We’ve been getting a lot of questions on our Facebook page like this one:
You have a good idea about what it takes to apply to college–the research, the ACT or SAT, the campus visits, the interview, the essay, and so much more. You’ve already even discovered your perfect college match.
Now what you’re wondering is what college will actually be like when you get there. What’s it like actually living on campus, going to classes, and college parties? Is college life really like what it’s like in the movies?
We’ve taken a balanced sampling of different kinds of movies based in and around college life and rated them on how truthful they are when it comes to a real students’ college experiences.
Closeness to actual college life ratings will be ranked 1-10, 1 being not close at all, 10 being on the money.
The Social Network
The Social Network’s protagonist, or Mark Zuckerberg, went to Harvard–one of the most elite colleges in the nation let alone world. That already brings its likeness to real college life down since most college students in the world do not find themselves at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world surrounded by friends making $300,000 over summer break betting on oil futures.
The tagline for David Fincher’s chronicle of how Facebook was founded is, “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” Lucky for you, you will make new friends in college, just not 500 million, and hopefully not a set of athletic twins who want to sue you.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 3
Legally Blonde
Elle Woods is the sorority princess of her Southern California university. The Greek life enthusiasm is not too far fetched–you will come across college campuses with a very Greek-oriented student body; however, you won’t necessarily come across a sorority house as beautiful and equipped as the one Elle lives in. Exercise machines, expensive furniture, ginormous singles.
It’s also kinda difficult to decide last minute to go to law school and get into Harvard Law–difficult, yes. But not impossible.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 4
Rudy
Have you ever dreamed of playing Notre Dame football so badly that you quit your job at the steel mill, took on a part-time job on the grounds-keeping staff, got tutored by a friend in exchange for helping him get a date, and eventually fully transferring to Notre Dame, overcoming all odds and playing on the football team?
Yes? Then this movie is probably exactly what your college experience is like.
No? Then, uh, Rudy is probably a far-fetched realization of college life.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 3
Animal House
Take the Legally Blonde sorority house, subtract all the niceties, add a lot of horrible smells, holes in walls, and way too many housing code infractions, and you’ll get the Delta Tau Chi house in Animal House.
Yes, you will find the occasional toga party on a college campus, but the likeliness that not only the president of your rival house has a vendetta against you but the dean of your college does too is slim to none…hopefully.
Closeness to actual college life rating: 4
Accepted
So maybe you didn’t get into your dream college. It happens. But when that happened did you decide to just, ya know, make your own college? Did your innocent scheme take a shady turn when hundreds of other rejected students enrolled in your college leading to a big legal brouhaha but ultimately gaining the elusive approval of your highly respected father?
I didn’t think so…
Closeness to actual college life rating: 2
What’s did you/do you expect college to be like? Share you thoughts! Leave a comment below.