Connecticut College

New London, CT · founded 1911 · 1,800 students · liberal arts college · New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC)

Known for: Connecticut College is known for its innovative interdisciplinary curriculum, the Connections program that integrates academics with internships and research, and its beautiful arboretum campus overlooking Long Island Sound with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.

Rankings

U.S. News liberal arts: #46

Top programmes

International Relations
Environmental Studies
Psychology
Economics
Biology
Dance

Notable alumni

Estelle Parsons — Academy Award-winning actress (Bonnie and Clyde)
Martha Clarke — Tony Award-winning choreographer and theater director
Meredith Monk — Avant-garde composer, singer, and performance artist
Jeff Bewkes — Former CEO of Time Warner
Jodie Evans — Political activist and co-founder of CODEPINK
Lucinda Franks — Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
Tobias Wolff — National Book Award-winning author and memoirist

Traditions

Camelympics (class competition)
Floralia (spring music festival)
Harvestfest (fall celebration)
Midnight Breakfast during finals
Convocation on the Green

If Connecticut College were…

As a food: farm-to-table kale salad with local goat cheese — Wholesome, environmentally conscious, unpretentious, and exactly what you'd expect from a granola New England liberal arts college that takes its arboretum and sustainability seriously.
As an athlete: Megan Rapinoe — Outspoken, progressive, environmentally aware, and unapologetically authentic — the kind of athlete who'd thrive at a laid-back, socially conscious Connecticut college campus.
As a person alive today: Greta Thunberg — Environmental activism is central identity, earnest without being preachy, and represents the kind of granola-progressive ethos Connecticut College students embody.
As a historical figure: Rachel Carson — Marine biologist and environmental pioneer who wrote Silent Spring — perfectly captures Connecticut College's coastal location, environmental focus, and intellectual activism.
As a movie or TV show: A River Runs Through It — Contemplative, nature-centered, artsy without being pretentious, and captures the blend of intellectual pursuit and outdoor appreciation that defines the Connecticut College experience.
As a US president: Jimmy Carter — Earnest, environmentally focused, humanitarian, and genuinely nice — embodies the laid-back progressive values and unpretentious do-gooder ethos of Connecticut College.
As a city: Portland, Oregon — Granola, environmentally obsessed, artsy, laid-back, and proud of its progressive values while maintaining a quirky, unpretentious character.
As an element: Carbon — Organic, foundational to life, environmentally significant, and versatile — like Connecticut College's flexible curriculum and nature-centered identity.
As a car: 1990 Volkswagen Vanagon Westfalia — LEED-certified sensibility in a New England liberal arts package—runs on biodiesel, parks at the co-op, covered in Patagonia stickers. The artsy environmental studies major in automotive form, equally comfortable at a po

Campus life

Connecticut College fosters a collaborative, non-competitive academic environment with no Greek life and an honor code that allows self-scheduled exams. Students enjoy a close-knit community with strong environmental consciousness, active arts scene, and easy access to both New London's waterfront and outdoor recreation. The campus culture emphasizes inclusivity, creativity, and global engagement with numerous study abroad opportunities.