As the leaves begin to transform and the warm balminess of summer gives way to a fresh, biting breeze, there is no better time than to cuddle up for a scary movie marathon. And for those who crave a bit of nostalgia with their gore, the best horror films set in college towns marries the thrill of youth with the boneyard atmosphere of the campus quad. Below is a list of must-see horror films that ramp up the screams and will transport you right back to college!

The Urban Legend Franchise

The original Urban Legend (1998) sets the tone for this series of films. As the name implies, it takes place at an ostensibly fictional college in New England, which serves as the backdrop for a serial killer who bases his sadistic crimes on popular urban legends. This is a good launching point for your campus-themed horror fest: the sequels don’t quite live up to the original but are still worth watching on a dark, stormy night when you’re craving continuity.

Happy Death Day

Imagine having to relive your own murder over and over again – on your college campus. In Happy Death Day (2017), a college student must piece together her own murder in order to escape a time loop. It’s a combination of the dark comedy of Groundhog Day (1993) and the suspense of Scream (1996), with the underlying stress of the fact that she is being murdered. And what better backdrop to add some realism to this surreal premise than a college filled with complicated social webs? 

This movie is fun for students because it shows that essays and math homework are not the true horrors of student life. That said, if you do feel suffocated by your pending projects, look for dissertation assistance online. A helping hand can be the difference between a passing grade and a fail.

The Skulls

In The Skulls (2000), a group of students become embroiled in a terrifying secret society at an Ivy League college. It’s less horror film than thriller, but with its soapy arcs and moral ambiguities, it still serves up gooseflesh. The film takes inspiration from real-life rumors about the elite social clubs of America’s finest colleges. What if those venerable façades hid something sinister? 

Scream 2

No roundup of horror films set at college is complete without Scream 2 (1997), the sequel that brings the slasher aesthetic to Windsor College, the school where the survivors of the original film attended. The campus setting heightens the typical scares of the Scream series, especially those terrifying moments when characters flee through lecture halls and sorority houses.

If you like the Scream franchise, check out these other iconic 90s horror films:

  • The Silence of the Lambs (1991).
  • Candyman (1992).
  • The Blair Witch Project (1999).
  • The Sixth Sense (1999).
  • From Dusk Till Dawn (1996).
  • Event Horizon (1997).
  • I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997).
  • Interview with the Vampire (1994).
  • Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994).

The House on Sorority Row

The House on Sorority Row (1983), a quintessential slasher film, is the story of a group of sorority sisters who, after incurring the wrath of a fellow member by taking part in an illicit and ultimately fatal initiation, must face the consequences of their actions – including murderous stalking by a mysterious figure. They do so, appropriately enough, in a large, gothic sorority house, while the campus setting serves to display the virtues of sisterhood between young women, the dangers of adolescence, and what happens when the two go awry. In this case, the murders in the film derive their chilling effect from the unnerving isolation that sometimes afflicts the large, historic campuses of America’s colleges.

Before you settle in under your blanket to watch these scary films, make sure that your college papers are handled. Use these hook examples for essays to write your papers fast. Then, you can chill out and enjoy the spooky experience!

Time For A Scare!

There’s something particularly delightful about scary movies that take place in a college town, where the seemingly pure and studious ambiance of education reminds you that sometimes the worst of the horrors lurk in the shadows of the very spaces where you live and learn. Are you a current student? An alum? Simply a horror fan? These films have just the right mix of the academic and the cinematically frightening. So, settle in for a scare – pop some corn, dim the lights, and maybe lock your dorm room door – because these college horror movies will keep you entertained or maybe even paranoid about what’s waiting for you around the next campus corner.