In April 2009, Emma Watson told Interview magazine, "As a child, I aspired to go to Oxbridge [the duo of Oxford and Cambridge universities] because that's where my parents went. When my dad talks about his time there, he says it was the most incredible experience." But the future had something different in store for Watson.

Watson began looking into schools in the U.S. after meeting American students at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. "I started talking to them about what they were doing at their schools, and I respected the approach," she told Interview. "[...] in America, you're encouraged to be broad and choose many different subjects."

Watson ultimately attended Brown University, and she nearly quit "Harry Potter" to prioritize her education; after the first two films, she and her fellow actors were allowed to negotiate their contracts. As we all know, Watson finished her run with the franchise and still managed to graduate from Brown with a degree in English literature.