The 10 Best College Movies of All Time

College movies have been captivating audiences for decades. The genre can offer audiences a range of stories, from dirty comedies and courtroom dramas to romance, horror, and coming-of-age tales.

So, if you're feeling nostalgic for your campus days or dreaming about dorm life, these films will help take you back. Here are 10 of our favorite college movies.

National Lampoon's Animal House

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This one remains the undisputed king of college comedies. The film established the blueprint for college chaos that countless movies still follow today.

John Landis called the original script "the funniest thing I had ever read," but also "really offensive," which explains why it set the template for every fraternity film that followed.

Tim Matheson recalled that Belushi was "like the Cookie Monster with his sweet, lovable comedic demeanor."

Good Will Hunting

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Some college movies tackle serious themes while still being deeply moving, like this one about a genius college janitor.

Matt Damon started the script as a final assignment for a Harvard playwriting class, submitting a 40-page screenplay instead of a one-act play (via Boston Magazine).

Shooting started on April 14, 1997, and was completed in nine weeks.

Robin Williams improvised the film's final line, "Son of a bitch, he stole my line," which left Damon and director Gus Van Sant clutching each other in amazement.

"That was one of the beautiful gifts of that beautiful brain," Damon told Vanity Fair.

Legally Blonde

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This is one I legitimately think about all the time. Reese Witherspoon became a cultural icon as Elle Woods, the pink-loving sorority queen who got into Harvard Law.

Ironically, Stanford University refused to let the film shoot there, so the production moved to Harvard instead (per E!).

The Social Network

- YouTube www.youtube.com

David Fincher's film gives us the early days of Facebook and the college environment that birthed social media. It's a grim, gritty college movie for the internet age.

Pitch Perfect

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This musical medley of a movie brought fresh energy to the college genre with its focus on competitive a cappella singing. Anna Kendrick leads an ensemble cast and spawns a successful franchise.

Old School

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Three middle-aged men try to recapture their glory days by starting a fraternity. What could go wrong? Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell's chemistry made this comedy work.

Happy Death Day

- YouTube www.youtube.com

A slasher time loop film set on a college campus—a perfect genre smash, and this is definitely not the only one, but it is perhaps the most unique. A college student, Tree Gelbman, is murdered on her birthday and then repeatedly relives the day until she can find and stop her killer.

PCU

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This one got a lot of play in the ‘90s. It satirizes college life at the fictional Port Chester University and follows a pre-freshman who visits during a time of turmoil. The film satirizes the various campus factions and social movements of the time. You’ll see Jeremy Piven, Jon Favreau, and David Spade in early roles here.

Van Wilder

National Lampoon's Van Wilder - Trailer www.youtube.com

This starred Ryan Reynolds as the ultimate professional student who'd been in college for seven years. While the comedy was silly, it also explored the fear many students face about leaving the safety of campus life.

The House Bunny

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This is another classic, okay? Anna Faris plays Shelley, a Playboy Bunny who becomes house mother to a struggling sorority. Her method of remembering people's names is so ridiculous that people still quote it today. It's also a surprisingly sweet story about finding where you belong.

We know there are many, many more college films. Let us know your favs.