<p>I am really interested in applying to skidmore. However I have not had the opportunity to visit campus. Does anyone have anything about the campus and the school in general to share?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>D and I visited in the spring, then she returned this fall for an overnight. It would help if you could be more specific about what you'd like to know, but I'll assume that you've picked up the basics from the website and college guides and that you've visited some schools already and have a general sense of what a smallish LAC is like. I'll just try to point out a few things that you might find interesting.</p>
<p>Skidmore's current campus is relatively new--the school moved from the center of Saratoga Springs to the edge of town in the 70's I believe, so the architecture is all modern--some is great, some not so much. No Ivy covered halls or the like, if that means a lot to you. The campus is very leafy and green and feels secluded, but the center of town is within walking distance. Saratoga Springs, which is a huge tourist destination during racing season, is very charming and filled with interesting shops and eateries. And a few miles out of town on one road there are all the fast food spots and big box stores you can think of, plus a run-of-the-mill mall. Skidmore runs shuttle buses to both locations. Albany is within reasonable driving distance, but other than for concerts, I don't know why a Skidmore student would want to go there.</p>
<p>The student population seems very varied, despite the school's reputation for attracting artsy types. D stayed overnight with a theater major and hung out with her friends and thought they were all very warm and welcoming. Our tour guide was a double major with a minor (!), but I don't think she was typical. I got the feeling no one is really killing themselves academically. Foreign study seems to be a big thing. The school offers two majors which are atypical for an LAC--business and education. Starting soon, they will be offering a theater management course of study drawing on the resources of both the business and theater departments. </p>
<p>The food was very good--there's just one main cafeteria for the whole school (there are some small satellite spots to eat), which I think could get a bit boring.</p>
<p>So those are the things that stood out for me. I'd be happy to try to answer any specific questions you have.</p>
<p>Thank you. That was very helpful. I applied to Wesleyan ED I and I was rejected so I am trying to find other schools that have an atmosphere similar to wesleyan's. Does Skidmore have an open curriculum? This means that students basically have the ability to design their own education. There are no requirements. Does the campus feeling big, or very small? Did students seem smart and sophisticated or more like druggies? </p>
<p>Thank you so much!</p>
<p>Hey! I was rejected from Wes ED also! (I'm actually breathing though - we have more options now right? ) I've always like Skidmore and it's definitely a good choice. I Would say the feel is a little more "artsy" than is at Wes, but the town of Saratoga Springs is almost a mini NYC - so many resources great food theatres shops etc. (definitely better than Middletown) I'm not sure what you're interested in (me it's English and Music - theatre dance music studio art are definitely popular at Skidmore) It is def worth a visit and since we have similar interests in schools I'm sure that you will like it</p>
<p>Saratoga Springs is not a "mini-NYC" in my opinion. It is a cozy, artsy tourist town.</p>
<p>hahah englishphoto! I'm sorry you were rejected. Are you doing ok? I am still a little bit sad, but I guess I am doing better.</p>
<p>Im applying to skidmore after wes denial as well. </p>
<p>good times.</p>
<p>I can't speak to the curriculum, that was D's to explore, but I'm sure the website covers the subject. The campus felt a bit on the smallish side to me. After one tour I could have found my way around pretty easily. It's not too sprawling, quite walkable. Our tour guide was very sophisticated--dressed stylishly (heels!), seemed older than her years--but there were all kinds there. I suspect Skidmore has a higher proportion of preppies and artsy types than your average school. I think the drug and alcohol cultures are fairly typical. I couldn't make a comparison to Wesleyan--it's not in D's range so we haven't explored it at all.</p>
<p>No, Saratoga Springs is nothing like NYC. But for a college town, it's quite nice.</p>
<p>Don't Go </p>
<hr>
<p>Our kid hates Skidmore. No life of the mind. Too many rich kids. The ''Creative Thought Matters'' motto is only a marketing scheme. The administration ignores it. Ask President Glotzbach a question. His secretary gives you a formulaic answer.
Don't waste your money applying.<br>
And Scribner Village apartments are a fire tragedy waiting to happen. And campus maintenance is terrible. It is not a clean place. Check out the Jonsson Tower elevators.
Don't apply, and don't go.</p>
<p>concordia, I'm sorry Skidmore was not the right choice for you (it's pretty clear from this and other posts that you are the "kid" in question, and I suspect your "no life of the mind" comment means you had hoped for admission to more highly ranked institution, since Skidmore is not known for its intense level of intellectualism). Issues of cleanliness and safety are certainly worth hearing about, but there's not a private LAC that doesn't have its share of wealthy students--they're the ones who keep the schools in business, after all. And I think most CC'ers are smart enough to know that college slogans are not to be given more credence than any other form of advertising. Since my D is applying, a fuller evaluation of your experience at Skidmore would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>My D is considering it on her list. She's interested in creative writing/english and teaching. Any comments on those programs?</p>
<p>I met with the heads of the English and Classics departments when I visited this summer. The English department is very strong, including the creative writing concentration, and English is the second most popular major at Skidmore (business being the first).</p>
<p>hey, i was wondering how strong is the computer science or engineering department. i’m an artsy type but also fancy sciency disciplines. thanks</p>