Colleges in Boston
As the capital, and largest city in Massachusetts, Boston was founded in 1630 and is called home by more than 50 postsecondary institutions. The array includes junior and undergraduate colleges, research universities, and special-focus institutions, all of which are nestled in the 128/95/1 highway loop. Expanding to include the Boston Metropolitan area, there are more than 100 colleges and universities in the area. Boston is known as a center of education and culture, as well as a manufacturer hub and port, which have led to it being named a global city. It is officially divided into 23 neighborhoods, many of which grew organically, so they don’t boast any grid planning. However, the city is compact and is known for its pedestrian and public transit commuters, largely in part to its large student population.
As one of the oldest cities in the US, Boston also hosts some of the oldest schools, including Harvard University, which raised its walls just six years after the city came into existence. The oldest women’s college in the state is Mount Holyoke College, founded in 1837, and both institutions are still accepting and educating students today. The city is also known for its civic support of music and is home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as annual events such as the Boston Early Music Festival. The Berklee College of Music, the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world, is based in Boston, along with the New England Conservatory, the oldest independent conservatory in the US.
There are five public institutions within the Boston city limits, including four run by the state of Massachusetts: the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Roxbury Community College, the University of Massachusetts in Boston (UMass), and the largest community college in the state, Bunker Hill. Other institutions of note in the most populous city in New England include: Tufts University, Brandeis University, Amherst College, and Wellesley College.
