Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

North Adams surrounds the campus with its mix of mill-town history and modern arts buzz, anchored by MASS MoCA, one of the largest spaces for contemporary art outside New York. The compact campus fosters a family-like feel among its 1,000 undergraduates, but the remote location means long drives to Boston or Albany for urban escapes. Harsh winters and a high cost of living relative to the small-town scale present straightforward tradeoffs for the scenic mountain backdrop.