Pre-College Program in the Liberal & Studio Arts

What to study?

Taking on the demands of full-time college level study, compressed into 5 weeks, is challenging for any student. For this reason, we encourage pre-college students to study what they want to study, not so much what they think they need to study. Engaging in courses that challenge you in areas you are most interested or where you think your strengths lie is a great way to prepare for your future as a college student. Taking a class in an area in which you know nothing is an even better way to prepare by exploring new areas of knowledge and to broaden your horizons. In the end, the key to selecting which courses are best for you is to think about how you want to spend your days and nights this summer, not so much how it will all look to someone else when the summer is over.

Preparing for college involves not only academic preparation but also learning the ins and outs of the process of selecting and applying to college. Through special sessions arranged for Pre-College students, members of Skidmore's Admissions Staff will help students think about what sort of college to attend given what they want to study, how to negotiate the application process, conduct practice interviews and learn how to write a solid admissions essay. For studio art students, evening workshops will examine the process of submitting a portfolio for college admissions and photographing artwork for submission of slide portfolios. (Students will photograph their own work and leave with images of their work ready for submission.)