Rory Gilmore, the endearing character from ‘Gilmore Girls‘, has long been an icon of academic girlies with a desire for academic validation and a stubborn dream of getting into an Ivy League college. Rory’s development from a brilliant and devoted high school student to a driven and aspirational young woman attending college was the series’ central narrative. However one of the most important decisions in Rory’s life was her choice of university.
She had a long-held desire to go to Harvard. But unfortunately, the plotline took her to another university, where her journey took an unexpected turn. The show gained depth as a result of this choice, which also affected her intellectual, personal and career development. But why didn’t the show’s creators give Rory her dream university?
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Which University Did Rory Gilmore Attend And Why?
Rory gets accepted to Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Despite having Harvard as her dream school her entire life, Rory decided to enroll at Yale University, where her grandfather was a graduate. After observing Rory’s enthusiasm for Yale, her mother changes her mind about the university and urges Rory to enroll. She even becomes a valedictorian, and at her graduation, she makes a heartfelt speech honoring the impact her grandparents, especially her mother, have had on her life. For graduation, her grandparents give her a Toyota Prius, and Lorelai is thrilled that her daughter will have a car because it will make it easier for her to visit more frequently.
Although Rory’s choice seemed unexpected at first, it actually makes total sense. Unlike Lorelai, Rory enjoys a close bond with her grandfather, Richard, who is also a Yale alum. He continues to have strong ties to and inside his alma mater. Richard and Rory not only have a strong friendship, but she also greatly admires him. Going to Yale seems to be Rory’s way of honoring and impressing her grandfather.
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Why Did Rory Abandon The Harvard Dream On ‘Gilmore Girls’?
Ever since the series came out, fans started speculating on why the character changed gears and went to her rival school instead of going to her dream school. The common view, however, was that Rory chose Yale because of the different filming policies on Ivy League institutions. Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show’s creator, told Deseret News in 2002 that Yale would “let us film there, which makes it a lot easier.”
But it turns out, filming had nothing to do with Rory’s choice of school. Gilmore Girls costume supervisor Valerie Campbell commented under a TikTok that was discussing this theory and set the record straight. She said, “What they did not take into consideration was that we didn’t shoot at Harvard, but we also didn’t shoot at Yale. That is not the reason why we didn’t shoot at Harvard. If we wanted to build Harvard on a stage, we would have.”
She also revealed why the writers might have changed their decision last minute and stated: “My guess is that we thought it made for an interesting story. Rory and Lorelai had this plan for years, and then just when it’s about to become a reality, Rory essentially chooses Richard and Emily’s side by picking Yale.”
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