Smartest Female TV Stars: Notable Roles & Education List

Being smart is a sexy quality that has attracted men and women for centuries, but did you know that it attracts female college students to television? Yup, you heard it here; the hottest names in primetime sweated it out in the college library before landing their first big break. Before their names were perfectly displayed in the front credits of the hottest shows, stars of Sex and the City (TV), Saturday Night Live (TV), and Desperate Housewives (TV) worked hard on term papers, group projects, and dreaded final exams. Find out where all the smarty-pants actresses went to college before they ended up on your television lineup.

These television stars knew that attending college was important and before moving on to Hollywood, they studied hard and received a great education. We have compiled a list of the hottest and smartest female television stars that we all can admire. Go girl power!

TV Celebrity	Notable Roles	Education
Tina Fey	30 Rock (TV), SNL	University of Virginia
Jenna Fischer	The Office (TV)	Truman State University
Giuliana Rancic	E! News	University of Maryland
Eva Longoria Parker	Desperate Housewives (TV)	Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Evangeline Lilly	Lost (TV)	University of British Columbia
Lauren Graham	Gilmore Girls (TV)	Barnard College (undergraduate) and Southern Methodist University (graduate)
Debra Messing	Will & Grace (TV)	Brandeis University
Jennifer Garner	Alias (TV)	Denison University
Marcia Cross	Desperate Housewives (TV)	Juilliard
Beverly Mitchell	7th Heaven	Loyola Marymount University
Cynthia Nixon	Sex and the City (TV)	Barnard College
Kristin Cavallari	The Hills (TV)	Loyola Marymount University of LA
Lisa Kudrow	Friends (TV)	Vassar College
Brooke Shields	Lipstick Junlge (TV)	Princeton University
Oprah Winfrey	Oprah Winfrey (TV)	Tennessee State University
Elisabeth Hasselbeck	The View (TV)	Boston College
Kristin Davis	Sex and the City (TV)	Rutgers University
Amy Poehler	Parks and Recreation (TV), SNL	Boston College

After viewing the list, were you surprised by any of the actresses? Are you currently in college or plan on attending? If so, tell us where! Go forth, study hard, and aspire for greatness just like our favorite female television stars!