Skidmore College

Private · Highly Selective · NY

Photo: Peter (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationNY · Northeast

SettingSuburban

Undergrads2,694

Student:faculty8:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate74.6%

6-yr grad rate82.6%

Drop-out rate10.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$67k

Out-of-state tuition$67k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity35.7%

Gender diversity59.9%

International7.4%

Identity—

Overview

Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, New York, is a liberal-arts college whose motto, "Creative Thought Matters," reflects its distinctive blend of arts intensity and traditional academic rigor, an unusual pairing the college leans into rather than downplays. It has a reputation for taking studio art, performance, and design as seriously as any traditional liberal-arts discipline, which shapes both its curriculum and its campus culture.

Academics

Studio art, theater, and English are particular strengths, and the college is also known for its business program, a combination that gives Skidmore a broader professional range than many arts-forward liberal-arts schools. The Tang Teaching Museum functions as a genuine teaching resource across departments rather than just a gallery, and studio and performance facilities are unusually well resourced for a college of Skidmore's size. Class sizes tend to be small, with faculty accessible across disciplines, and interdisciplinary study is encouraged through the college's flexible curriculum.

Campus & student life

Saratoga Springs is a well-known resort town famous for its summer horse-racing season and performing-arts festivals, including a major outdoor performing-arts venue nearby, giving Skidmore students access to a cultural calendar well beyond the typical college town. Campus life draws heavily on the arts, with strong participation in theater, music, and visual art outside the classroom as well as in it, and the wooded North Woods area on campus is a popular spot for students to unwind.

Getting in

Skidmore's admissions process rewards demonstrated creative engagement alongside academic strength, and applicants with a portfolio or performance background in the arts often find that experience valued in the review, even outside of dedicated arts programs. The college also runs a longstanding Opportunity Program supporting first-generation and historically underrepresented students, reflecting a genuine institutional commitment beyond the arts-and-business pairing it's best known for.

After graduation

Graduates go into creative fields, business, and communications in notable numbers, and the college's location near the arts-and-culture economy of Saratoga Springs and its proximity to New York City feed internship and networking opportunities in those areas. The business program in particular sends graduates into finance and management roles that might seem at odds with the college's arts-forward reputation but are a real and long-standing part of its identity.

Worth knowing

The pairing of serious studio art and theater programs with a respected business school is somewhat unusual for a liberal-arts college of Skidmore's size, and it shapes a campus culture where creative and pre-professional students mix more than at typical peer schools. Saratoga Springs' seasonal tourist economy, especially around summer racing season, is also worth knowing about as a backdrop to campus life.

skidmore.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate21.1%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1340–1480 · ACT 31–33

Test policyoptional

Rec letters2

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Early decisionNov 1

Regular decisionJan 8

Verified from the school’s admissions page ↗

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Common App, Coalition (Scoir), or QuestBridge.

Early decision IIJan 8

Financial aid formsJan 15

Early Decision I and II are binding commitments to enroll if admitted.

Interviews: Skidmore no longer offers admissions interviews as of fall 2024, though virtual and in-person events with admissions counselors are available.

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗