2026 New Student and Family Welcome with College Leadership
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First-Year Experience
On August 19, incoming students and their families joined members of the Sarah Lawrence community for a virtual welcome and conversation about the transition to college and the start of the academic year.
President Cristle Collins Judd, Provost and Dean of Faculty Kanwal Singh, Vice President and Dean of Students Dave Stanfield, and First Year Dean Nahal Kaivan offered advice on preparing for the Sarah Lawrence experience—from exploring new academic interests and taking intellectual risks to building a sense of belonging, finding support, and developing greater independence. Several also spoke as parents who have been through this transition themselves.
Throughout the evening, one message came through clearly: students are joining a community full of people ready to help them—faculty dons, class deans, Gryphon Guides, and staff mentors—as they take ownership of their education, find their people, and begin to make Sarah Lawrence their own. For families, the message was equally clear: when a student calls with a problem, approach it with curiosity before concern, and trust that the resources—and the people—are already in place.
The session also marked a special moment for the incoming class: the Class of 2030 arrives during Sarah Lawrence’s centennial year, with celebrations planned throughout the year.
A Q&A with incoming students and families followed, covering course registration, move-in logistics, orientation and pre-orientation, campus resources, and how families can stay connected while giving their students room to grow.
Watch the recording to hear the full conversation and Q&A.
Q&A Discussion Topics
Courses & registration
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Three courses, five credits each — 15 credits total. One of them, your student's First-Year Studies course, is already placed, so they're starting a step ahead.
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Registration week is built around conversations between students and faculty. It's a two-way process: students get to know a course and its professor beyond the catalog description, and faculty want students to enter as well-informed as possible. Many faculty do require an interview before a student can add their class, so the best move is always to reach out to the professor directly first — our faculty are very accessible and glad to hear from interested students.
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A language course can absolutely be one of the three. Otherwise, we ask first-year students to focus on their 15 credits in the fall — the seminar-and-conference model is rigorous. Students can petition for an additional three credits in the spring, a process their faculty don (advisor) walks them through. (One exception: the dance department offers some one-credit practice units that can be added as a 16th credit.)
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That's a rare, individualized decision made in collaboration with Cara Barrows, Assistant Dean of Access and Disability Services, and the First Year Dean.
The arts — music, theater, and dance “thirds”
Music lessons, chamber ensembles, and the performing-arts "thirds" in theater, dance, and music are arranged through a separate process, after the core 15-credit registration. Each performing-arts department runs its own orientation and interviews and maintains an information page explaining how its thirds and registration work. Students interested in musical theater will get detailed guidance directly from the performing-arts departments.
Physical education & athletics
PE registration happens about two weeks after course registration. The Athletics department emails all students the term's PE offerings and explains how to sign up. The list is broad — and if there's something specific your student wants that isn't offered, they're encouraged to talk to the Director of Athletics; with enough interest, the department will try to make it happen.
Move-in & housing
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Less is more. Move-in windows are tight and the campus is compact, so pack what you know you'll need and figure out the rest once you arrive. There's a Target a short drive from campus, and Amazon delivers. Res Life posts a what-to-bring and what-to-leave guide on its Instagram.
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Every student has a bed, a desk, a dresser, and a place to hang clothes. Floor plans vary widely across our buildings — some are published, some aren't, and room sizes differ, which is another reason "less is more" is the safest bet.
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Students are given specific move-in windows so the day runs smoothly — the right number of arrivals at the right time keeps help available for carrying boxes, getting keys and IDs, and settling in. Please do your best to meet your assigned time. If something comes up, like a delayed flight or a real conflict, let us know and we'll work it out.
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Virtual mailbox numbers are assigned shortly before the term and will appear in MySLC.
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The student OneCard (on their ID) is the key to laundry and much else on campus.
Orientation, pre-orientation & Welcome Day
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Yes. Welcome Day (September 2) includes two family sessions — one at 11 a.m., one at 3 p.m. — plus a midday resource fair where families can join students for lunch on campus. We ask families to depart promptly at 4 p.m., when student opening sessions begin.
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Orientation is required for students, in full. Planning to pull them away — for breakfast the next morning, say — puts them in the position of choosing between what's required and pleasing you. The two-week runway before move-in is designed to give families time for that separation and goodbye.
Staying connected as a family
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Not at this time. And under federal privacy law (FERPA), we don't share students' individual logins with families — part of this transition is students taking ownership of their own accounts and information. If something seems to be missing, the best first step is to sit with your student and look together.
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Make sure the college has your current email so you receive the family newsletter (from the Dean of Students) and updates from the President's desk. You can also follow the college's website and social media, and the President's Instagram (@SLCPrez) for a day-in-the-life view of campus.
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The move-in-day family sessions aren't hybrid, but there's another virtual parent check-in in mid-September — and many campus events are livestreamed throughout the year.
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October 23–24 (Friday and Saturday).
Working on campus
Campus jobs open first to students who have work-study in their financial aid package, and to international students (who may only be employed by the college) — then to others. Work-study doesn't assign a job; students apply through the Office of Student Employment. Many Sarah Lawrence students also work off campus, in nearby Bronxville and at the Cross County shopping area.
New for this year
Incoming students arrive in Sarah Lawrence's centennial year, with special programming throughout. The college is also opening a new experiential-learning center that brings career services, community partnerships, global programs, embedded internships, and pre-professional advising together in one space, with a student open house in the first week of classes. And the Presidential Event Series returns, beginning September 8.