They say you should surround yourself with the people you want to be like. If you dream of becoming a major celebrity, choose a college that has created more well-known people than others. Does this guarantee you a huge fan base? Of course not! You need to do something worthy of recognition and attention to reach celebrity status. Undoubtedly, the right college or university can help you along the way.
The chance to meet, socialize, and learn alongside famous people can give you great connections or simply a bit of starstruck fun. College life can be expensive, though — from tuition to textbooks — so knowing the best book buyback sites can help you stretch your budget before you hit the big time.
Ivy League Schools Top the List
As a whole, Ivy League schools put out a lot of celebrities. They also welcome existing famous people into their ranks and help them get advanced degrees. This does not include all the people who were given honorary degrees due to things they accomplished outside of school.
Yale University
Attendees get an impressive education that can launch them to great things at this first Ivy League school. Besides politicians and high-powered judges, plenty of celebrities from the movies and TV have also attended. These include Oscar winners like Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Jennifer Connelly, and Jodie Foster. Actors like Paul Giamatti, Claire Danes, and Sigourney Weaver also went to Yale.
Harvard University
The other two most well-known Ivy League schools also graduated an amazing array of celebrities. Actors Matt Damon, Natalie Portman, and Yara Shahidi all went there. Musician Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine and famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma also got their degrees at this college. It’s also a very popular place for well-known billionaires, politicians, and Nobel Prize winners.
Columbia University
Perhaps the most celebrity-focused school on this top list, Columbia brought the world three presidents, multiple Supreme Court judges, and 33 Oscar Winners. The most well-known graduates include Jake Gyllenhaal, Ed Harris, Julia Stiles, and director James Gunn.
Finally, other Ivy League schools also have their share of celebrity status. Although not quite as popular, smaller Brown University also has some famous alumni. Emma Watson tops the list, but Tracee Ellis Ross, John Krasinski, and singer Daveed Diggs also went there. Dartmouth turned out David Harbour, Mindy Kaling, GoT producer David Benioff, and more. The University of California, Los Angeles, is in the perfect position to attract celebrities, too. Famous people like George Takei, Mariska Hargitay, James Franco, Ben Stiller, and Frances Ford Coppola attended here.
Talent-Focused Schools
It makes sense that celebrities in the performing arts attended a college or university specially tailored to their specialty. Young talents often audition and pay to get into the most reputable schools in the country. They are very hard to get into, and you need to show considerable natural talent and a strong focus on improvement. It’s a good reason why they end up becoming famous.
Julliard School
Perhaps the most famous performing arts school in the United States, Juilliard turns out an amazing number of people who go on to claim some level of fame. You’ll find musicians like Yo-Yo Ma, actors like Adam Driver, Jessica Chastain, and Anthony Mackie, and musical theater greats like Patti LuPone.
Berklee College of Music
Graduates of this popular music school have won over 300 Grammy Awards combined. If you go there, you will be in great company. Some include Shane Gibson of Korn, Melissa Etheridge, Paula Cole, and Wyclf Jean. Attending may not automatically put you on the path to greatness, but you will be in good company and have a lot of opportunities to shine.
State Schools With Strong Celebrity Status
Don’t think you will only get your foot in the door of fame if you go to an Ivy League school or one specializing in your performance art. In fact, the three universities on this list have graduated more famous folks than the others have. While they may have focused on acting, music, or other entertainment forms, plenty also excelled at academic subjects. After all, you cannot graduate from a prestigious university without doing your homework and studying for tests.
New York University
NYU has given us a huge collection of celebrities in all art forms. You can find musicians like Mark Ronson and Lady Gaga, directors like Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese, comedians like Adam Sandler, and more. The list of actors is massive: Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, the Olsen twins, Dakota Fanning, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Kristen Bell, and John Cusack, among many others. Many of them went to NYU’s Tisch Drama School specifically.
If you ever study here, you’ll find the city itself is full of inspiration—check out some of the best study spots in New York City where many students recharge and get creative between classes.
University of Southern California
It makes sense for people with Hollywood dreams to head to California for college. This university claims more combined Oscar and Emmy winners than any other. George Lucas, Ron Howard, Will Ferrell, Alexander Ludwig, Daryl Hannah, Tom Selleck, Storm Reid, and Forest Whitaker have attended this prestigious school. It’s still a popular spot for up-and-coming actors, too. You might have more of an opportunity to make friends with future stars.
Will Going to These Colleges Help You Find Fame?
Every person on this list became famous because they had talent, drive, and were willing to put in the hard work that helped them succeed. You cannot go to a celebrity-heavy school and expect greatness. However, you might have a higher chance of meeting tomorrow’s stars.
When you’re dreaming about building your own fanbase, winning awards, and getting recognized for your talents, remember that college life is about more than chasing fame. You still have to stay focused, keep up with classes, budget wisely for textbooks, and manage everything from housing and dining hall meals to those early morning lectures.
