Class of '14 is largest, most diverse in Skidmore history
They will be on campus Aug. 23 to 25 before flying to England to complete the fall semester. Athletes begin arriving Aug. 22 and additional pre- and regular orientation programs are scheduled from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4. Classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 7.
The incoming class is also Skidmore's most diverse ever, reports Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Mary Lou Bates. Students of color comprise 26 percent of the class, and international students four percent. Language diversity is notable, said Bates. Students in the class report fluency in 20 different languages.
Skidmore's new students hail from 35 states and Washington, D.C., as well as 19 different countries, she added. Nearly 44 percent of the class has received financial aid in the form of Skidmore grants.
Said Bates, "More students said yes to Skidmore than we had anticipated." However,
the usual level of "summer melt" - students who change their minds about enrolling
- was significantly lower than anticipated this year, both at Skidmore and at many
other colleges. Applicant pools were strong (Skidmore received 6,044 applications)
at schools across the Northeast, resulting in less wait-list action at many colleges,
she added.
The size of Skidmore's new class creates a housing challenge that has been temporarily solved through the use of triple rooms. The College has offered financial discounts to all students who are in triples at the start of the academic year, with additional financial relief to be provided to any students still housed in triples by October and again as of the second semester.
Additional quiet study spaces have been identified throughout the campus and students are encouraged to take advantage of this option when needed, said Beau Breslin, assistant dean of the faculty and director of the First-Year Experience. He added, "We recognize the inconveniences the housing situation may cause and will make every effort to ease that pressure prior to the start of the academic year and into the fall."
All first-year students have been given a summer reading assignment: Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5 Billion Year History of the Human Body, a poignant and provocative exploration of the development of the human body by Neil Shubin, provost of the Field Museum and professor of anatomy at the University of Chicago. The book was the topic of a recent feature on NPR.
This fall, textbook rentals will be available to students for the first time.The College is beginning a program of limited textbook rentals in an effort to help
reduce book costs. There will be approximately 75 titles in a broad range of disciplines
available as rentals.Examples include: Physical Chemistry - $143 new, $88.75 rental; Advertising and Promotion - $214 new, $126.50 rental; Stages of Drama - $105.50 new, $65.50 rental.
All rental books are new and must be returned at the end of the semester (Dec. 21). Students are allowed to highlight rented books but the books must be in good (resalable as used) condition when returned.