School is starting back up again and it’s bittersweet. Leaving the pool and your cozy bedroom at your parents’ house is no easy task, after all.

But, along with cramming for midterms and sitting through boring lectures in class, back to school season also means hanging out with friends, football season, and a fresh chance to reinvent yourself.

One of my favorite things about school-related films is that they’re often centered around just that — self improvement and new beginnings. I thought it would be fun to make a list of some of my favorite back to school movies that help me get excited for a new school year.

Although some of them may take place on the last day of school, they all embrace some of our favorite reasons why we all love a new school year – new friendships, lasting memories, and personal growth – in funny, nostalgic, and touching ways.

Let’s get right to it. Here are the best back to school movies of all time.

Table of Contents

1. Clueless

I still remember the first time I saw Clueless, and those fantastic plaid skirts, knee-high socks, and cardigans have been seared into my subconscious ever since. Growing up, the first day of school didn’t feel right unless I wore some sort of plaid skirt and loafer combo, and I blame it on this movie.

This is the film that helped launch the career of several big stars today (like the amazing Paul Rudd) and will be remembered as one of the greatest high school films of the ’90s.