Is your alma mater one of the oldest colleges in the US?
Education has always been a foundation of the American background. And the oldest colleges and universities in our country continue to cling to this idea today.
Back in 1749, founding father Benjamin Franklin highlighted the importance of having a prominent establishment to teach the country’s youth. But even before then, the first settlers knew that education was a vital part of improving our nation.
So the first-ever institution of higher learning opened its doors back in the 1600s. Interestingly, many of the colonies in North America began their own institutions with the goal of educating the nation’s founders.
We thought it would be intriguing to look back at some of the oldest colleges in our country that are still standing today. They even date back to the 17th century, before the American Revolution that started in 1765…Let’s take a look!
Harvard University
Founded: 1636
Harvard University, located in Massachusetts, was initially called New College. But the name was later changed to Harvard College in honor of its first contributor, John Harvard, who endowed half of his economic estate and his 320-volume library to the university in his will.
Its acceptance rate is the second-lowest among all national universities, and students can choose from over 45 undergraduate majors, 130 graduate programs, and 30 professional degrees.
The full-time, four-year undergraduate program includes a minority of enrollments at the university and emphasizes education focused on the arts and sciences. This university has also been the backdrop of several TV shows, movies, and countless novels.
Notable Alumni:
- Barack Obama: Graduated magna cum laude in 1991. 44th President of the United States.
- Al Gore: Graduated cum laude in 1969. Former Vice President of the United States.
- Neil DeGrasse Tyson: Graduated in 1980. Known as the most famous astrophysicist in the world.
- Steve Ballmer: Graduated in 1977. Former CEO of Microsoft.
- Jill Stein: Graduated magna cum laude in 1973. Activist, physician, and politician.
College of William and Mary
Founded: 1693
The College of William and Mary is the 2nd oldest college in our country. It was named after its British monarchs at the time: King William III and Queen Mary ll. It’s also the first school in our country to initiate a code of conduct for pupils.
The acceptance rate of this college is 33%. And despite being old, it doesn’t just have several high rankings in the nation but also in the world.
Fun Fact: Thomas Jefferson, one of the most famous US presidents, went to this college.
Notable Alumni:
- Glenn Close: Graduated in 1974. Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress.
- Beth Comstock: Graduated in 1982. Former vice-chairwoman of General Electric and co-founder of Hulu.
- Ellen Stofan: Graduated in 1983. NASA chief scientist and director of the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.
- Jon Stewart: Graduated in 1984. Emmy Award-winning comedian.
- Jill Ellis: Graduated in 1988. U.S. Soccer coach, with back-to-back World Cups.
St. John’s College
Founded: 1696
Initially named King William’s School, a prep school, and later chartered as St. John’s College in 1784, the school runs a campus in Annapolis, Maryland.
But it also has a newer campus in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Between the late 19th century and the early 20th century, this college was known as a military school, and it ran the first college-level department of naval science in the United States.
The school has four main programs: one bachelor’s degree, a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts, a Master of Arts in Eastern Classics, only available at the Santa Fe campus, and a liberal arts education certificate.
Notable Alumni:
- Francis Scott Key: Graduated in 1796. Lyricist of The Star-Spangled Banner.
- Ahmet Ertegün: Graduated in 1944. Founder of Atlantic Records.
- James H. Frame: Graduated in 1950. Computer programming pioneer at IBM and former vice president of software at ITT.
- Thomas Parran Jr.: Graduated in 1911 (AB) and 1915 (AM). 6th Surgeon General of the US
Yale University
Founded: 1701
Now known all over the world as one of the most honored universities in the US, Yale University was founded as a Collegiate School in the small town of Saybrook but moved to New Haven, Connecticut, in 1716.
Besides being a constituent of the Ivy League and one of the 9 Colonial Colleges established before the American Revolution, this college is also known for being the first institution in America to grant a Doctor of Philosophy degree in the country back in 1861.
Nowadays, Yale enrolls over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students across 14 constituent schools, including 12 professional schools, the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the original undergraduate college.
This college also has e few famous alumni, including cotton gin inventor Eli Whitney, actress Meryl Streep, and 5 US presidents, who all earned degrees while they were Yale Bulldogs.
Notable Alumni:
- Samuel Morse: Graduated in 1810. Inventor of the single-wire telegraph and co-invented Morse Code.
- George H.W. Bush: Graduated in 1948. 41st President of the United States.
- Sarah Hughes: Graduated in 2009. Olympic figure skater.
- Paul Krugman: Graduated in 1974. Economist and Nobel Prize Winner.
- Fareed Zakaria: Graduated in 1986. CNN news anchor and writer for The Washington Post.
University of Pennsylvania
Founded: 1740
The University of Pennsylvania, mainly referred to as Penn, was founded by the great Benjamin Franklin and was one of the first universities in the US to offer undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
The University of Pennsylvania was also one of the first academic institutions in the United States to have multidisciplinary schooling in different faculty areas, and in 1765 became the first university in our country to have a medical school.
Today, the University of Pennsylvania ranks 15th in the world overall and is especially well-known for its management and law studies, having been ranked 5th in the world for business and management.
Overall, this university has a big reputation for its intensive research activity.
Notable Alumni:
- Elon Musk: Graduated in 1997. Founder and chief designer of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla, Inc.
- Chief Justice William J. Brennan Jr.: Graduated cum laude in 1928. 7th longest-serving justice in US Supreme Court history.
- Tory Burch: Graduated in 1988. Fashion designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.
- Jennifer Egan: Graduated in 1985. Novelist and short story writer.
…This is a fantastic location to pack a picnic basket and enjoy the day lounging in the sun (but don’t forget your sunblock)!
Moravian College
Founded: 1742
The last of our oldest colleges in the United States is the smaller size Moravian College.
Founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the college goes all the way back to 1742 when it was established by 16-year-old Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, who launched it as Bethlehem Female Seminary, the first boarding school for young ladies in the US.
This college earned such an outstanding reputation that George Washington himself petitioned the headmaster to admit two of his great-nieces.
The Moravian Female Seminary, as the school ultimately became known, began granting baccalaureate degrees in 1863. But in 1913, it became Moravian Seminary and College for Women before finally becoming co-ed when the colleges for the two genders joined together in 1954.
Notable Alumni:
- John Andretti: Graduated in 1985. Race car driver for NASCAR, Indy car, and NHRA.
- Andrew A. Humphreys: Graduated in 1822. One of the main incorporators of the National Academy of Science.
- James Montgomery Beck: Graduated in 1880. Solicitor General of the United States from 1921 to 1925, and member of the United States House of Representatives from 1927 to 1934.
- Janine Jagger: Graduated cum laude in 1972. An epidemiologist granted the MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and serves as the director of the International Health Care Worker Safety Center at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Be sure to let us know in the comments if you’ve ever visited or attended any of the beautiful locations. Meanwhile, our site has many more fantastic reads. We’re especially proud of this one: 8 Secret Chambers Inside Famous Landmarks
