In the autumn of the year 1896, Helen "entered the Cambridge School for Young Ladies, to be prepared for Radcliffe [College]."  She quickly discovered that school was quite an adjustment.  The teachers there were not used to teaching blind or deaf students.  Helen needed many accommodations to complete her coursework.  Her teacher, Annie Sullivan, assisted Helen by fingerspelling the lectures and readings into her hand.  The only other way that Helen could communicate with her instructors was to press her fingers against their mouths as they spoke.

Helen studied many subjects at school.  These subjects ranged from literature to history.  There was a great amount of work required for her classes.  Helen was assigned large sections of reading.  It was too much for Ms. Sullivan to spell into Helen's hand, and there were not many books with raised print at that time.

Cambridge was full of new adventures.  Helen made friends, some of whom learned to communicate with her.  Eventually, her sister Mildred joined her at school.  Helen took exams for entrance into Radcliffe, which she passed.