The Skidmore experience promises a “tight-knit community”
of creative students interested in a variety of disciplines. It might seem easy to pigeonhole the Skidmore
population, but students don't make it easy to figure out the “average”
Skidmore student. One student classifies
them as “preppy, rich, Jewish, liberal, self-involved,”
while another says: “It's a hippie/ hipster school where everyone smokes pot." Due to the small student body, things can get fairly “cliquish” – “even cliquier than high school” says one. “Different types of students do interact but there is a separation. In the dining hall, the international students and many minorities tend to eat at the counter, jocks eat at one side of the dining hall, and everyone else eats on the other side.” Students also vocalize complaints about the lack of both ethnic and financial diversity on campus. An Indian student comments: “One of the biggest controversies that will not subside is the issue of diversity on Skidmore's campus. We are not very culturally diverse, nor do several of the students prefer to be. That is one of the biggest regrets that I have acknowledge[d] during my time.” Still, despite the complaints, most are
complimentary of their fellow students, an “intelligent, creative crowd.” One student calls Skidmore the “perfect school for a creative individual who is willing to challenge his or her self academically.”
Skidmore students are almost universally pleased with the
small class sizes and generally lenient requirements for their majors. According to one student, “The best thing about Skidmore is the way the academics are set up - so many departments are so supportive of you taking a class there even if you have no major or minor plans in the area. Many departments also make you take classes outside of their department so you are more well-rounded.” The classes are usually a mix of lectures and
discussions, no matter the level—though many find classes to be more discussion-based as they move forward. “I love the academic environment,” says a junior. “The small classes allow students to understand what is going on in the classroom. The teachers get to know you (if you want) and if you have difficulties with a class, it is easy to go up to a teacher and set up meetings to see how to fix any problems a student might have in the class or just to seek some help.” Skidmore students' study habits
range from very intense to pretty lax.
Though the library is frequently crowded, the workload depends on how much students choose to challenge themselves. A sophomore English major writes:
“People are incredibly smart and intellectual, but it's more of a well-rounded intelligence than a "study-all-the-time" and "get-the-best-grades" competitiveness.”
Skidmore has the advantage of being off the beaten
path in upstate New York, surrounded by the Vermont and Adirondack Mountains while still in close proximity to Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Springs is larger than the typical
college town but quaint enough to satisfy students who don’t want a big-city
experience. While one student says, “The best thing about Skidmore is that you can get anywhere on campus with ease, or get 'lost' in the north woods and enjoy the scenery,” another has greater appreciation for the local bar
scene: “There are tons of great local bars in Saratoga Springs that the upperclassmen and those with fake IDs often find themselves at on Thursday and Saturday nights.” There are enough restaurants, shops, and events in town to satisfy most students, and the bar scene is fairly large, considering the size of the town. Some
students are dismayed that so much of the social scene takes place off-campus. “I like that there is a pretty downtown area,”
says one student, “but a lot of the social life revolves around being off campus. That's sometimes disappointing.” Another student counters: “Big parties are often located off-campus, but parties are still a regular occurrence on campus on the weekends. I usually go to events--dances, concerts, performances--that are happening on campus on the weekend.”
Indeed, students are never at a loss for things to do,
whether on or off campus. “Skidmore has an insane number of social opportunities,” says a junior business major. “Sporting events are not the most popular of these options. I would say that more people come to art shows and dance performances than athletic games. Some of the yearly events include Junior Ring (a formal dance) and Fun Day (the last Friday or Saturday before the end of classes).” Interestingly, the “artsy” events on campus
almost always attract a huge crowd - theater and improv shows are an especially
big draw. Most students also get very involved with various on-campus clubs and
organizations. “Benef-action, the volunteer group on campus, the environmental action club, the outing club, the ultimate Frisbee club, the five a cappella groups, and the dance groups on campus are very popular.”
Drinking is a popular way
to spend the frigid winter months.
“Since there is no Greek life at Skidmore, most social events take place in the dorms or in the on-campus apartments.” Upperclassmen with off-campus residencies also throw a number of weekend
parties. “Most of the time, you start your night in the dorms and gradually move to a house off-campus or in the upper-classmen apartments, and then end up back in your dorms. It can be hard in the winter because it's so cold outside and snowy, but there are a ton of things to do.” Though it does freeze in the winter
months—a “frigid ice globe” one student calls it—“The campus is beautiful and when it's warm out, there is nothing like it.”
