20 Best College Movies That Will Bring You Right Back to Campus
We could watch Elle Woods practice law over and over again!
There's nothing quite like the college experience. The Drummonds kids could say a thing or two about this. With Todd, Bryce, and Jamar currently at college and Alex and Paige recently graduated, the crew has had their fair share of college life. If you think about it, attending a university is basically the period between high school and full adulthood. That's what Elle Woods from Legally Blonde found out when she decided to try her hand at law school. 😂 Speaking of, there are actually so many movies about college that are, simply put, a must-watch!
There are plenty of classic films that touch on the college experience, including the before and after of that very specific chapter. So, included are staples like The Graduate and Good Will Hunting, along with beloved college comedy movies, '80s movies, and football movies. Whether you're coping with impending adulthood or looking for hard-core nostalgia, these movies are chock full of relatable graduation quotes and graduation speeches that will fill your heart. As Ree said as the commencement speaker at the OSU grad ceremony, "Buckle up, you have good times and rough seas ahead. It is just part of life, but enjoy the ride and laugh a lot. Life is about to unfold for you in all its forms."
The Freshmen
Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando in a movie together sort of sounds like a fever dream, but it's true! Watch them star in this flick about a New York City-based film student who thinks he stumbled upon the gig of a lifetime. What he doesn't know is that the offer is from someone who has some Godfather-like tendencies.
Life Of The Party
Hey, it's never too late to go back to school—no matter how old you are! If this is something you're thinking of doing, just maybe don't choose to go to the same school as your child at the same time as them. This is the exact scenario that middle-aged mother, Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) sees herself get into after she's left stranded by her ex-husband. Now, Deanna and her daughter both take on the undergrad experience together—college boys and all!
Whiplash
Andrew (Miles Teller) wants nothing more than to land a successful career as a jazz drummer. In order to see his dreams come into fruition, he must impress Terrance (J.K. Simmons), his music instructor at the elite Shaffer Conservatory. The main problem: Terrance has a rather intense way of teaching his students. Andrew is willing to take on this challenge, though.
Glory Road
Sometimes, a sport can change a life. That has proven to be more than true for the all-Black UTEP Miners men's basketball team! This movie follows the true story of the diverse 1966 team, and the adversity they faced from the community surrounding them at the time. It only took one person to believe in them and their talent, and that person just happened to be their coach!
With Honors
With Honors tells the story of the unlikely friendship between a Harvard graduate student and a homeless man. What starts off as a hostile situation eventually transforms into something more beautiful than either of them could have imagined. (You'll catch a young Academy Award winning Brendan Fraser in this one!)
Rudy
Rudy is a sports drama based on the true story of Rudy Ruettiger, a boy from a working-class family who dreams of playing football for the University of Notre Dame. Despite his small size and lack of athletic ability, Rudy persists in pursuing his dream and eventually earns a spot on the team, inspiring his teammates and becoming a symbol of perseverance and determination.
Love Story
Grab your tissues! Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal star as two students from different backgrounds who meet while attending Harvard and Radcliffe and immediately fall in love. The film chronicles their relationship, from its passionate beginning to its tragic end. It's known for the iconic and oft-quoted line, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."
Good Will Hunting
This movie is a heartwarming tear-jerker and gave Matt Damon and Ben Affleck their start (they also wrote the movie!). The 1997 drama is about a young man named Will Hunting, who is a gifted but troubled janitor at MIT. He is discovered by a professor who recognizes his genius and tries to help him overcome his circumstances and realize his potential.
The Graduate
Okay, this iconic movie takes place in the months post-college but it's a classic! A recent college graduate, Benjamin Braddock, is seduced by an older family friend, Mrs. Robinson. As he struggles to find his purpose in life, he falls in love with Mrs. Robinson's daughter, leading to a series of comical events. The movie is known for its iconic soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkel and its exploration of post-college alienation and disillusionment.
Legally Blonde
Reese Witherspoon's iconic role as fashionable and bubbly Elle Woods showed the world that you can be a sorority girl and smart as a whip. When Elle gets dumped by her boyfriend, Warner, she decides to follow him to Harvard Law School to win him back. After initially not being taken seriously, she and her classmates soon realize Elle Woods is more than just a pretty face.
Pitch Perfect
This beloved musical comedy follows an all-female a cappella group called the Barden Bellas, who compete against other singing groups in the National A Cappella Championship. It's the best of female comedies and college movies rolled into one!
Accepted
After being rejected by every college to which he applied, high school senior Bartleby Gaines creates a fake university called the South Harmon Institute of Technology. As the number of students who got rejected from other colleges increases, Bartleby decides to turn the fake university into a real one, complete with unconventional classes and faculty.
St. Elmo's Fire
If you grew up in the '80s, you most certainly will recognize the brat-pack actors who starred in St. Elmo's Fire. It's a coming-of-age drama about a group of friends who recently graduated from Georgetown University and are struggling to navigate adulthood, career choices, and relationships. Plus, it has a fabulous soundtrack.
The Social Network
Some people make it all the way through college, and others find another path. This biographical film traces the creation of Facebook by Mark Zuckerberg and his co-founders during their time at Harvard University (before dropping out). The movie depicts the legal battles and personal conflicts that arose as Facebook's popularity skyrocketed, leading to accusations of betrayal, theft, and greed.
The House Bunny
The House Bunny takes the typically raunchy comedic boys college movie and gives girls center stage. Shelley Darlingson, a ditsy sweet woman, has lived lavish as a Playboy bunny until she gets kicked out of the Playboy Mansion. To cope with the new and unfamiliar real world, she becomes the house mother of a failing sorority.
Barry
Even the most consequential people in this country were awkward, probing undergraduates. Barry is a biographical drama about Barack Obama's early years as a college student in New York City in 1981. Through Barry's journey, the film provides insights into the experiences and influences that shaped the future President of the United States.
Everybody Wants Some!!
Director and writer Richard Linklater is known for capturing the ethos of the moment in films like Dazed and Confused. This movie is all about what it meant to be a college student in the 1980s. Set in Texas, a college freshman meets his new baseball teammates during the weekend before the start of the school year as they try to pick up girls, party, and bond with each other. The movie captures the carefree spirit and social dynamics of young adulthood.
The Great Debaters
Based on the true story of poet and professor Melvin B. Tolsonan, who decides to start a debate team at predominantly black Wiley College in Texas in the 1930s, virtually unheard of at this time. The Great Debaters follows the challenges to form a cohesive team and their journey to face off with Ivy League schools.
Monsters University
Here's a college movie you can watch with the kids! The prequel to Monsters, Inc. tells the story of how Mike Wazowski and Sulley became best friends at college. The movie follows their journey as they join a fraternity, compete in the Scare Games, and how Mike eventually fulfills his lifelong dream of becoming a scarer.
Like Crazy
Like Crazy won Best Film at Sundance Film Festival, and it's a serious tear-jerker! The movie tells the story of a young couple named Anna and Jacob, who fall deeply in love while studying in Los Angeles but are separated when Anna's visa expires and she's sent back to England. What's even crazier than the plot—the film was written as just a plot outline from which the actors improvised most of the dialogue!
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
Watch Next
12 New Movies Coming Out in Summer 2024
These Two 'When Calls the Heart' Actors Are Dating
'It Ends With Us' Has a New Release Date
Meet the Cast of 'When Calls the Heart' Season 11
