The precious college years are considered by many to be the best years of one's life. It is a time to figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life. It is also a chance to learn independence and responsibility. With that said, we have learned through several movies that college is also a time to party hard, drink some beers, and make epic mistakes. Throughout the years, Hollywood has delivered several comedic films about college. National Lampoon's Animal House sets the bar for a hilarious college flick filled with memorable performances from John Belushi and more.
With that said, there have been several dramatic films about college that showcase self-growth. Although college isn't for everyone, it is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you find out about yourself and what you love. Small dorm rooms, questionable food, and lots of cheap beer all add to the charm of college. In David Fincher's The Social Network, we saw how one of the biggest companies in the world was created on the campus of Harvard University. Institutions like Harvard produce some of the greatest minds who push to better the world we live in. Grab a slice of pizza and let's dive into ten of the greatest college films of all time.
Updated May 2023: To keep the article fresh and relevant by adding more information and entries, this article has been updated by Amira Abdel-Fadil.
14 Life of the Party
This one's for the Melissa McCarthy fans. After going through a divorce, the middle-aged mother returns back to college to complete her degree and finds herself in the same class as her daughter. The decision completely shakes things up as she learns what it feels like to be young and carefree again. She embraces this new-found experience and bathes in its advantages. Full of positive energy, humor, and some girl power, Life of the Party is perfect after a long tiring day to boost your mood.
13 Accepted
In Accepted, Bartleby Gaines, played by Justin Long, gets rejected by every college he aimed for. What does he do? He decides to set up his own fake college, the South Harmon Institute of Technology to convince his father he got admitted into college. He sets up a fake website, takes over a run-down property, and gets his friends to help him out.
Soon enough, what started as a mere illusion starts to be taken much more seriously. The film is a fun ride, with a bit of criticism of traditional higher learning institutions and the qualification standard they expect of their students. Although deemed completely unrealistic, it’s seen as one of the most original takes on college, with a diverse ensemble with an amusing ensemble cast from start to finish.
12 Happy Death Day
Happy Death Day is a perfect example of showcasing the college experience through a horror film. The film tells the story of a college student, Tree (Jessica Rothe) who finds herself in a time loop where she relives her birthday every day. At the same time, each day she is murdered by an unknown person in a baby costume. It is up to Tree to figure out who the killer is while trying to escape this dreadful time loop. The film was a critical success and even spawned a sequel.
11 Everybody Wants Some!!
Richard Linklater's follow-up to Dazed and Confused tells the story of college life in the 1980s. Jake (Blake Jenner) is a baseball-playing freshman who moves into an off-campus house with his teammates. While there, he navigates college life with his hilarious new friends. Everybody Wants Some!! showcases several superb supporting performances and Richard Linklater once again captures the essence of freedom and youth in this fantastic college comedy.
10 The Rules Of Attraction
This underrated drama was adapted from Bret Easton Ellis' 1987 novel. The Rules of Attraction follows a group of privileged college students on a New Hampshire campus as they navigate sex, drugs, and love. Roger Avery, who wrote and directed the film, took many creative risks in the shooting and editing process. James Van Der Beek plays the lead role of Sean Bateman, a character who is actually the brother of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho, even though it is never actually stated in the film. The film received mixed reviews, likely because it was definitely ahead of its time.
9 Old School
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Todd Phillips's classic comedy Old School follows three thirty-something friends (Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell) who start a college fraternity. The only catch is that most of the fraternity members aren't even students. The film is non-stop laughs from beginning to end, and it proved that Phillips is a master of comedy. Will Ferrell particularly shines in his epic performance of the beer-guzzling Frank The Tank.
8 Revenge of the Nerds
The 1984 comedy classic Revenge of the Nerds tells the story of a group of misfits who take on the Alpha Beta fraternity of jocks in this hilarious college tale. The slapstick, goofy comedy might not be for everyone, but it is the perfect film to turn on for a Saturday night. The film was a success and spawned several sequels. The cast includes Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, and Timothy Busfiel, among others.
7 Rudy
If you are looking to be inspired, Rudy is the film for you. The true story follows Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger who follows his dreams to become a Notre Dame football player against all odds. Rudy has no support from his family, and he is constantly being told to quit. However, he never gives up, and he proves everybody wrong in this triumphant story of chasing your dreams. The movie also showcased the film debuts of Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.
6 National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a go-to college flick. The film takes place on a college campus in 1962 and follows a group of partying fraternity members who enrage their college dean. Animal House is a classic film, and it is definitely one of National Lampoon's best movies in the series. The film has a stellar cast including John Belushi, Karen Allen, and Kevin Bacon.
5 Love Story
Love Story is a classic in the romance genre. It chronicles the life of two college students from totally different backgrounds who madly fall in love. It perfectly depicts what it means to slowly start truly growing up, all while finding yourself and falling in love with another. Not only is it a beautiful ode to loving someone deeply, it intimately portrays how falling in love with someone at a young age can strike you like a lightning bolt, which inevitably changes everything if you choose to truly make it work with that person.
4 Whiplash
Whiplash takes you into the world of college arts, as we follow a talented drummer (Miles Teller) who becomes the focus of the incredibly ruthless Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). The film is a perfect showcase of the torment and struggles of chasing your dreams while trying to do right by your superior. The film, directed by Damien Chazelle, was a huge success and went on to win three Oscars.
3 The Social Network
David Fincher's masterpiece tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook. Aaron Sorkin's dialogue is sharp and filled with drama and conflict throughout. The Social Network is a Shakespearian tale about the true accounts of Facebook, and Fincher's precise direction makes it all that much better. The film could be considered among the best of the decade and the cast, particularly Jesse Eisenberg, is top-notch.
2 3 Idiots
3 Idiots is an Indian film with inspirational and comedic value. The hearty and entertaining motion picture follows the story of three college students who were once at one of the most prestigious engineering colleges together. One of them particularly has a different approach when it comes to learning and inspires his friends to look at things differently. On top of that, the film provides insight into Indian culture, especially the societal and familial pressures faced by Indian youth. The compelling narrative is told in flashbacks where there is never a dull moment. It has the fun moments, the sad ones, and will take you on the full spectrum of emotions.
1 Good Will Hunting
Gus Van Sant's classic story follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is also a genius prodigy. Hunting goes under the wing of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) who introduces him to Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) for therapeutic help. Good Will Hunting perfectly showcases the Boston college scene and the script, written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, is pitch-perfect.