Skidmore College has posted its deadlines: Early Decision I closes on November 1, with decisions in mid-December. The application has no supplemental essays, so the personal statement is the only essay. Irvine seniors have four days until the deadline; the college also allows supporting materials such as recommendations to arrive within one week of the deadline and invites students who need more time to ask about an extension.
Who Is Affected by the Skidmore Early Decision Deadline
The deadline applies to high school seniors who have made Skidmore College their first choice and are ready to commit. The college’s published timeline is as follows:
| Item | Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Regular Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | November 1 | January 8 | January 8 |
| Supporting materials | Within one week of deadline | Within one week of deadline | Within one week of deadline |
| Financial aid materials | November 8 | January 15 | January 15 |
| Quarter grades | November 22 | January 22 | Not required |
| Decision | Mid-December | Mid-February | Mid-March |
| Reply | Early January | Late February | May 1 |
Supporting materials are the school report, two academic teacher recommendations and the official transcript. Financial aid applicants submit only the CSS Profile by the deadline and file the FAFSA upon enrollment.
What to Do Now About the Skidmore Personal Statement
Put the effort into the personal statement. With no supplemental essays, the only written material admission officers see is the Common App personal statement and the activities section. The college says it reads every application like a story, so the personal statement should describe specific experiences and the thinking that came from them rather than list achievements.
Confirm testing and portfolios. Skidmore has been test-optional since 2016, and about two-thirds of applicants apply without scores. Students who submit may self-report; the college superscores the SAT and ACT, does not require ACT science and asks for verified scores at enrollment. Portfolios are not required for art, music or dance; students who choose to submit one upload it to the applicant portal within one week of the deadline.
For personal statement topics and revision, see the EDUBUS college essay bootcamp; for early application rounds and college lists, see the university admissions planning service.
Sources
- Skidmore College: Apply to Skidmore (accessed October 28, 2026)
- Bates Early Decision Due November 15Bates College closes Early Decision I on November 15 and notifies applicants by December 20. There is no application fee and no required supplemental essay.
- Colgate Early Decision I Due November 1Colgate University closes Early Decision I on November 1 and waives the application fee for first-year applications submitted in October.
- Lafayette Early Decision Due November 15Lafayette College closes Early Decision I on November 15 with decisions in mid-December. It offers an optional 20–200 word Why Lafayette essay.
- Colby Early Decision Due November 15Colby College closes Early Decision I and its financial aid deadline on November 15. The college charges no application fee and requires no writing supplement.
