In 1951, at age 15, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Ford Foundation Pre-Induction Fellow. Despite his early interest and intention to major in physics, he found physics coursework so challenging that he changed his major and, in 1955, earned a BA in history instead, then pursued graduate study in history at Columbia University. In 1956, he married Mary Louise Ross, with whom he has five daughters: Gwendolyn Holbrow, Elizabeth, Alice, Katherine and Martha. In 1957, he earned a master's degree in history and Russian studies from Columbia with a master's essay titled Lenin's views of the United States. Inspired by the Sputnik launch, Holbrow then returned to study physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his doctoral advisor was Henry H. Barschall ("Heinz" Barschall). Holbrow earned his MS in physics in 1960 and PhD in physics in 1963, with the dissertation Neutrons from protons on nickel, rhodium, tantalum, and gold.