International Student Pre-Orientation (IPO)

International student advisors in the Office of Student Academic Services (SAS) invite you to join your international classmates for an informative (and exhaustive!) four days of activities intended to offer an academic, cultural and regional introduction to studying and living in the United States. Americans/dual nationals living outside of the United States and all non-US citizens and are invited to participate in this program.

IPO Peer Mentors (upper class international students) act as guides in workshops and activities focused on a smooth academic and personal transition to living and studying at Skidmore College. Faculty and staff from Skidmore present material on topics including academic resources, the “American” classroom, and academic expectations. Resources for co-curricular and civic engagement opportunities at Skidmore are also presented, tailored to international student interest. All of this woven around excursions that introduce you to Saratoga and the region, as well as provide time to shop for basic amenities and even open a bank account.

The campus check-in date for International Student Pre-Orientation (IPO) will be Friday, August 23rd, 2013. Registration will begin at 10 AM in the Case College Center. Participating students will be able to move into their full-year residence hall room on this day (unless their room is not available and in that case a temporary room will be assigned-this is a very rare scenario). IPO will conclude on August 27th, and all participants of IPO are required to participate in an all-college pre-orientation offered by the Office of Campus Life. (The only allowable exception is if you plan to LEAVE Skidmore on August 28 and return on August 31-Saturday.) More details about all-college pre-orientations will be emailed to ALL enrolled international students after the May 1 enrollment deadline. Registration for Campus Life pre-orientations begin on June 1 and fill up fast.

Students traveling by themselves to the Albany International Airport (ALB) or an area bus/train station can be personally greeted by IPO Peer Mentors ONLY on the check-in/arrival day (the 23rd). Students arriving with their families and wishing to make their own plans can arrive in Saratoga Springs on their own on any day they desire but will only be able to check-in for IPO (and move into their residence hall room) on the 23rd.

If you need information about accommodations or Saratoga Springs and the surrounding area, please visit the website of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce (www.saratoga.org).

Advice to families traveling with students: Late August is the peak of the tourism season in Saratoga Springs, New York. You will certainly enjoy your visit to our beautiful area but you may find that hotels will sell out or be at a premium. Make reservations early and if you have a rental car then consider searching for hotels in the nearby but surrounding communities (i.e. Malta, Albany, Colonie, Glens Falls). There is a healthy mix of individual hotels as well as franchise (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) hotels in the greater Saratoga Springs/Albany/Glens Falls area.

For questions, please contact Darren Drabek, International Student Coordinator, Email: ddrabek@skidmore.edu. The telephone number to SAS is +1 (518) 580-8150.