The Best College Movies Of All Time

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Updated September 15, 2023 20.9K votes 2.1K voters 127.9K views
Over 2.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best College Movies Of All Time
Voting Rules
Vote up your favorite films about / set in college or featuring university students, classes, dorms, etc.

Over 2,000 movie fans have come together to cast their votes for the best college movies ever made. From Animal House and Old School to The Social Network and 21 Jump Street, these are the films that capture what it means to be a student on campus: from wild parties and all-nighters cramming for exams, to forging lifelong friendships in dorms or fraternities.

The comedic classic National Lampoon's Animal House is at the top of many fan lists as one of the funniest coming-of-age movies ever made. Following closely behind is Old School which similarly features an all star cast playing exuberant misfits who refuse to grow up into adulthood too soon. Meanwhile cult classics like PCU serve as snapshots into life on campus during different decades - whether you're looking back fondly or laughing at how much has changed in recent years.

Finally there are more serious stories like Legally Blonde which follow characters who rise above adversity while attending college and prove they can do anything they set their minds too. So why not take a look through this list and vote up your favorite college movies? You never know when you might just find an old gem or discover something new.

Most divisive: 21
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  • National Lampoon's Animal House
    1

    National Lampoon's Animal House

    John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland
    926 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: John Landis
    In the raucous comedy National Lampoon's Animal House, party-crazed fraternity Delta Tau Chi, led by Bluto Blutarsky (John Belushi), is in a constant state of war with the college administration, personified by Dean Wormer (John Vernon). The film, set in 1962, navigates through wild parties, pranks and chaos. As the Dean plots to expel the fraternity, the misfits plan their revenge. A mix of slapstick humor and social satire, this John Landis directed movie remains a classic in its genre. It won People's Choice Award for Favorite Non-Musical Motion Picture.

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  • Good Will Hunting
    2

    Good Will Hunting

    Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck
    708 votes
    • Released: 1997
    • Directed by: Gus Van Sant
    In the heart of Boston, a self-taught genius janitor, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), solves complex mathematical problems at MIT unnoticed. His talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård). The professor seeks therapy for Will's emotional issues from Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), an empathetic psychologist. As Will grapples with his past and future, he finds solace in his relationship with Skylar (Minnie Driver), a Harvard student. Good Will Hunting, a compelling drama directed by Gus Van Sant, won two Academy Awards including Best Original Screenplay.

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  • Old School
    3

    Old School

    Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn
    803 votes
    • Released: 2003
    • Directed by: Todd Phillips
    In Old School, Mitch (Luke Wilson) returns home to find his girlfriend involved in an unusual affair, leading him to start anew. He moves into a house near a college campus, where his friends Frank (Will Ferrell) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn) decide to revive their glory days by starting a fraternity. The trio juggles adulthood responsibilities and fraternity antics, causing hilarity and chaos. This comedy explores the paradox of growing up while refusing to let go of youth, all within the wild framework of college life. Old School became a cult classic for its humor and quotable lines.

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  • Revenge of the Nerds
    4

    Revenge of the Nerds

    Robert Carradine, Anthony Edwards, Ted McGinley
    788 votes
    • Released: 1984
    • Directed by: Jeff Kanew
    Revenge of the Nerds, a comedy classic from 1984, centers on a group of socially awkward students at Adams College. The protagonists, led by Lewis Skolnick (Robert Carradine) and Gilbert Lowe (Anthony Edwards), form their fraternity, Lambda Lambda Lambda. When they are targeted by Alpha Beta, a jock-centric fraternity headed by Stan Gable (Ted McGinley), they decide to fight back. In this hilarious tale of underdogs rising against oppression, brains battle brawn in an epic struggle for respect and acceptance.

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  • Back to School
    5

    Back to School

    Rodney Dangerfield, Sally Kellerman, Keith Gordon
    591 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: Alan Metter
    Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) is concerned that his son Jason (Keith Gordon) is unsure whether to go to college, so the uneducated self-made millionaire encourages him by signing up as a student as well. As Jason tries to establish himself among his peers and make the diving team, Thornton falls for a pretty professor (Sally Kellerman) and gets others do his schoolwork for him. When the suspicious dean (Paxton Whitehead) finds out, Thornton needs to show he can get by on his own.

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  • The Waterboy
    6

    The Waterboy

    Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler
    588 votes
    • Released: 1998
    • Directed by: Frank Coraci
    In the comedy film, The Waterboy, Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler), a socially awkward water boy for a college football team, discovers his unique tackling skills and becomes a member of the team. His domineering mother (Kathy Bates) disapproves of this new path, creating tension between them. His coach (Henry Winkler), on the other hand, sees potential in Bobby's talent and encourages him to pursue it. As Bobby navigates his newfound fame and personal life struggles, he transforms from an underdog into an unlikely hero.

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