With a rich history, Mount Holyoke is the oldest women’s college in America–having been founded in 1837–and continues to be a leader in women’s education. Its innovations as a pioneer in women’s education served as a model for sister schools Vassar and Wellesley Colleges. Thanks to its small classes taught in an intimate, open environment, Mount Holyoke has been voted #1 Best Classroom Experience. Students are offered a broad range of academic opportunities at the school; as a member of the Five College Consortium, Mount Holyoke also offers its students the chance to take courses at Amherst, Hampshire, Smith, and the University of Massachusetts. Mount Holyoke boasts successful alumni from a broad range of fields including poet Emily Dickinson, former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, and suffragist Lucy Stone.
Hailing from 70 countries and 48 states, the Mount Holyoke student body pursues a wide range of interests and passions through the school’s 110 clubs and organizations. As a means of encouraging comfort among first-year students, the junior class organizes a system each year known as “Big/Little Sisters” in which a third-year student is paired with a freshman, promoting a mentor-like relationship. In addition, a free bus ride to the nearby towns of Amherst and Northampton provides easy access to coffeehouses, clubs, theaters, galleries, and restaurants.