May 3, 2022
Welcome to Skidmore!
The following information is important to kickoff preparations for your first semester at Skidmore College.
But first, let me say congratulations! Congratulations, in advance, on your graduation from high school and all the accomplishments that have made your admission to Skidmore a reality! I am delighted that you have chosen to join our community. Skidmore staff, faculty, and students are eager to get on with helping you become who and what you want to be.
Over the next several weeks, you will receive information from a variety of campus offices. There are a number of important administrative details you must take care of before you arrive on campus, and we will try to make the process as simple as possible. To begin with, please read this message carefully today, and then get started with the tasks listed herein. Please note some quickly approaching deadlines on May 12, 19, and 26.
Plan also to take some time to sit and talk with people whose opinions you value as you make your way through the various tasks. While it is important that you complete these and the other items in a timely fashion, it is equally important that you do so thoughtfully to ensure the smoothest possible entry into your new collegiate life.
Completion of these and all other items on your FYE Checklist will ensure that there are no major snags when you arrive to begin your Skidmore First-Year experience.
Be assured that we are watching the pandemic carefully and will notify you of any changes to our scheduling via the FYI from FYE monthly email newsletter. You will automatically receive the newsletter through your Skidmore email account, but we also want to share news and information with any parents and guardians who are interested. Subscribe as many members of your family as you like through the FYE webpage.
Once again, on behalf of the Skidmore College faculty and staff, congratulations and welcome!
Sincerely,
Amon Emeka
Director of the First-Year Experience and Associate Professor of Sociology
Step 1: System Login/Email Creation and FYE Checklist
Your Skidmore account is critical for preparing for your arrival on campus and the fall semester. We will communicate with you primarily through your Skidmore email account. Be sure to check it often!
In addition to your Skidmore email, your Skidmore account gives you access to the First-Year Experience (FYE) Checklist. The checklist provides links to the forms and tasks you need to complete, and helps you keep track of dates and deadlines.
To access the FYE Checklist:
- Go to the Registrar’s website
- Click on the Student System Login
- Enter your username and password
- Click on “Student”
- Click on FYE Checklist
Step 2: Scribner Seminar Selection
Deadline: Tuesday, May 9.
The cornerstone of the First-Year Experience is our Scribner Seminar Program, which consists of exciting interdisciplinary courses centered on faculty members’ intellectual passions. There are many fantastic options. Take some time to read the descriptions carefully and then enter your top 10 choices, in order of preference, through the FYE Checklist.
Step 3: Academic Interest Form
Deadline: Tuesday, May 9.
Once you have enrolled at Skidmore, you need to provide information regarding your academic interests to the Office of Academic Advising. Even if you are "undecided" about a major like most incoming first-year students, please identify three areas of interest. This will allow departments to contact you regarding upcoming events that might be of interest. The Academic Interest Form can be accessed through the FYE Checklist.
Step 4: Writing Placement
Deadline: Tuesday, May 16
There are three levels of Expository Writing at Skidmore. The Directed Self-Placement (DSP) will provide important information about which level is most appropriate for you given your current writing skills. (Please note that this does not necessarily mean that you will take a writing course in your first semester.)
The entire DSP program takes about 90 minutes. Once you have started the program, you cannot stop or exit, so be sure to choose a time and place you can work uninterrupted for at least that long. When you are ready, follow the link to the DSP from the FYE Checklist.
Review DSP Detailed Instructions
If you are an international student and/or your high school instruction was delivered in a language other than English, please review the DSP information for international students.
Step 5: Quantitative Reasoning Placement Diagnostic
Deadline: Friday, May 26
The Applied Quantitative Reasoning requirement also has three levels. The Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Placement Diagnostic is designed to help place you at the appropriate level. If you scored 650 or higher on the Math SAT, 28 or higher on the Math ACT, or 570 or higher on a Math SAT subject Test, and submitted your score to Skidmore, you should already have a Quantitative Reasoning placement and do not need to take the QR Placement Diagnostic. For now, you should know that the assessment typically takes 1.5-2 hours. Once you have begun the diagnostic, you cannot stop or exit, so be sure to choose a time and place where you will be able to work uninterrupted for at least that long. When you are ready, follow the link to the QR from the FYE Checklist.
Review QR Detailed Instructions
Step 6: Summer Advising
A Skidmore faculty member, who will serve as your Summer Advisor, will contact you (by way of your Skidmore.edu email address) in early June to schedule a virtual meeting to discuss your educational hopes and plans as well as your fall semester course options.
- The summer advising meetings will take place between June 5 and June 30.
- You will register for courses June 27-28.
- If you know you we will not be able to reach you during the first three weeks of June, please contact the Office of Academic Advising at 518-580-5720 or email advising@skidmore.edu.
Other Materials
The FYE Checklist includes several tasks essential to your membership in the Skidmore
community. Some will be marked as complete as you fulfill them and others will require
you to self-report. Be sure to check frequently to see that all the tasks you have
completed are marked as complete on the FYE Checklist. There are a few Checklist
items that we’d like to draw your attention to.
Step 7: Housing Questionnaire
Deadline: Thursday, June 9
The Office of Residential Life will send you an email on or around May 28th that walks you through the housing process and housing questionnaire. The link to the questionnaire will be emailed to you by Residential Life.
Review housing placement details
Please direct all housing questions to the Office of Residential Life: reslife@skidmore.edu or 518-580-5765.
Step 8: Health Record and Insurance
Deadline: August 1
It is both New York State law and Skidmore policy that fully completed health and immunization records must be filed prior to class attendance or participation in the London Program, pre-orientation programs, and/or varsity athletics.
Step 9: Pre-Orientation
Registration begins June 1
Pre-Orientation is a great way to establish new friendships, get to know our helpful peer advisors, meet faculty members and staff, and have a lot of fun. Registration for these programs opens on June 1. In the meantime, you can review Pre-Orientation information and registration materials.
Please direct all Pre-Orientation questions to Pre-Orientation Programs: preorientation@skidmore.edu or 518-580-8338.
Step 10: Summer Reading and Next Steps
In mid-May, we will mail you the “Skidmore ’27 Orientation Guide: What’s Next.” This guide lists the steps and actions required between now and the beginning of the fall semester and is designed to complement each student’s FYE Checklist. In June, we will mail you this year’s FYE Summer Reading selection. Be on the lookout for these important packages.