Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, NY · founded 1903 · 2,500 students · liberal arts college · Liberty League

Known for: Skidmore College is known for its motto 'Creative Thought Matters' and strong programs in the visual and performing arts alongside traditional liberal arts, as well as its location in the charming Victorian spa town of Saratoga Springs near the famous racetrack.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #39

Top programmes

Studio Art
Business
Psychology
English
Dance
Theater

Notable alumni

Grace Mirabella — Former editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine
Jemima Kirke — Actress (Girls) and artist
Liza Colón-Zayas — Emmy Award-winning actress (The Bear)
Leigh Bardugo — Bestselling fantasy author (Grishaverse series)
Deborah Turbeville — Pioneering fashion photographer
Erin Burnett — CNN anchor and journalist
Cynthia Rowley — Fashion designer
Liz Phair — Alternative rock singer-songwriter

Traditions

Fun Day (spring carnival)
Beatlemore Skidmania (Beatles tribute concert)
Moorebid Ball (Halloween celebration)
Senior Week activities
Tang Teaching Museum exhibitions and events

If Skidmore College were…

As a food: artisanal avocado toast with microgreens and edible flowers — Instagram-ready, creative presentation, slightly bougie but unpretentious about it — exactly what Skidmore's artsy-preppy students would brunch on in Saratoga Springs.
As an athlete: Chloe Kim — Creative, stylish, effortlessly cool, and excels in an individual artistic sport — captures Skidmore's blend of athletic grace, creative expression, and laid-back confidence.
As a person alive today: Phoebe Bridgers — Artsy, indie, emotionally intelligent, and aesthetically curated — embodies the creative-yet-melancholic vibe of Skidmore's singer-songwriter types wandering Saratoga.
As a historical figure: Georgia O'Keeffe — Independent artist who forged her own path, blended natural beauty with abstract vision, and maintained creative integrity — pure Skidmore ethos.
As a movie or TV show: Frances Ha — Artsy, aspirational, slightly aimless creative types navigating post-college life in black and white — captures Skidmore's dance majors and theater kids perfectly.
As a US president: Barack Obama — Articulate, cultured, effortlessly cool, and appeals to creative intellectuals — represents Skidmore's blend of progressive politics and aesthetic sophistication.
As a city: Asheville, North Carolina — Artsy, preppy-meets-bohemian, surrounded by natural beauty, with a thriving creative scene and just the right amount of bougie craft culture.
As an element: Gold — Malleable, aesthetically prized, used in fine arts, and associated with both creativity and a touch of privilege — like Skidmore's artsy-preppy character.
As a car: Saab 900 Convertible — Creative liberal arts college in upstate New York horse country where preppies meet painters and everyone's doing summer stock. Swedish quirky-chic droptop: artsy, individualistic, a little preppy, beloved by those who k

Campus life

Skidmore attracts creative, independent-minded students who balance serious academics with vibrant arts and cultural activities in a supportive, non-competitive environment. The campus has no Greek life but offers numerous clubs, performances, and exhibitions, with students frequently venturing into downtown Saratoga Springs for restaurants, cafes, and nightlife. The community values self-expression, interdisciplinary thinking, and social consciousness.

The film, scored

This profile answers “if Skidmore College were a movie or TV show?” with Frances Ha (2012). Artsy, aspirational, slightly aimless creative types navigating post-college life in black and white — captures Skidmore's dance majors and theater kids perfectly. It sits in the 54th percentile on rankquant, which re-centres every critic score on the reviewer who gave it, so a percentile means position against peers rather than a raw star average. The full film & TV catalogue ranks the rest the same way.