Education

The founding in 1636 of Harvard University, the first college in America, and the first public school, Boston Latin, a year earlier, planted the seeds for the Boston area to develop into a world-class hub for education. Boston's public and private schools consistently rank in the top five in the nation, and the universities are among the best in the world. More than 250,000 students attend college in Boston and Cambridge - the highest number of student per capita of any U.S. city.

Along with its high-profile universities, Boston has a school for everyone - from art, music and architecture schools to medical and research institutions, technical schools to two-year and community colleges.

Boston's major colleges and universities include:

• Boston College

  Founded in 1863, BC is one of the oldest Jesuit, Catholic universities in the United States. US News & World Report ranks it 37th among national universities. The school has more than 13,000 students studying 50 fields in its 11 schools. BC also has New England's only major Division 1 athletic program.

• Boston University

  Founded in 1839, Boston University is the fourth largest independent university in America. BU has more than 30,000 students from all 50 states and 135 countries.

• Brandies University

  Located just outside of Boston in Waltham, Brandeis is the youngest private research university, as well as the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the country.

• Emmanuel College

  A Catholic liberal arts and sciences college, Emmanuel College was founded in 1919 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Emmanuel has a vibrant campus in the heart of Boston.

• Emerson College

  This small, four-year communications and performing arts college has about 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. A satellite campus in Los Angeles gives students access to internships at TV and movie studios. Well-known alumni include talk show host Jay Leno.

• Harvard University

  In 1636, Harvard College in Cambridge, with one professor and nine students, was chartered by the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Today, Harvard is a revered American icon. The legacy of Harvard graduates includes seven American Presidents and world- renowned luminaries in business, law, science and the arts.

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  MIT has played a major role in engineering and technology development for the government and the private sector. A MIT graduates have founded thousands of new firms, and more than 50 graduates and faculty members of MIT have been awarded Nobel Prizes.

• Northeastern University

  The NU campus houses many of the finest research facilities in the city, and has the largest academic library in Boston. Northeastern is a pioneer in cooperative education with the world's largest program.

• Simmons College

  Simmons is a nationally recognized, small, private, predominantly women's university in the heart of Boston. It has undergraduate programs for women and graduate programs for women and men.

• Suffolk University

  Suffolk University is a comprehensive private university located on Boston's historic Beacon Hill. This global university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 70 areas of study.

• Tufts University

  Founded in 1852, Tufts University is one of the premier academic institutions in the United States. It enjoys a global reputation for excellence and for preparing students as leaders in a wide range of professions.

• University of Massachusetts

  The University of Massachusetts Boston, established in 1964, is nationally recognized as a model of excellence for urban universities. More than 13,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate programs in 90 fields of study.

• Wellesley College

  Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal-arts education for women. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all 50 states and 68 countries.