Despite the havoc wrought by Hurricane Ida on campus and the surrounding area the night before, September 2nd dawned brightly at Sarah Lawrence College: the arrival of first-year and transfer students signaled the beginning of a multi-day move-in process that brought the community together—primarily in person—for the first time in 18 months. The energy on campus was palpable and a welcome sight. Greeted after check-in by the “Green Team”—which helps with heavy bags and bulky boxes—the newest members of the Sarah Lawrence community unpacked their bags, settled into their residences, and took to exploring campus and getting ready for a packed calendar of Orientation events.
Move-in looked a little different this year. As part of the College’s COVID mitigation efforts, an “Easy as 1-2-3!” arrival process was in place: students were able to bring one vehicle and two guests to help them move in during a three-hour window, and new and returning student arrivals were spread out over four days. All students were tested for COVID-19 upon arrival. In total, from August 16 through September 6—the period leading up to the start of the semester, which featured some early student arrivals such as Resident Advisers and athletes—1,115 COVID-19 tests were either administered by or reported to the College by students, faculty, and staff, and all but one student and two employee tests were negative.
The Class of 2025 was selected from the largest applicant pool in the College’s history—more than 4,500 students from around the world applied for roughly 400 spots in the first year class—a 20% year-over-year increase that built on several record-breaking application numbers in recent years.
Classes began on Monday, September 6, with students choosing from a wide range of offerings across the undergraduate curriculum.
The 2021-22 academic year is officially underway!