Julie Bowen – Brown University
Don’t you mean, Claire Dunphey? Well whichever you prefer, this Modern Family star is smarter than you might think. She attended Brown University and majored in Italian Renaissance studies. Eccezionale, no?
Julie Bowen – Brown University
Casey Affleck – Columbia University
We have to give him props for getting into Columbia, but we also have to, acknowledge that he dropped out. Don’t worry, he had good reason to since he pursued a full-time career in acting. Now he’s an Oscar winner, so we’re sure he made the right choice.
Casey Affleck – Columbia University
Angela Bassett – Yale University
Bassett attended Yale University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in African-American studies back in 1980. Then she went on to the Yale School of Drama to earn herself an M.F.A.
Angela Bassett Yale University
Elizabeth Banks – University of Pennsylvania
She might not have ever made it onto the big screen, but luck was in her favor. Had she not become a Hollywood star at least she would have had the backing of her major in communications and theater arts from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1996, Banks graduated magna cum laude.
Elizabeth Banks – University Of Pennsylvania
Jordana Brewster – Yale University
Brewster is best known for her work in The Fast and the Furious, but oftentimes she isn’t credited with her college background. She graduated from Yale University in 2003 with a B.A. in English. Very few people know that her grandfather once served as Yale’s president.
Jordana Brewster – Yale University
Connie Britton – Dartmouth College
Connie Britton is not just an actress, a singer and a producer, she is also an Ivy League school graduate. In 1989, she graduated with a degree in Asian Studies from Dartmouth College.
Connie Britton – Dartmouth College
Claire Danes – Yale University
She many not have finished her psychology studies at Yale University, but she has achieved so much. Danes hasn’t even turned forty yet and she has earned three Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Claire Danes – Yale University
Matt Damon – Harvard University
Like other Hollywood stars on this list, Ivy League school was a good start but not where he ended. Matt Damon began studying at Harvard in 1988 but he left when realized that he was set on building an acting career. We’re all very happy that you did that, Matt!
Matt Damon – Harvard University
Jodie Foster – Yale University
Brilliant actor, producer and director Jodie Foster spent some of her younger years at Yale University. She majored in English literature which probably contributed towards her excellence in the film industry.
Jodie Foster Yale – University
Jake Gyllenhaal – Columbia University
There are many similarities between Jake Gyllenhaal and his sister, Maggie. One of those similarities is that they both went to Columbia University. Jake, however, didn’t stay to finish his degree in Eastern Religions; two years after he started, he dropped out.
Jake Gyllenhaal – Columbia University
Rashida Jones – Harvard University
Personally, I love Rashida Jones based on her hilarious character in NBC’s Parks and Recreation. This 42-year-old actress, writer, singer and producer graduated with a degree in acting from Harvard in 1997.
Rashida Jones – Harvard University
Issa Rae – Stanford University
Oh wow, Issa Rae, where do we start? Rae graduated in 2007 with a degree in African and African-American studies from Stanford University. If you want to see more of what this star has been up to then you can check out her YouTube web series called Awkward Black Girl.
Issa Rae – Stanford University
James Franco – Columbia University
How could we possibly name one institute of learning that James Franco attended if there are at least 8 of them? But the most prominent Ivy League schools that he attended were Columbia and Yale. He worked hard in Columbia’s MFA writing program, and and he is still supposedly a PhD student at Yale.
James Franco – Columbia University
Joseph Gordon-Levitt – Columbia University
Listen, it must be super difficult to study when you’re a famous actor, even if you’ve been accepted to study at a top Ivy League institution. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stopped acting for studying and then stopped studying for acting. His acting skills are enough for us to let him off the hook.
Joseph Gordon – Levitt Columbia University
Ashley Judd – Harvard University
She’s just turned fifty, and she feels like she’s still got so much to do. Judd earned herself a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard. Knowing that might explain why she is such a successful actress and political activist.
Ashley Judd – Harvard University
Mindy Kaling – Dartmouth College
She’s hilarious, she’s super talented and she’s also a Dartmouth College graduate. During her time at the Ivy League school she created her own comic strip which she named, “Badly Drawn Girl”. This comic strip appeared in the student newspaper.
Mindy Kaling Dartmouth College
Ellie Kemper – Princeton University
The wonderful actress who plays in The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt found that she loved acting when she was just a kid. Kemper even had Jon Hamm as her drama teacher in ninth grade! Wow! She actually went to Princeton with the intention of playing filed hockey, but she landed up in improv, and look at where she is now!
Ellie Kemper Princeton University
John Legend – University of Pennsylvania
Did you know that John Legend was his school’s prom king? It seemed like many things were pushing him in the right direction, like a scholarship to Georgetown University. In the end Legend went to study at the University of Pennsylvania where he maintained high grades in his studies in English with an emphasis on African American literature.
John Legend University Of Pennsylvania
Laura Linney – Brown University
The Truman Show and Love Actually star has won two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards. She transferred from Northwestern to Brown University and made a lasting impression there. One of her lecturers said, “As a student, she was bright and natural. She was delightful to work with, and she pushed herself. I don’t think anyone’s quite like Laura. She always had a clear focus and wonderful energy that touched everyone around her.”
Laura Linney Brown University
John Krasinski – Brown University
Wait, you mean he isn’t Jim from The Office? Nah, we’re just kidding. In 2001 he graduated from Brown University with a degree in Theater Arts.
John Krasinski Brown University
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Columbia University
Mentioned earlier was Maggie’s brother’s name, but here she is now. Unlike her brother though, she stayed to finish what she had started. Maggie Gyllenhaal left Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature.
Maggie Gyllenhaal Columbia University
Mira Sorvino – Harvard University
Trust me when I say that she is NOT just an actress! She graduated from Harvard University where she studied psychology, but she went on to put together an incredible thesis. It was all about racial conflict in… China!
Mira Sorvino Harvard University
Lupita Nyong’o – Yale University
Nyong’o made a lasting impression when she earned herself a bachelor’s degree from Yale. But she didn’t stop there – she went on to score a master’s degree in acting. This star graduated just a year before she pulled off the most incredible, Oscar-worthy performance in 12 Years a Slave.
Lupita Nyongo Yale University
Tracee Ellis Ross – Brown University
She is truly a star, and not just of Black-ish. Starring in campus plays was just the start, and it propelled her into acquiring a degree in theater. She didn’t stop there, in fact she came back in 2015 to her alma mater to get an honorary doctorate. The university’s president left her with some wonderful words, “For your original portrayals of interesting and eccentric characters, your willingness to be a mentor and inspiration to young girls, and your continued desire to push the boundaries of imagination in a variety of media.”
Tracee Ellis Ross Brown University
Shonda Rhimes – Dartmouth College
When Shonda was a student at college, she had a natural talent for writing and did so for the college newspaper. She achieved her goal of obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in English and film. But her goals would only expand after that, and we’re the ones to reap the benefits of them, like: Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal.
Shonda Rhimes Dartmouth College
Brooke Shields – Princeton University
You know sometimes people say that supermodels are just pretty? Well Brooke Shields proved that they’re more than just that. Shields attended Princeton University and graduated with an honors degree in romance languages. Her time at college wasn’t easy though, and she would even shower in a bathing suit so no-one would try photograph her.
Brooke Shields Princeton University
Jenny Slate – Columbia University
This comedian, actress, voice actress and author has teamed up with some impressive people over the years. She even created her own improv group at Columbia University – “Fruit Paunch”. She later went on to graduate from Columbia after studying English literature.
Jenny Slate Columbia University
Reese Witherspoon – Stanford University
In 2017, Reese Witherspoon was feeling a little nostalgic when she took a trip to her old dorm room at Stanford University. The 42-year-old actress didn’t stick around at Stanford for too long though, she was set on making her acting dreams come true.
Reese Witherspoon Stanford University
Allison Williams – Yale University
Do you want to know the key to being happy? Well Allison Williams has her theory, and it sounds pretty darn good! She says that doing what you love is the secret. Only two years before Girls turned into a massive success, Williams studied English at Yale and then went on to encourage other women to go to college. A good example of her doing this was when she preached from the podium at the third annual College Signing Day in New York City.
Allison Williams Yale University
Emma Watson – Brown University
Harry Potter fans, can I hear you? In 2009, Watson decided to go for a college degree and that meant putting Harry Potter on hold. Emma Watson successfully graduated with a degree in English Literature.
Emma Watson Brown University
Julia Stiles – Columbia University
Going to college when you’re already a famous star is definitely not easy. 10 Things I Hate About You star, Julia Stiles went to Columbia to major in English when she was already super famous. In fact, she said, “I would get people coming to my door and knocking on it in the middle of the night.”
Julia Stiles Columbia University
Ivanka Trump – University of Pennsylvania
The President of the United States’ daughter has achieved one heck of a lot! She’s more than that though – she’s a businesswoman, a fashion designer, an author, and a reality T.V. personality. She attended Georgetown University for two years before making the move to the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Ivanka Trump University Of Pennsylvania
Sigourney Weaver – Yale And Stanford University
Weaver is a whiz on the screen, but she was also a whiz in school. In 1972 she graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in English. Later she went on to study at Yale where she graduated in 1974 with a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale.
Sigourney Weaver Yale And Stanford University
Meryl Streep – Yale University
Meryl Streep’s name is one that sings synonymous with Hollywood greatness. It could be her multiple Oscars, it could be her philanthropy, or it could be her interesting college education. Streep graduated from Vassar College and then from Yale Drama School before making the world’s jaw drop.
Meryl Streep Yale University
Natalie Portman – Harvard University
Born in Israel, raised in America, known worldwide. This Black Swan star earned herself a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, and even managed to do so with honors. In order to keep a low profile, she actually put down her name as “Natalie Hershlag” – her birth name.
Natalie Portman Harvard University
Jane Lynch – Cornell University
Jane Lynch didn’t start out at Cornell, because she was actually first at Illinois State where she did her undergrad. The talented star got her master’s degree in fine arts in theater before becoming the first ever alumna to get herself a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Jane Lynch Cornell University
Rachel Dratch – Dartmouth College
Dratch first spent two years at the National Theater Institute and then she went on to Dartmouth. It took her all of two years to get her a degree in drama and another in psychology. She also excelled in the university’s improv troupe and made a lasting impression on many members there. For most of us she’s one of our favorites on SNL and 30 Rock.
Rachel Dratch Dartmouth College
Tyra Banks – Harvard
Oh wow, Tyra Banks. Everyone was shocked when they heard of Banks’ plan to go to Harvard Business School. But it turns out she went to the Ivy League school to take part in some business classes (good move!) but the syllabus was a short one. She did leave with a certificate from the “Owner/President Management Program”.
Tyra Banks Harvard
Conan O’Brien – Harvard University
This comedian, actor, show host, writer and producer graduated from Harvard University magna cum laude while majoring in U.S. History. If there’s any advice we can take from this star, it’s this: “Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.”
Conan OBrien Harvard University
Dean Norris – Harvard University
Norris might have been a graduate of Harvard in 1985, but he more than just a degree in social studies. Dean Norris attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art – a very prestigious school.
Dean Norris Harvard University
Ed Norton – Yale University
Would you have ever put Ed Norton in the category of competitive rowing? No? Well that’s exactly what he did at Yale when he wasn’t attending acting classes or studying history. In 1991 he graduated with a B.A. in history.
Ed Norton Yale University
Tatyana Ali – Harvard University
She was one of my favorites in the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”. Who would have ever imagined that she would go on to graduate with a degree in anthropology from Harvard? Well, she did in 2002 and we love that she did!
Tatyana Ali Harvard University
Anna Paquin – Columbia University
Can we really blame someone as busy Anna Paquin for not finishing her studies? She made it into Columbia University, but then she made her way out with an “indefinite leave of absence”. She may have never finished her degree, but she definitely boosted herself into the world of acting.
Anna Paquin Columbia University
Liev Schreiber – Yale
In 1992, Isaac Liev Shreiber graduated from Yale with a degree in drama. Since his days of studying drama, he has been a pivotal part in playing some of the best parts of our favorite movies and shows. Some examples include, X-Men and Ray Donovan.
Liev Schreiber Yale
Anderson Cooper – Yale University
CNN anchor and journalist, Anderson Cooper, wouldn’t settle for anything less than an Ivy League institute to receive his education. He studied at Yale where he obtained a B.A. in political science, graduating in 1989. Most people don’t know that Cooper interned for two summers at the CIA.
Anderson Cooper Yale University
Vanessa Carlton – Columbia University
For Vanessa Carlton ballet was life when she was a child. Later she went on to become a successful singer and songwriter, making her a well-known American music figure. In the fall of 2003, she attended Columbia University for a semester.
Vanessa Carlton Columbia University
Vanessa Bayer – University Of Pennsylvania
36-year-old Vanessa Bayer has had us all in stitches since she hit the SNL scene. In 2004 she graduated with a degree in communications from the University of Pennsylvania. But that wasn’t all she majored in, she added French to the mix.
Vanessa Bayer University Of Pennsylvania
David Duchovny – Princeton
X-Files? Californication? Aquarius? And even Zoolander… but what probably (and we say ‘probably’) made David Duchovny’s parents the most proud was his graduation day. That took place in 1982 when he walked away with a B.A. in English literature.
David Duchovny Princeton
Tommy Lee Jones – Harvard
Who can forget the brilliant performance put on by Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive? This Academy Award winner is also a Harvard graduate, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Enlgish back in 1969. Did you know that he was also an offensive guard for his Ivy League school?
Tommy Lee Jones Harvard
Kathryn Bigelow – Columbia University
Nobody would have ever guessed that this Oscar-winning director is 66 years old right now. She once had a passion for painting and actually earned herself a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1970. But it was in 1979 that she graduated from Columbia with a master’s degree in film theory and criticism.
Kathryn Bigelow Columbia University
