40 College Campuses That Starred In Popular Movies

31. Occidental College (Los Angeles, California)

Occidental College, a liberal arts school tucked into LA’s Eagle Rock neighborhood, has quietly become one of Hollywood’s favorite academic doubles. With its Mediterranean Revival architecture, palm-lined quads, and close proximity to major studios, it has stood in for countless fictional schools. Most notably, it played the role of “Pacific Tech” in Real Genius and doubled as a New York campus in Clueless. Its main quad and tiled staircases offer filmmakers a timeless, location-flexible look that can adapt to everything from comedies to teen dramas. Quietly versatile, it’s a go-to for when a film needs “college”—without the brand-name baggage.