Located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Williams College was ranked as the number one liberal arts college in the country for 2011. Williams has a number of unique academic opportunities for students, one of the most popular being tutorials. Tutorial classes are limited to two students, who meet each week with a professor for an intense exploration of a chosen topic. During the month of January, students participate in Winter Study, where they can take classes on an ungraded basis, study abroad, or work on an individual thesis or research project. During the regular school year, popular majors include English, economics, and art. Campus life for freshmen centers around groups of 25 freshmen who live in the same residence hall and are guided by two upperclassmen mentors. As sophomores, students transition to upperclassman housing, which is organized in close-knit groups of buildings called neighborhoods.
Also located in western Massachusetts, Amherst College ranks second only to Williams in the 2011 US News and World Report rankings. Amherst is perhaps best known for its open curriculum, in which there are no required general education courses. Instead, students confer with their advisors to plan their own program of study, which often includes a minor, double major, or classes taken at one of the four other colleges near Amherst. Many students also choose to write an honors thesis in their major subject or participate in research with a favorite professor. The college also has a vibrant athletics scene, with 27 NCAA Division III teams in sports ranging from football to squash and numerous club and intramural teams. When students aren't cheering on the home team, they can be found participating in student clubs such as the Quidditch group for Harry Potter fans or the Amherst Hillel for Jewish students.
Ranked at number three, Swarthmore College is located approximately 10 miles outside of Philadelphia in the town of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Swarthmore is perhaps best known for its Honors Program, a rigorous option for high-achieving juniors and seniors. Honors students spend two years in intense study of at least two subjects in preparation for exams at the end of their senior year. These written and oral exams are graded by experts in the field who come from all over the US and abroad just to serve as examiners. Nearly half of Swarthmore students study abroad, and Swarthmore sponsors programs in countries such as Poland, Argentina, and France. Back on campus, students escape academic pressures by participating in traditions such as Mustache November, where students grow mustaches and then shave them off as a group during the last night of the month.
Wellesley College, located just outside of Boston, is the highest-ranked all-women's college of 2011. Wellesley prides itself on the diversity of its student body, with nearly half of the class of 2014 belonging to an ethnic minority group and over ten percent coming from outside the United States. Popular majors include French, where students can enhance their learning by living in a French language house or studying abroad at Wellesley's program in Aix; or international relations, where students also earn a second concentration in history, economics, or political science. Wellesley women also participate in 14 varsity sports ranging from basketball to swimming to lacrosse.