How to Apply to Economics at Skidmore College: A BA in Economics Classified as STEM, Entered by Applying to the College and Declaring the Major by the Second Semester of Sophomore Year, for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, New York) is a liberal arts college; the pages I read do not mention separate schools. Economics is taught by the Department of Economics, and the catalog degree is the Economics B.A. Below is what the Skidmore website says, written for U.S. applicants, international applicants (including those from China) and transfer applicants, for fall 2027 entry.

1. Which economics programs

• Economics major (BA): the website lists one economics degree, with no BS and no separate tracks. Both the catalog and the department page say the economics major at Skidmore is classified as STEM; the international page also calls it “designated as a STEM major”.
• Math intensity: the major requires Calculus I (MA 111, 4 credits) plus statistics and econometrics. The catalog strongly recommends Calculus II, III and linear algebra for students planning graduate study in economics or business.
• Minor: EC 103, EC 104, EC 235, EC 236, calculus, and two further economics courses (at least one at the 300 level). EC 237 statistics does not count toward the minor.
• Double majors: the department says many students double major; popular pairings include management and business, mathematics and statistics, environmental studies and sciences, political science, history and philosophy. This site has a separate article on business.
• Honors: for students entering in fall 2016 or later, honors in economics requires the all-college 3.00 overall GPA, a 3.65 in the major and at least an A- in the Senior Seminar. There is also an economics honor society, Omicron Delta Epsilon (at least four economics courses, a 3.60 average in economics and a 3.60 overall GPA).

2. How admission works: apply to the college, declare the major later

• At application: you apply to Skidmore, not to a school or major. The application pages I read do not require you to choose economics at that point, and I found no separate admission standard for the department.
• Declaring: the FAQ says students declare a major by the second semester of their sophomore year, and may explore several fields first.
• Conditions for entering the major: the catalog and department pages state no GPA threshold, required-course grades or cap. This is not published there; ask the department (518-580-5090).
• Major GPA: per the catalog, only economics courses appear in the major GPA, and economics courses above the 100 level taken S/U cannot count toward the major.

3. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school coursework: the application pages I read set no subject-by-subject unit requirements. This is not published there. Skidmore says it reads each application “like a story”, weighing academics, experiences, challenges and goals.
• Required courses (entering fall 2020 or later): EC 103 Introduction to Macroeconomics, EC 104 Introduction to Microeconomics, EC 235 Macroeconomic Theory, EC 236 Microeconomic Theory, EC 237 Statistical Methods, EC 339 Applied Econometrics (3 credits), EC 374 Pre-Capstone Seminar (1 credit), EC 375 Senior Seminar (4 credits, spring only; the typical product is a thesis of 7,500 to 10,000 words), three economics electives (at least two at the 300 level, one may be at the 200 level) and MA 111 Calculus I, for 41 to 44 credits. The version for students entering in fall 2019 differs: no EC 339 or EC 374, and four electives (at least three at the 300 level).
• Prerequisites: EC 103 needs QR1, MA 100 or quantitative reasoning placement; EC 104 needs placement at the applied level or a completed foundational QR course; EC 236 needs EC 104 and a calculus course; EC 235 needs EC 103; EC 237 needs placement at the applied level or a foundational course; EC 339 needs EC 103 or 104, EC 237 and a calculus course. MS 204, SO 228, BI 235 and PS 303 count as equivalents of EC 237.
• Calculus placement: students placing into Calculus II may take Calculus I or an additional 300-level economics elective; those placing into Calculus III may take Calculus I, Calculus III or an additional 300-level elective. Calculus II itself cannot fulfill the requirement.
• AP, IB and A-Level credit (catalog text): a 5 on AP Microeconomics earns credit for EC 104 and a 5 on AP Macroeconomics for EC 103; a 4 lets you sit a qualifying exam to petition for credit. IB Higher Level economics with 6 or higher earns credit for either EC 103 or EC 104, and a 5 allows a qualifying exam. An A-Level economics grade of A or higher earns credit for one of them, and a B allows the exam. Qualifying exams are offered by the chair before each semester. The department strongly recommends taking at least one introductory course at Skidmore, and AP, IB and A-Level economics do not satisfy general education requirements.

4. Rounds and materials

• Deadlines (the page prints no year; confirm they apply to fall 2027): Early Decision I November 1; Early Decision II January 8; Regular Decision January 8. Supporting materials are due within one week of the deadline. Decisions come mid-December (ED I), mid-February (ED II) and mid-March (Regular); reply dates are early January, late February and May 1. Skidmore has no Early Action.
• Application fee: the website says it is free to apply.
• Materials: the Common Application, Coalition Application or QuestBridge application; school report, two academic teacher recommendations and an official transcript. The website stresses there are no supplemental essays, and Skidmore stopped offering interviews as of fall 2024.
• Testing: Skidmore has been test-optional since 2016, and about two-thirds of applicants and enrolling students apply without scores. If you submit scores, it superscores the SAT or ACT (the ACT science section is not required); if admitted you must provide verified scores that match what you reported, by July 15.
• The FAQ also says about half of each incoming class is admitted through Early Decision, that ED applicants are admitted at a higher rate but judged on the same criteria, and that a Regular Decision application can be switched to ED by November 30 (ED I) or February 1 (ED II).

5. Reading this by applicant type

U.S. applicants

• Review is holistic: academic record, course rigor, personal statement, recommendations and activities, with testing optional. Skidmore is private; the pages I read show one tuition figure, with no in-state versus out-of-state difference and no home-state preference.
• 2026-27 costs: tuition and required fees $73,590; housing $11,630 in a traditional residence hall ($12,230 single, $14,890 apartment); food $8,040; a one-time records fee of $150 for entering students; a $365 per semester tuition insurance charge (waivable by August 31).
• Aid: Skidmore says it meets 100% of demonstrated need for all admitted students. To be considered for Skidmore aid you submit the CSS Profile (code 2815), by November 8 for ED I and January 15 for ED II and Regular; the FAFSA (code 002814) is needed only on enrollment. The average aid package is $60,550, 64% of students receive need-based grants and 68% receive some aid. Merit aid is limited and highly selective: the Filene Music Scholarship and the Porter-Wachenheim Presidential Scholarships, $20,000 a year each. The Porter-Wachenheim page lists science, mathematics and psychology fields and does not name economics.

International applicants (including China)

• Who counts: anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident; about 300 students from more than 60 countries, roughly 7% of about 2,700.
• English: required if English is not your first language and you have not attended school for at least three years where English is the only language of instruction. TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo are accepted; Skidmore says 96 to 97 on the TOEFL, 7.0 or 7.5 on the IELTS or 120 on the Duolingo test is generally an indicator of minimal proficiency. Waivers are available for students completing the IB Diploma Program.
• Documents: an official secondary school transcript (and university transcript if applicable) and at least one teacher or counselor recommendation; non-English documents need certified English translations, and transcripts should include the grading scale. Note that the main apply page asks for two academic teacher recommendations while the international page says at least one teacher or counselor recommendation; ask admissions which applies to you.
• Aid: need-based aid is available to international applicants, who may submit the CSS Profile or Skidmore’s International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA, free in the applicant portal; the website says choosing the ISFAA alone is not a disadvantage). The FAQ also says “financial aid availability may be a factor for some applicants later in the process”, without explaining further.
• Housing and support: on-campus housing is guaranteed for four years; an international student and scholar advising team helps with visas, employment and tax questions.
• Applicants from China: the website does not say whether the gaokao is considered, how school-exam (huikao) materials are handled, or give any China-specific guidance. This is not published; ask admissions@skidmore.edu.

6. Costs and aid notes

• Tuition, housing and food in a traditional residence hall: the website lists $46,630 per semester and does not print an annual total.
• Where Skidmore’s pages differ: the typical student job budget is about $2,600 a year on one page and about $4,000 on another. Confirm with the Office of Financial Aid (finaid@skidmore.edu).
• Internships and research: the department mentions collaborative research with faculty, independent study and credit-bearing internships (EC 399, for juniors and seniors, 1 to 4 credits, not counted as an elective); students have interned at the Federal Reserve Banks of Dallas and Boston, JP Morgan, HSBC and the Institute of International Finance, and many majors study abroad. At most one independent study counts as an elective.

7. Transfer

• Deadlines: fall entry April 1; spring entry November 1 (no year printed; confirm).
• Eligibility: at least one full-time semester (12 or more credits) completed. Up to 60 credits may transfer and you must spend two years (60 credits) in residence to earn a degree. Courses must be graded C or better; grades from earlier schools do not appear on your Skidmore transcript or affect your GPA; technical or professional courses typically do not transfer; community college courses cannot count toward 300-level credit; final credit decisions come after admission.
• Materials: the Transfer Common Application and Skidmore supplement, a personal statement, official transcripts from every college, the final high school transcript, two college instructor evaluations, a College Official’s Report confirming good standing and a midterm grade report if currently enrolled. I did not find a transfer application fee stated.
• Transferring into economics: the catalog says transfer students should work with the registrar on credit for economics courses taken earlier, and that majors must take at least six economics courses at Skidmore, including two of the required 200-level theory and methods courses. Grade requirements for prior calculus or introductory courses are not published.
• Credit conversion: quarter-system credits are multiplied by two-thirds; other systems use the conversion key on your transcript. Skidmore has an articulation agreement with SUNY Schenectady County Community College. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree cannot earn the same degree again.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply through the Common App, Coalition App or QuestBridge; ED I November 1, ED II and Regular January 8 (confirm the year); no fee; testing optional
• Declare the major by the second semester of sophomore year; required courses include Calculus I, econometrics and the senior seminar
• For aid, submit the CSS Profile by November 8 or January 15

International applicants (including China):

• English scores (TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo) unless you meet the conditions for a waiver; certified translations; CSS Profile or ISFAA for aid
• The two apply pages differ on the number of recommendations; ask admissions
• China: gaokao and school-exam handling is not published; write to admissions@skidmore.edu

Transfer applicants:

• April 1 (fall) or November 1 (spring); at least one full-time semester; C or better; up to 60 credits
• At least six economics courses must be taken at Skidmore

Sources: Skidmore College, Economics department: major and minor; 2026-2027 catalog: Economics; Apply and deadlines; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Financial aid; Types of aid; Admission and aid FAQs; 2026-27 cost of attendance. The deadline pages do not print a year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry; costs are for 2026-27. Confirm everything with Skidmore.