815 N Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
Experience College Life
Murray-Aikins Dining Hall
Lucy Scribner Library
Student club offices and academic department lounges
Williamson Sports Center
Saratoga Farmers' Market
Congress Park
Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas
Saratoga Spa State Park
Campus Tours
8:30am-4:30pm; 8:30am-noon
800-867-6007
Dates: Year-round
Times: Varies
Average Length: 1 hour
On Campus Interview
Faculty and Coach Visits
Class Visits
Overnight Dorm Stays
Transportation
Admissions
Admissions
Overall
From The School
In 2018-19, Skidmore received more than 11,000 applications for a first-year class of 740 (including 35 students spending their first semester in London); 30% were offered admission; nearly half enrolled through Early Decision.
Those seeking admission to Skidmore's first-year class should complete a secondary-school curriculum that includes at least 16 credits in college-preparatory courses. The Admissions Committee also considers applications from qualified high school juniors who plan to accelerate and enter college early. Applicants typically have completed four years of English, a foreign language, mathematics, and social studies and three to four years of laboratory science. Applicants must provide a secondary school transcript, letters of recommendation from two teachers of academic subjects and a report from their guidance counselor. Skidmore encourages a campus visit and interview.
Skidmore is test-optional when it comes to standardized testing (SAT, ACT), though the college does require standardized test results from international students who have not attended an English language-based school for at least three years, homeschooled students and students attending secondary schools offering written evaluations without accompanying grades. Applicants for the Porter-Wachenheim Presidential Scholarships in Science and Mathematics are encouraged to submit SAT/ACT and any SAT subject tests in math and science. Of course, students may submit either the SAT or ACT if they feel their standardized testing results best represent their academic potential.
Through its participation in the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), Skidmore enrolls capable and ambitious New Yorkers who, because of their academic and financial situations, would not otherwise gain admission to the college under traditional requirements. Skidmore's Academic Opportunity Program (AOP) enrolls similar students who reside out of state and/or whose family income slightly exceeds HEOP guidelines. Together, HEOP and AOP are referred to as the Opportunity Program (OP). About 180 OP students are enrolled at Skidmore.
An applicant for admission must complete the Common Application or the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success Application and submit it with a $65 fee (or a fee-waiver request supported by your guidance counselor). All information for Regular Decision applicants should be postmarked by January 15. Applications from Early Decision applicants should be submitted by November 15 for the Round I Early Decision plan or by January 15 for the Round II Early Decision plan. Regular Decision applicants can convert their applications to Early Decision until February 1. Transfer applicants must submit their applications by November 15 for January admission or by April 1 for September admission.
International students are given special attention throughout the admissions process. Applicants whose first language is not English are encouraged to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). There are a limited number of need-based financial-aid awards available for outstanding international students.
CAREER SERVICES AND PLACEMENT
Thanks in part to the College's strong internship, student-faculty summer research and off-campus study programming, some 95% of Skidmore students report being employed or pursuing further education one year after graduating. Close to 60% complete or are enrolled in advanced-degree programs within five years of graduation. Career Development offers one-on-one career counseling (in person and virtual) for life; off-campus job and internship interviewing fairs in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles; internship openings reserved for Skidmore students; a graduate and professional school expo (nearly 50 institutions); several summer funded internship awards programs, and networking events such as Career Jam and Creative Thought (Net)Works.
FACULTY
277 full-time (304 FTE), 87% with doctoral or highest degree in their field. National and international recognitions include Guggenheim, MacArthur, Pulitzer, and Emmy awards and major fellowships and grants from Fulbright, Getty, NEH, NIH, NSF, and the Andy Warhol Foundation.
Overview
SAT & ACT Test Scores
(enrolled students)
(enrolled students)
Testing Policies
Deadlines
Early Decision — November 15
Early Decision II — January 15
Regular — January 15
Other Admission Factors
Rigor of Secondary School Record
Selectivity Rating
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Learn MoreAcademics
Academics
Overall
From The School
Academic Programs
Skidmore offers numerous pre-professional and cooperative programs: pre-law advising; pre-medical/health professions advising; 4+1 M.B.A. programs (Clarkson, RIT); Whitman M.B.A. Advantage Program, 4+1 M.S.A. and 4+1 M.S.F. (Syracuse); dual-degree engineering programs (Clarkson, Dartmouth, RPI); B.S.N. (NYU School of Nursing); dual-degree programs in occupational therapy and physical therapy (Sage Graduate School); M.S. in Accountancy (Wake Forest); M.S. in Teaching (Clarkson); internships (academic credit, funded summer programs); applied civic-engagement courses; Periclean Honors Forum; faculty-student collaborative research (academic year and summer program); international and domestic off-campus study options; and the Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative.
Off-campus study: With about 60% of students studying abroad at some point during their college years, Skidmore is perennially ranked in the top five nationally on a list of top 40 baccalaureate institutions for number of students studying abroad for a semester. Students can choose from 118 programs in 45 countries, including Skidmore-run programs in England, France, New Zealand and Spain.
Majors and Degrees Offered
Skidmore offers bachelor degrees in the following 43 majors: American studies, anthropology, art (studio), art history, Asian studies, biology, business (business-French, business-German, business-Spanish, and business-political science), chemistry, classics, computer science, dance, economics, education studies, English, environmental science, environmental studies, exercise science, French, gender studies, geosciences, German, history, international affairs, mathematics, music, neuroscience, philosophy, physics, political science (political science-French, political science-German, and political science-Spanish), psychology, religious studies, a self-determined major, social work, sociology, Spanish, and theater.
Most majors have minors. Others include arts administration, Black studies, Chinese, intergroup relations, Italian, Japanese, Latin American and Latinx studies, statistics, and media and film studies.
Faculty and Class Information
Graduation Rates
Majors
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AREA, ETHNIC, CULTURAL, GENDER, AND GROUP STUDIES.
American/United States Studies/Civilization.
Asian Studies/Civilization.
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other.
French Studies.
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BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES.
Biology/Biological Sciences, General.
Exercise Physiology.
Neuroscience.
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BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES.
Business/Commerce, General.
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COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
Computer and Information Sciences, General.
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EDUCATION.
Elementary Education and Teaching.
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE/LETTERS.
English Language and Literature, General.
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FOREIGN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES, AND LINGUISTICS.
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General.
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics.
French Language and Literature.
German Language and Literature.
Spanish Language and Literature.
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HISTORY.
History, General.
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LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, GENERAL STUDIES AND HUMANITIES.
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies.
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MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS.
Mathematics, General.
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NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION.
Environmental Science.
Environmental Studies.
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PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES.
Philosophy.
Religion/Religious Studies.
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PHYSICAL SCIENCES.
Chemistry, General.
Geology/Earth Science, General.
Physics, General.
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PSYCHOLOGY.
Psychology, General.
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PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS.
Social Work.
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SOCIAL SCIENCES.
Anthropology.
Economics, General.
International Relations and Affairs.
Political Science and Government, General.
Social Sciences, Other.
Sociology.
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VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.
Art History, Criticism and Conservation.
Dance, General.
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General.
Fine Arts and Art Studies, Other.
Music History, Literature, and Theory.
Students Say
Degrees
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Experiential
Internship
Notable Faculty
Prominent Alumni
Academic Rating
Careers
Graduation Rates
Career Services
Alumni Network
Alumni Services
Classes
Interest Inventory
Internships
Regional Alumni
Experiential
Internship
ROI & Outcomes
Students Say
Tuition & Aid
Tuition & Aid
Overview
From The School
Tuition, Room, Board and Fees
Skidmore 2019-2020 costs: $56,172 tuition and fees; $8,868 dorm-double room; and $6,132 board.
Financial Aid
Skidmore annually provides $53 million in financial aid on the basis of demonstrated financial need. The most recent first-year aid package was $44,000, ranging from $2,000 to $65,000; 47% of students received need-based grants; 50% received some form of financial aid; and 50% took advantage of the opportunity to work on campus. Average post-college student debt (just under $23,000) is well below the national average.
Aid is provided in the form of a student-aid package that usually includes a grant, campus job and loan. We encourage any student interested in applying for admission to do so regardless of his or her intention to seek financial aid. A great place to start is our Skidmore student aid calculator, which will give you an idea for where you stand. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a copy of the federal income tax form and the CSS Profile must be filed each year.
Skidmore also hosts an annual Filene Music Scholarship Competition to award four to six $60,000 ($15,000 per year) scholarships on the basis of musical ability without regard to financial need. Twelve to fourteen $15,000 Porter-Wachenheim Presidential Scholarships in Science and Mathematics scholarships are also awarded annually ($60,000 over four years). In addition, up to eight Skidmore Scholars in Science and Mathematics — students with demonstrated financial need — annually receive financial aid packages with no loan component in the first two years and with reduced loans in years three and four.
Dates
Required Forms
Forms Divorced Parent
Financial Aid Statistics
Expenses per Academic Year
Available Aid
Need-Based College/University Scholarship or Grant Aid from Institutional Funds
Need-Based Federal Pell
Need-Based Private Scholarships
Need-Based SEOG
Need-Based State Scholarships
Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
State Loans
Financial Aid Rating
Student Body
Student Body
Overall
From The School
Student clubs/organizations/leadership: Whether you engage in one of Skidmore's nearly 120 student clubs or serve as a residential advisor, a varsity athlete or intramural participant, a student gardener, or a volunteer in a local school, you will find opportunities to use your creativity and round yourself out while giving back to the larger community.
Varsity sports: A founding member of the highly competitive NCAA, Division III Liberty League, Skidmore offers 19 varsity sports: baseball, basketball (men and women), field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse (men and women), riding, rowing (men and women), soccer (men and women), softball, swimming/diving (men and women), tennis (men and women), and volleyball. Liberty League members are Bard, Clarkson, Hobart & William Smith, Ithaca, RPI, RIT, Rochester, St. Lawrence, Skidmore, Union, and Vassar.
Student Academic Services (SAS) serves all Skidmore students interested in strengthening their academic performance or skills by organizing peer tutoring, study groups, and drop-in tutoring and by offering professional one-on-one and small-group academic support. SAS collaborates with other campus offices and faculty to support Skidmore students with specific responsibility for international students, English Language Learners, students of color, student-athletes and students with disabilities.
Student Body Profile
Demographics
Students Say
Campus Life
Campus Life
Overview
From The School
Location
Skidmore truly offers the best of both worlds — a beautiful campus and a thriving hometown in Saratoga Springs, one of the most vibrant small cities in the US. Famed for its "health, history, and horses," Saratoga Springs is a popular year-round cultural and tourist destination. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is summer home to the New York City Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra and Opera Saratoga, and is a performing venue for top rock and jazz musicians. Downtown Saratoga is brimming with galleries, museums, shops, coffeehouses, bistros and restaurants. No wonder Travel & Leisure named it the sixth-best college town in the nation. The city's location near the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains puts an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities within an hour's drive, including great downhill and Nordic skiing. Boston, New York City and Montreal are each approximately 180 miles from campus.
Campus Facilities & Equipment
The beautiful 1,000-acre campus — 300 acres of which consists of the recreationand research-rich North Woods — has been upgraded in recent years with renovations to dining and residential facilities. The new Center for Integrated Sciences is slated for partial completion in Fall 2020. Skidmore's Zankel Music Center is a 54,000-square-foot facility with a spectacular 600-seat recital hall and state-of-the art recording studio. In addition, the Northwoods Apartments, opened in 2007 for upperclassmen, feature "green" apartments that use geothermal heating and cooling systems. The similar Sussman Village Apartments opened six years ago. And the Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, opened in 2000, has earned a national reputation through exhibitions that feature contemporary art but also address disciplines such as the natural and social sciences.
In recent years, our Community Garden has produced thousands of pounds of organic food for the dining hall and through our student-run composting program we?ve saved about 100,000 pounds of food waste from the landfill. We?ve also cut 45% of greenhouse gas emissions since 2000, thanks to renewable energy and efficiency efforts. In all, 19% of campus electricity is generated by our hydroelectric dam (8%) and solar field (11%). And 35% of campus is geothermally heated and cooled, with 45% projected in the near future.
Campus Life
Housing Options
Disabled Student
Dorms Coed
Theme Housing
Wellness Housing
Students Say
Special Needs Admissions
Special Need Services Offered
Student Activities
Sports
Basketball
Crew Rowing
Diving
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Crew Rowing
Diving
Equestrian Sports
Field Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Volleyball
Student Services
LGBT Support Groups
Minority Support Groups
Army ROTC Offered at cooperating institutions: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Siena College
Air Force ROTC Offered at cooperating institutions: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Sustainability
Campus Security Report
The Jeanne Clery Act requires colleges and universities to disclose their security policies, keep a public crime log, publish an annual crime report and provide timely warnings to students and campus employees about a crime posing an immediate or ongoing threat to students and campus employees.
Please visit The Princeton Review’s page on campus safety for additional resources: http://www.princetonreview.com/safety
The Princeton Review publishes links directly to each school's Campus Security Reports where available. Applicants can also access all school-specific campus safety information using the Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool provided by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education: https://ope.ed.gov/campussafety/#/