Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, founded in 1885, is located 15 minutes from the bustling town of Baltimore. The private liberal arts school had a total student population of 1,927 as of the fall 2021 semester, and a student to faculty ratio of 10:1, meaning students create a close relationship with their professors and peers. Not only does the small community feel combine greatly with the big city living, its uniqueness is also a driving factor. 

As Goucher College was founded 137 years ago, it has an extensive history. Founded by Rev. John Franklin Goucher and his wife Mary Fisher Goucher, the college originally started as a women’s only school, in order to bring opportunity to a gender that was often left without education. The school became co-educational in 1986, thus opening up opportunities to all those who wanted it.

Goucher is one of three colleges within the United States that require students to study abroad, which is included in their tuition price. Therefore, no extra money is required for students. It is ranked number three in the country for study abroad programs by the U.S. News, ranked only behind New York University and Middlebury College.

Academically, the school has many distinctive features. They teach students both to ensure that they do well in the class, but also to ensure that they do well outside of school. They have complex problems exploration courses, which allow students to understand the content and how to solve problems using that knowledge. The school also allows students to pursue an interdisciplinary major for people who have multiple interests.

Despite Goucher College being around for many years, their approach to education manages to stay new and innovative. They celebrate the talents of their students, and allow them to expand upon their career goals through internships, travel and opportunities. Goucher College is set on preparing students for the future, and is a unique option for students when college searching.