Founded in 1903 and located in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.--one of the nation's top college towns--Skidmore is an independent, coeducational, liberal arts college that prides itself on its creative approaches to just about everything. Hence, the college's core belief that creative thought matters.

With a diverse student body of 2,500 from 42 states/territories and 62 countries (24% are domestic students of color, 12% are international, and 15% are the first in their families to attend college) and a faculty of 300 dedicated teacher-scholars, Skidmore offers 44 majors in the humanities, sciences, arts, and social sciences, as well as in career-specific fields such as business, education, health and physiological sciences, and social work. Most majors have corresponding minors. Minors are also available in arts administration, Chinese, intergroup relations, Italian, Japanese, Latin American studies, media and film studies, and statistics. Skidmore is known for its interdisciplinary approach to learning, faculty-student collaborative research, off-campus study (60% of students study abroad), and the prominence of the performing and visual arts.

The College's rigorous academic program begins with the foundational First-Year Experience which integrates the curricular and co-curricular aspects of a student's first year, and gets them connected and involved in the life of the community. Students enjoy close relationships with talented faculty members who have earned recognition from Guggenheim, Pulitzer, and Emmy awards to fellowships and grants from Fulbright, MacArthur, and the National Science Foundation, among others.

Twenty percent of students carry two majors and many more add a related minor to their major. Close to sixty percent of Skidmore students have completed or are pursuing advanced degrees within five years of graduation. Eighty percent of medical school applicants are accepted, and many others gain entry to dental, veterinary, optometry, and allied professional programs. Other academic features include Skidmore's Periclean Honors Forum, which sponsors the annual Academic Festival, internships for credit (a number funded by Skidmore), a summer faculty-student collaborative research program, and numerous service-learning courses.

The beautiful 1,000-acre campus, nearly 300 acres of which consists of the recreation- and field research-rich North Woods, has been upgraded in the past decade with key renovations to the science center, athletics facilities, student center, dining halls, and campus residences. Forty percent of Skidmore's heating and cooling needs are met with geothermal energy. The Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery has earned a national reputation through exhibitions that feature contemporary art but also address disciplines such as the natural and social sciences. The College's Arthur Zankel Music Center, features a 600-seat, glassed-in performance hall, and is an important performance venue for Skidmore and its highly regarded summer programs, including institutes in dance, jazz, theater, and writing.

Co-curricular life on campus offers many options. The College's 120 student clubs and organizations run the gamut, including a capella groups, SkidTV, WSPN Radio, Model European Union, snowboarding, comedy and cabaret troupes, and academic, cultural awareness, and religious groups. Skidmore's 19 intercollegiate teams compete at the NCAA Division III level. In the past decade, teams have earned seven national championships and more than 30 Liberty League titles. Students are active in intramurals and enjoy opportunities for fitness and recreation on campus and in the nearby Adirondack and Green mountains.