Hollins University

You'll step into Hollins University's world in Roanoke, Virginia—a midsize suburban city nestled against the Blue Ridge Mountains—where this private women's college has empowered undergraduates since 1842, making it the first chartered women's institution in the state. Founded as Valley Union Seminary on the Hollins family farm and renamed after generous donors John and Jessee Hollins, it evolved into a university while holding fast to its all-women undergraduate core (grad programs welcome men). Creative souls, horseback riders, and independent thinkers thrive here in a supportive sisterhood that prioritizes personal growth over cutthroat competition; you can expect professors who know your name from day one in classes capped at 20. But tradeoffs loom: with just 731 undergrads, the all-single-sex vibe skips co-ed romance and big-party energy, and Roanoke's quieter arts-and-outdoors scene (think hiking Mill Mountain or catching a local ballet) suits nature lovers more than urban thrill-seekers.