Entertainment

The Best College Movies Ever

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated March 17, 2020 18.6k votes 1.9k voters 120.4k views 120 items

List Rules Films about / set in college or featuring university students, classes, dorms, etc.

Any true college student should watch each of these college movies at least once. However we recommend watching each movie several times in order to be able to quote them on command. Some are so classic they're being made into musicals. These are the best college movies ever and they feature things that every college student would understand: booze, ditching class and chasing the opposite sex. These are movies every college student should see at least once. If you are out of college and you miss it, these films about college life may just transport you back to your student days. These are the best college movies ever.

What is your favorite university film? Also be sure to see Ranker's list of All College Movies.

list ordered by

Old School is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Old School Elisha Cuthbert, Snoop Dogg, Will Ferrell

Released: 2003

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Old School is a 2003 American comedy film released by DreamWorks Pictures and The Montecito Picture Company and directed by Todd Phillips. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film ...more

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Revenge of the Nerds is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Revenge of the Nerds John Goodman, James Cromwell, Anthony Edwards

Released: 1984

Directed by: Jeff Kanew

Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 American comedy film about social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia ...more

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#66 of 522 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked #697 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #70 of 1,138 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time

National Lampoon's Animal House Kevin Bacon, John Belushi, Donald Sutherland

Released: 1978

Directed by: John Landis

National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spinoff from National Lampoon magazine. It is about a misfit group of fraternity ...more

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Behind The Scenes Stories From 'Animal House' That Are Way More Insane Than The Movie #160 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #40 of 133 Movies That Should Never Be Remade

Back to School Robert Downey Jr., Rodney Dangerfield, Sam Kinison

Released: 1986

Directed by: Alan Metter

Back to School is a 1986 comedy film starring Rodney Dangerfield, Keith Gordon, Sally Kellerman, Burt Young, Terry Farrell, William Zabka, Ned Beatty, Sam Kinison, and Robert Downey, Jr. It was ...more

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#136 of 522 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked #1,054 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #126 of 1,138 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time

Good Will Hunting Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, Matt Damon

Released: 1997

Directed by: Gus Van Sant

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgård. Written by Affleck and ...more

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National Lampoon's Van Wilder Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Sophia Bush

Released: 2002

Directed by: Walt Becker

National Lampoon's Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy film directed by Walt Becker that stars Ryan Reynolds as the title character. The film also stars Kal Penn, Tara Reid, and Daniel Cosgrove. It ...more

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#550 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #249 of 1,138 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time #671 of 923 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

Road Trip is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Road Trip Amy Smart, Andy Dick, Jimmy Kimmel

Released: 2000

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Road Trip is a 2000 American road-comedy film written by Todd Phillips and Scot Armstrong and directed by Phillips. The film, featuring an ensemble cast including Breckin Meyer, Seann William ...more

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#1,224 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #196 of 1,138 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time #308 of 923 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

The Waterboy Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Rob Schneider

Released: 1998

Directed by: Frank Coraci

The Waterboy is a 1998 American sports/comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, starring Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Fairuza Balk, Henry Winkler, Jerry Reed, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Blake Clark, Peter ...more

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American Pie is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

American Pie Alyson Hannigan, Tara Reid, Shannon Elizabeth

Released: 1999

Directed by: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz

American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz and directed by brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, in their directorial film debut. It is the first film in the American Pie theatrical ...more

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'American Pie' Is A Nightmarish Vision Of Late '90s High School Life #289 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #56 of 1,138 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time

Rudy is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Rudy Vince Vaughn, Sean Astin, Jon Favreau filmography

Released: 1993

Directed by: David Anspaugh

Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of ...more

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Accepted is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Accepted Blake Lively, Jonah Hill, Diora Baird

Released: 2006

Directed by: Steve Pink

Accepted is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Steve Pink and written by Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, and Mark Perez. The plot follows a group of high school graduates who create their own ...more

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PCU David Spade, Jeremy Piven, Jon Favreau filmography

Released: 1994

Directed by: Hart Bochner

PCU is a 1994 American comedy film written by Adam Leff and Zak Penn and directed by Hart Bochner about college life at the fictional Port Chester University, and represents "an exaggerated ...more

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Real Genius is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Real Genius Val Kilmer, Chevy Chase, Deborah Foreman

Released: 1985

Directed by: Martha Coolidge

Real Genius is a 1985 satirical comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge. It stars Val Kilmer and Gabriel Jarret. The film is set on the campus of Pacific Tech, a technical university similar to ...more

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The Social Network is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

The Social Network Justin Timberlake, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara

Released: 2010

Directed by: David Fincher

The Social Network is a 2010 American drama film directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin. Adapted from Ben Mezrich's 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of ...more

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22 Jump Street is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

teddybear1029 added 22 Jump Street Channing Tatum, Anna Faris, Queen Latifah

Released: 2014

Directed by: Phil Lord, Chris Miller

22 Jump Street is a 2014 action comedy film written by Oren Uziel and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.

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Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair

Released: 2001

Directed by: Robert Luketic

Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, based on the novel by Amanda Brown. Sorority girl Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) decides to enroll in Harvard Law School ...more

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#37 of 355 The Best Rainy Day Movies #246 of 1,646 The Most Rewatchable Movies #43 of 114 The Greatest Date Movies of All Time

Pitch Perfect is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Pitch Perfect Anna Kendrick, Elizabeth Banks, Brittany Snow

Released: 2012

Directed by: Jason Moore

Pitch Perfect is a 2012 American musical comedy film directed by Jason Moore. Featuring an ensemble cast, including Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Ester ...more

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The Best Songs in Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2 #120 of 194 Musical Movies With the Best Songs #76 of 355 The Best Rainy Day Movies

PeteBoyle added Monsters University Helen Mirren, Kelsey Grammer, Billy Crystal

Released: 2013

Directed by: Dan Scanlon

Monsters University is a 2013 animation adventure comedy film directed by Dan Scanlon.

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Dead Poets Society is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Dead Poets Society Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Lara Flynn Boyle

Released: 1989

Directed by: Peter Weir

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American drama film written by Tom Schulman, directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set at the conservative and aristocratic Welton Academy in the ...more

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St. Elmo's Fire is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

St. Elmo's Fire Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson

Released: 1985

Directed by: Joel Schumacher

St. Elmo's Fire is a 1985 American coming-of-age film directed by Joel Schumacher. The film, starring Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Mare ...more

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Scream is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Scream Drew Barrymore, Rose McGowan, Courteney Cox

Released: 1996

Directed by: Wes Craven

Scream is a 1996 American slasher film written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven. The film stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Drew Barrymore, and David Arquette. Released on ...more

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21 is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

21 Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne

Released: 2008

Directed by: Robert Luketic

21 is a 2008 American drama film directed by Robert Luketic and stars Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Kate Bosworth, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts, and Aaron Yoo. The film is inspired ...more

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Son in Law Tiffani Thiessen, Brendan Fraser, Carla Gugino

Released: 1993

Directed by: Steve Rash

Son in Law is a 1993 American comedy film starring Pauly Shore, Carla Gugino, Lane Smith, Cindy Pickett, Tiffani Thiessen, Patrick Renna, Dan Gauthier and Dennis Burkley.

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Scream 2 is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

Scream 2 Sarah Michelle Gellar, Courteney Cox, Heather Graham

Released: 1997

Directed by: Wes Craven

Scream 2 is a 1997 American slasher film created and written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie ...more

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American Pie 2 is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best College Movies Ever

VFBundy added American Pie 2 Alyson Hannigan, Tara Reid, Shannon Elizabeth

Released: 2001

Directed by: James B. Rogers

American Pie 2 is a 2001 American comedy film and the sequel to the 1999 film American Pie and the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and directed by James ...more

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