First-Year Experience FAQs
Move-in Day
No, unfortunately we cannot accommodate early arrivals. Please email us for hotel recommendations.
Yes! Look for our student volunteers in Helping Hooves T-shirts.
Please move your cars to West Lot or Palamountain Lot after unloading. Volunteers will be able to guide you.
If you arrive early, you’ll be held either on North Broadway or on a campus road until teams are ready. If you arrive late, follow signs and the flow outlined in the email to your student until you come across a volunteer who can point you to the next best place to begin.
Rain or shine, we proceed! Some locations may shift indoors but we will largely proceed as planned.
Not really. The Helping Hooves team will have one per residence hall to help you with and some families also bring their own carts and are happy to share after they’re done, but Skidmore does not have carts for everyone.
While you’re moving in, all guests of the student may enter. Guests may not remain in the building if the student leaves.
Yes. You’ll have time to drop off belongings, set up the basics, and leave the rest
for your student to finish during the week. Guests cannot continue or return to set up rooms after the student leaves.
Yes. If you plan to pick them up on move-in day, please be patient — there may be a line. Address packages to:
Student Name and class year
Mailbox #
Â鶹ŮÀÉ
815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-1632
All guests are invited to a free lunch. Coffee, drinks, and snacks are also available for purchase in Burgess Cafe into the early afternoon.
Orientation
No. Once Pre-Orientation begins, students are on their own. Sunday’s family programs repeat Thursday’s schedule.
Our schedule is designed for families and students to split up before Pre-Orientation and Orientation programming begins. There are optional programs in the afternoon on each move-in day (Family Orientation, Family Reception), but after that, guests are expected to depart campus.
No. Their schedule is full, and any free time is meant for building connections and exploring campus independently.
At 1:30 p.m. on Sunday for the start of New Student Orientation.
At 1:30 p.m. on Sunday for the start of New Student Orientation.
General
Your Â鶹ŮÀÉ student ID is a personalized multi-digit number. It was emailed to you by the Admissions team to the email address you used when applying to Â鶹ŮÀÉ. In that email were instructions to create your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account, including your email.
Your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account is a personalized username and password set up by you. You received instructions to set up this account in the same email referenced above that Admissions sent to the email you used when applying to Â鶹ŮÀÉ. It is a combination of a name-based user name (e.g. JJonas or TaylorSwift) and a password you set up. This creates a "single sign on" universal username and password that you'll use across multiple systems (including email).
This is our two-factor authentication tool to keep all Â鶹ŮÀÉ usernames and passwords secure. Instructions for setting this up are in the account activation steps.
/ and use your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account to log in information.
Check the Dates and Deadlines list. Don't panic if you've missed something, just reach out ASAP to let us know.
It's important that all students complete items on deadline. We know that may not be possible for everyone and things happen! Please email fye@skidmore.edu for questions and concerns.
Your email was created when you set up your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account. It follows this format: username@skidmore.edu and the password you created. It is hosted by Microsoft Outlook.
It's the same login information but different systems. Your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account is your universal username and password, which you use to log into email. The username you created in setting up your account is also the front half of your email address (e.g. jjonas of jjonas@skidmore.edu or taylorswift of taylorswift@skidmore.edu).
- Option 1: and use your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account to log in. Then go to the Outlook App.
- Option 2: and use your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account to log in. If you're on a new device, this will likely prompt an Okta verification. The code will be in the Okta app.
For more email questions, You will need your Â鶹ŮÀÉ Account information to log in.
Please visit the Financial Aid webpage for additional information and important deadlines.
Enrolled and admitted families are encouraged to meet one-on-one with a financial aid counselor. They are prepared to provide a comprehensive financial aid overview and answer questions or concerns about affordability. To make an appointment, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
If the account creation process was successful, you should be able to log in
- Try a different web browser other than the one you were using.
- Some campus systems require the use of your full Â鶹ŮÀÉ email address for login (username@skidmore.edu) while others just require your username. Make sure to try both.
- Restart your computer or phone.
- If all else fails, take note of any error message(s) you get, and contact the IT Help Desk. Their hours of operation are M-F 8:30AM-4:30PM EST, with the exception of lunch 12PM-1PM.
- Be sure to have your birth date and Â鶹ŮÀÉ ID number (starts with 00) available when calling or emailing.
- After creating your account you can access your email at (you should not try to access it via gmail/Google).
Scribner Seminar information for the Class of 2029 can be found on the FYE webpage.
Room and roommate assignments are based on the preferences you submit in your housing questionnaire.
Need a housing accommodation?
Visit skidmore.edu/accessibility. The priority deadline is June 16. Late requests may be placed on a waitlist depending on availability.
Fall semester payments must be submitted by August 15.
View full academic calendars for 2025–29 at skidmore.edu/registrar.
Save these 2025–2026 dates:
- September 3: Fall semester begins
- October 17–19: Homecoming and Family Weekend
- November 26–30: Thanksgiving break
- December 19: Fall semester ends
- December 20 – January 17: Winter break
- January 20: Spring semester begins
- March 7–15: Spring break
- May 8: Spring semester ends
- May 19, 2029: Your anticipated graduation date!
All first-year students living in residence halls are automatically enrolled in the Unlimited Meal Plan. This includes unlimited meals at the dining hall, three guest meal passes per semester, and $50 in dining bucks for concessions.
Allergies or dietary restrictions? Contact Dining Services at 518-580-5850 to meet with the Executive Chef and develop a plan.
You’ll be assigned a mailbox number in late August through the Residential Life Housing app in Okta. Yes, you can ship packages but please wait until you receive your mailbox number.
Mailing format:
Your name and class year Mailbox #
Â鶹ŮÀÉ
815 North Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866-1632