Vampires, magic, singing? Compared to the real-life, bleak reality of high school, there are many fictional schools that seem to be way more entertaining in comparison. With the internet going wild over outlets teasing the return of many Freeform and CW teen programs, it’s a great time to remember the coolest, most iconic fictional high schools— starting with the prestigious Constance Billard School for Girls that Manhattan’s most elite teens attended in Gossip Girl.
Constance Billard School for Girls
Uniforms aside, Constance Billard School for the Girls is a dreamy school located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is in close proximity to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as that is where Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen regularly chose to gather before school started. The school hosts huge galas and fundraisers filled with showy decorations and trendy guests, and there's rumored to be a yogurt dispensary on-campus due to Blair and her minions always having it readily on hand. Not only was attending the school thought to be an instant connection to the city’s most exciting drama but its ivy league alumni served as a guarantee to attend some of the greatest universities in the country.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Few people have made it through life without wishing for an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With its mind-blowing spells, competitive games of Quidditch, and large feasts, this school is fit for all. Hogwarts featured an exciting gathering of events, like the Yule Ball and the Triwizard Tournament, both of which were highlighted in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Not to mention, the prospect of befriending Hagrid and learning about his wide arrangement of dangerous, magical pets.
William McKinley High School
One word: Glee Club.
Omitting the students' random bursts into full musical numbers, William McKinley High is seemingly similar to many contemporary high schools whilst still having its advantages. Despite the school's cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester and Glee Club Director Will Schuester constantly seen arguing over the school budget, both the school’s athletics and its arts seem to be well supported, as the stage and gymnasium set-up is impressive, and the school's musicals are spectacular. McKinley High has Gwyneth Paltrow as Holly Holiday frequenting as a fun substitute, tons of extracurricular activities, and apparently, delicious tater tots. Despite the constant clique wars, the students who avoid being slushied seem to turn out fine.
Sunnydale High School
Vampires and Hell dimensions aside, pre-destruction Sunnydale High was the place to be: Rupert Giles as the friendly librarian with a knack for demonology, a huge quad for pep rallies, and an indoor swimming pool. While the school does pose a health and safety risk with its unpleasant history of summoning flying monkeys, dark magic, and vengeance demons as highlighted frequently in the early episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this high school has all of the best amenities needed to seek a bustling education or to do a little mischief.
Midtown School of Science and Technology
Although only briefly seen in the Spider-Man movies, Midtown seems like an excellent school to attend. The school's greatest offering, besides frequent Spider-Man sightings and the Captain America safety videos being shown in detention, is the school’s large budget for extracurricular trips. In Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Midtown Academic Decathlon team went on a trip to Washington D.C. to compete in a competition, and in Spider-Man: Far From Home, students embarked on a two-week study abroad in Europe.