‘The Big Bang Theory’: Every College the Group Graduated From
Because The Big Bang Theory was about a group of scientists, their educational backgrounds and college choices came up often. Over the show’s lengthy run, fans learned the alma maters of each key member of the friend group, including the ones who joined as the series progressed. While Sheldon Cooper is considered a genius, he might not have the most prestigious education. Do you know where everyone from The Big Bang Theory went to college?
Sheldon Cooper and Bernadette Rostenkowski were both California-educated
Sheldon Cooper is a genius. No one is arguing that point, but he didn’t attend the most prestigious college in the world. He did, however, graduate from an elite program. Sheldon actually attended and graduated from CalTech, the very college he worked at throughout The Big Bang Theory.
Sheldon was not the only California-educated member of the friend group. Bernadette Rostenkowski, introduced to The Big Bang Theory fans in season 3, also attended college in the state. Bernadette earned her Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of California.
Leonard Hofstadter and Amy Farrah Fowler both went to Ivy League schools
Leonard Hofstadter might have settled in California to work at CalTech, but he was not a West Coast guy initially. The people-pleasing physicist was raised in New Jersey and didn’t leave the Garden State to attend college, either. He graduated from Princeton University, an Ivy League school best known for its economics program.
Leonard was not the only Ivy League graduate in the group. Amy Farrah Fowler also attended an Ivy League University. She graduated with a Ph.D. in microbiology from Harvard University.
Howard Wolowitz and Amy Farrah Fowler lived in the same city during college
As it turns out, Howard Wolowitz had a little something in common with Sheldon’s girlfriend, too. Just like Amy, Howard attended college in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He wasn’t at Harvard, though. Instead, Howard received his master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, better known as MIT.
While Sheldon often makes fun of Howard for his educational background, he technically attended a better-ranked school than Sheldon. According to Quad Education, MIT and CalTech are well-matched in terms of competitiveness and the strength of their programs. Still, MIT is consistently ranked higher than CalTech and is more renowned worldwide.
Raj Koothrappali is the only ‘The Big Bang Theory’ character to complete college outside of the United States
Raj Koothrappali is the only member of The Big Bang Theory born outside of the United States and the only one to attend college outside the country. He grew up in India in a wealthy family. While his parents continued to pay his bills throughout the series, Raj technically should be able to support himself.
Raj, an astrophysicist, graduated from the University of Cambridge before taking a job at CalTech. He once revealed that he enjoyed that the University of Cambridge looked like Hogwarts.
Stuart Bloom was also went to a top-tier school
Stuart Bloom, the owner of the pals’ favorite comic book store, eventually became a peripheral group member. While Stuart was often presented as a “loser” whose business was failing, things weren’t always bad for him. Stuart was apparently talented enough to gain entry into a prestigious art school.
According to several sources, Stuart graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the most selective and prestigious private universities in the Northeast. Stuart opened the comic book store when he couldn’t land a job as a comic book artist, and that seems to be when his life unraveled. The show never mentioned why he left the East Coast to settle in California.
Penny was the only main member of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ who didn’t complete college
Penny (no last name given) is the only main character without a college degree. The actress-turned-pharmaceutical sales rep was a community college dropout when she first met Sheldon, Leonard, and the gang. Her lack of a degree made her feel insecure and uncomfortable over the years. Her education and Leonard’s response to it led to at least one of their breakups.
Penny went back to college briefly. The show’s writers abandoned the storyline relatively quickly. It was never mentioned in The Big Bang Theory if she ever completed her college courses.
