By Elizabeth Cohn

Perched atop of Mount Saint James in Worcester, Massachusetts, rests the College of the Holy Cross. Red brick buildings covered in climbing ivy make the college look unendingly New England-y, and the sculptures on the grass-green lawns make it all the more beautiful. The College of the Holy Cross is steeped in tradition, originally an all male school with strictly Catholic traditions; however, it is moving toward the future with a coed education and all the wonders of modern college life.

College of the Holy Cross is a small, liberal arts college focused on broadening the horizons of its students. With 90% of their professors holding the highest degree in their respective fields, the education received at Holy Cross is one that will last their students a lifetime. With a fantastic academic record, Holy Cross has a graduate school (specifically medical school and law school) acceptance rate of about 80%, nearly double the national average. However, Holy Cross is more than just facts and figures about academics.

The Holy Cross Crusaders field Division I A sports teams in everything other than football, which is Division I AA in the NESCAC (New England Small College Athletic Conference). Along with the varsity teams, they also field many intramural and club sports teams for those who are not so athletically inclined.

Holy Cross also offers the students a wide range of activities that will get them involved with their fellow students at the college and in the Worcester community. From ballroom dancing classes, to the Purple Key Society, to Big Brother Big Sister, Holy Cross offers something for everyone.

Holy Cross’s Study-Abroad Programs are some of the best. They have year-long programs that will allow you to truly become immersed in culture, half-year programs to allow you the experience of other places along with your time at Holy Cross, and summer programs if you cannot be torn away from the campus during the year. Whatever you want, they have.

Holy Cross is a hidden gem in the college world. The school pride is tremendous, the education is intense and fulfilling, the friends are inseparable, and the experiences you receive there are irreplaceable. (By the way, I am attending Holy Cross next year as a member of the Class of 2016).