Frequently Asked Questions - Admissions
 

I live far away from Saratoga Springs. Can I pursue a MALS degree from a distance?
Our students live all over the world—from New York to Ohio to California to Greece to Saudi Arabia—and work with their advisors and faculty by email, telephone, and surface mail. All of our students take at least two of their courses in traditional graduate classrooms—often at schools near their homes, but sometimes at other universities where they’ve found a faculty member with whom they especially want to study.

When can I apply?
Students may apply at any time throughout the year. Students matriculate in the program in either January or July each year with the required introductory seminar.

Do I have to take the GREs in order to apply?
We don’t require the GREs, because they don't measure the qualities that contribute most substantially toward success in the MALS program: dedication, intelligence, passion, flexibility of mind, and intellectual courage.

I graduated from college a number of years ago, and I’m no longer in contact with my former professors. May I ask professional colleagues—or friends who know me well—to write letters of recommendation for me?
Skidmore’s master’s program is designed for adults who may have been out of school for awhile, and many of our candidates ask for references from non-academic sources. Letters of reference should address the qualities it takes to flourish in this program: the ability to collaborate in the design of one’s own concentration, the self-discipline to work independently, and the intellectual power to read, write, and think at the graduate level.

I’ve taken several courses toward a degree that I never completed, and a few classes at the community college level. Should I include those transcripts in my application?
Yes. The admissions committee requires transcripts of all completed undergraduate and graduate coursework, whether or not it contributed toward a degree.

How many credits can I transfer into the program?
When deciding whether to assign students credit for prior graduate coursework, the Admissions Committee considers whether that coursework will significantly contribute to the focus of the work the student plans to do in his or her MALS program. There is no limit to the amount of relevant coursework that can be transferred in to a student’s program; however, students must complete at least 24 credits of new coursework while enrolled at Skidmore.