20 Reasons to Go To Hogwarts for School

We examine some of the reasons why Harry Potter fans might want to swap their bus route for broomsticks and receive a magical education at Hogwarts.

Since Harry Potter exploded into the worldwide phenomenon that continues to make headlines nearly ten years after its end, fans have been waiting for their own Hogwarts letter to drop on their doorstep (or down their chimney, or at the hotel their family drags them off to to escape the barrage of post). Our eleventh birthdays may have come and gone without magical incident, but our hope prevails that a Hogwarts official will knock on our door and explain to our parents that they’re spiriting us away so “some crackpot old fool can teach [us] magic tricks.”

Not even the recent reveal of Wizarding schools around the world can deter us from our longing for that purple-sealed envelope; Hogwarts holds a special place in our hearts that makes it simply incomparable. We may belong to Mahoutokoro or Ilvermorny or a number of others, but Hogwarts has got a hold on us that can’t be broken by geography. We know Hogwarts better than we’ll ever know these schools, and it will likely remain the majority’s first choice in fictitious magical education.

Aside from the obvious perk that an acceptance to Hogwarts means you’re a witch or wizard, there are scores of reasons to pursue study at this grand old castle. We take a look at a few such reasons, and invite you to add your own.

So off we go, back to Hogwarts, where everything is magic-oooool (Team Starkid™)…

Next: The Boy Who Distracted

20. Harry Potter doesn’t go there anymore

I know it seems unfair and even wrong to call out our favorite boy wizard like this, but let’s be honest: With Harry Potter out of Hogwarts, you could actually get some learning done. That boy got exams cancelled more than once during his time at school (excepting, I assume, O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s which, as government-mandated exams, not even the likes of Harry Potter could eliminate). You could enjoy everything on this countdown without worrying about what schtick Harry and his friends are going to pull next. While it may have been Harry’s fate that drove him to disrupt his peers’ academics, the fact is that nobody was getting any work done with a giant snake trying to instigate a staring contest at every turn. The Chosen One’s destiny took its turn at Hogwarts and has since moved on.

This point isn’t limited to the Boy Who Lived, either: Excuse my callousness, but with Dumbledore and Snape gone, House favoritism would likely be decreased, and so the annual House Cup competition wouldn’t be played so fast and loose. The winner may have actual confidence that they earned the Cup on their merit instead of who lucked out on an arbitrary points system. Because let’s face it—Dumbledore and Snape alike made no secret of where their loyalty lie, and didn’t exactly discourage enmity between the already clashing Gryffindor and Slytherin.

All in all, by now Hogwarts may befit a more structured learning environment—less thrilling perhaps, but even without Harry’s regular antics, there’s still magic to be found around every corner.

Next: Riches and Glory

19. The Triwizard Tournament

This inter-school competition may have come to its official end with the death of Cedric Diggory (rest his soul), but with Voldemort out of the picture, who knows? While the Triwizard Tournament was deemed too dangerous even before the events of Goblet of Fire, there’s nothing to suggest that they wouldn’t give it another shot sooner or later. Hogwarts has known more arguably unreasonable rulings, after all.

Of course, the tournament poses its issues—aside from the whole death thing—in that from what we see in GOF, there’s not a whole lot the audience gets to see. They’re treated to the entire spectacle that is the first task, but the second and third have some major visibility issues. Still thrilling, but it would be a shame to sit in the stands and talk amongst yourselves while waiting for the champions to emerge. Should Hogwarts play host to another round of tasks, we’d have to hope that they were all something that could be properly viewed.

The tasks are a blood-pumping test of adrenaline on their own, for both champions and audience alike, but let’s not forget the hormone-addled weeks leading up to the Yule Ball. As my friend Natalie put it, “You get to have that ball and they just ship some honeys in and make them dance with you while you wear a magical prom dress. Ginger honeys, orphaned honeys, honeys that are evil because they have some feelings about their upbringing…”

Honeys at Hogwarts. You can’t go wrong.

Next: Pomp and Circumstance

18. “Never tickle a sleeping dragon”

Every school needs a little pride, and what better inspires a pep rally than an impressive mascot and some foreboding words? This notion is present across multiple fandoms, as Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones emphasizes the importance of strong house words like “Winter is coming” and “We do not sow,” and such is the case with any school’s motto. Hogwarts states its own with both humor and trepidation, which nicely encompasses the Harry Potter series as a whole as well.

On first read, the Hogwarts words are as silly as the school’s name itself (where’s the backstory on that, by the way? Only time will tell). “Never tickle a sleeping dragon” sounds like a little jokey advice out of a children’s book, but when you think about it, what would be the consequences of doing so? Provided that a little tickling would actually rouse a dragon, chances are they wouldn’t be too chuffed about it. A sleeping dragon is a relatively harmless one, but what happens when you push your luck?

The implications of this say a lot about the students of Hogwarts—first and foremost, don’t mess with ‘em. They may be children, but like a magical snoozing reptile, there’s a fire inside that you don’t want to ignite on the wrong end of a match, or you might just end up with “SNEAK” written across your face in pimples.

Next: No Gym? I'm In

17. Physical activity without the phys ed

I don’t know about other schools across the globe—or even across my own country, for that matter—but I was forced into a gym class for the bulk of my pre-college career and, considering my penchant for physical inactivity, it was all for naught. I remain completely uninspired to run a mile or, god forbid, play kickball. Nothing stings quite like a volleyball to the face, and that’s one experience I don’t think was necessary in my journey to self-actualization.

The adolescent pains of required physical education aside, the students of Hogwarts still manage to get in their daily cardio. In a castle that boasts one hundred and forty-two staircases, your calves will get blasted, easy, and running from one end to the next to make it to your next class might just clock you in at a mile. You won’t be at a loss for a little endorphin rush but you won’t have to potentially embarrass yourself to get it, either—unless, of course, you fall victim to one of those trick steps. Still, the silver lining here certainly overtakes the storm.

Next: A Home-Cooked Meal

16. The Meal Plan

I always wondered—and still do—at all the fuss over holiday and celebratory feasts at Hogwarts, when it seems to me that every meal is a feast on its own. Every morning, noon, and night there is like when colleges host potential students and actually serve something good in an attempt to win them over (that’s how I was duped into my own alma mater, anyway). Maybe the meals aren’t always accompanied by swarms of live bats as they are on Halloween but, then again, who really wants that? The aesthetic is cool, but personally I’d rather enjoy my heaps of food in peace.

Four tables laden with a veritable all-you-can-eat free buffet is a special kind of heaven, and Harry never seems to take it for granted. Even Ron, who’s accustomed to a regular, delicious home-cooked meal, dives on that table like he’s been locked under a cupboard and fed significantly less than his spoiled cousin. (I shouldn’t make fun, but it’s the only way I can handle the monstrosity of Harry’s childhood.)

Overall, the Hogwarts meal plan is a real ace in the hole, and would probably make all the homework—even keeping one of Trelawney’s dream journals—worth it.

Next: Momma McG

15. Professor McGonagall

When I polled my Facebook friends on their personal reasons for waiting on their Hogwarts letter, Minerva McGonagall was unanimously lauded. It’s no small wonder why: the woman is a proud and fierce momma bear, and you can’t help but want to make her smile at you. Despite her stern exterior, you know she has a killer sense of humor and a mischievous streak when mischief is called for (see: “It unscrews the other way,” Order of the Phoenix).

It’s a special bonus that Momma McG also happens to teach one of the most difficult but totally rad subjects: Transfiguration, where—as my friend Mandy put it—“Anything is now EVERYTHING.” You might start by turning a salamander into a match, but as McGonagall shows us more than once, her subject is essential in human transformation as well. If you want to become an Animagus, she’s the one you’d see for the details. I’m sure even the likes of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs sought her advice (as discreetly as they could, of course, which was likely not very discreet at all, but definitely fun to think about).

Unfortunately, should a Hogwarts letter land on any of our doorsteps, McGonagall has long since retired. It’s a shame, but after so many years of Potters and Weasleys, she really deserves the break.

Next: Change Is Coming

14. Inclusive Opportunities following the Second Wizarding War

From the post-Deathly Hallows details that have been scattered about since the final book’s release, we can assume that the Wizarding world has become a more tolerable place in general. This is concentrated mostly on matters of blood status; while the concept of blood purity hasn’t been completely eradicated, it has diminished drastically, as those who fought in the last war purportedly grew up to raise their children with more open minds (see: Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass).

With the Wizarding world’s biggest prejudicial hang-up in focus and under some major scrutiny following its destructive streak in the ‘90s, we can easily headcanon that there are more opportunities for social awareness as well.

For instance, while Harry Potter as a series is incredibly heteronormative in its romance, we can assume that the Hogwarts of the new millennium may be a little more colorful. Picture, as my friend Siren suggested, the Hogwarts GSA (gender and sexuality alliance): Charms that cast rainbows, banners that flash the colors of sexualities all across the board, shooting glitter showers from your wands at the start and end of every group meeting—the whole shebang of a regular Muggle GSA, but magically amplified, would be sure to get people involved.

Perhaps we could even make A Very Potter Musical’s “Scarf of Sexual Preference” a reality, which would certainly help to solve at least one identity crisis for all of us.

Next: The Great Outdoors

13. Access to Outdoors

Much like our point about physical education, I can’t speak for other schools, but when I was in high school the outdoors became something of a foreign concept. The days of recess were behind us, and we had no free periods; even if we did, you can bet your bottom dollar the administration wouldn’t have allowed us off school property, and we didn’t boast the sprawling lawns of a magical castle so much as the impressive blandness of concrete.

But, as it is in countless ways, Hogwarts is a different story. Between free periods, Quidditch (practices and matches alike), and classes like Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, and Astronomy, the students have plenty of occasions to get a breath of fresh air.

As much as I enjoy lazing about in bed for as long as humanly possible, the benefits of a stroll outside can’t be denied; it’s energizing, revitalizing, and makes you feel a little less like you’re being slowly crushed by the weight of your responsibilities. The world seems a lot less suffocating when you’re surrounded by the openness of it, and what better place to be surrounded than a grand castle, complete with sparkling lake and sweeping grounds? It simply can’t be beat.

Next: Cats and Owls and Toads, Oh My

12. The Pet Policy

Just like the positive effects of fresh air as discussed in #13 on our list, a furry companion can take a big load off your stress levels. As attuned to our emotions as our pets often are, “a cat OR an owl OR a toad” would likely ease the anxiety inspired by the combined stress of academia, being away from home, and for first-years (Muggle-borns especially), the newness of the world around you. A friendly face and regular cuddle from someone who loves you unconditionally is sometimes all the comfort you need to tackle whatever life’s throwing at you.

We see emotional connections to pets from the beginning of the novels: Neville is very much attached to his toad and is absolutely distraught whenever potential danger crops up; Harry bonds with Hedwig as she’s his only friend in the Muggle world and, when he’s in it, his only connection to the Wizarding world; Hermione takes to Crookshanks immediately and defends him tirelessly; and even Ron, for all of his complaints about Scabbers, cares deeply for the assumed rat (Peter Pettigrew really upped the creep ante there, didn’t he?).

Hogwarts’ admission of such pets as cats, owls, and toads is a nod to what we know as classically magic creatures, but don’t kid yourself: A hefty percentage of us would try to get our dogs in there, too, and eventually the administration would just have to throw their hands up and let that glorious mess happen. Imagine the sheer amount of pugs tumbling over the grounds, and suddenly your O.W.L. anxiety might just disappear as surely as if you managed to lock it in the Vanishing Cabinet.

Next: A Skrewt Experience

11. Magical Creatures

Whether or not you choose to take Care of Magical Creatures as an elective, chances are you’ll come across one in your time at school, anyway. Centaurs, unicorns, thestrals, and bowtruckles all frequent the Forbidden Forest, and even the house-elves fit this bill.

You probably won’t get much of a conversation out of a centaur, but a passing house-elf would always be pleased to help you out with a smile and a snack. Although in her adulthood Hermione fought for magical creatures’ rights and freedom, it seems likely that many house-elves would willingly choose to continue their work at Hogwarts, so you would be just as warmly greeted in the kitchens as the trio was during their visits in Goblet of Fire.

Considering that so many magical creatures can communicate with humans the way non-magical ones can’t, Hogwarts offers the opportunity to learn about other species in a more direct way than we’re able to do in an average biology class. It’s a unique and truly incredible look into other worlds, and provides a better understanding of them, to boot.

Next: A Room Full of Magnificent Chamber Pots

10. The Room of Requirement

Although seemingly burned to a crisp during the Battle of Hogwarts, the Room of Requirement is a haven of magical power and may very well have reformed elsewhere in the castle. Stranger things have happened, and indeed a regenerated Room of Requirement probably wouldn’t even make the list.

Whether you’re in need of a bathroom, a safe place to store your drunk friend when they need to sleep off the butterbeer (or perhaps something stronger for anyone who’s not a house-elf), or a secret hidey-hole to practice forbidden spellwork in order to undermine a corrupt government, the Room of Requirement has got your back. It may not be there when you go looking for it, but there’s always a chance that you’ll cross its path in times of need.

The very nature of the room poses an interesting question: Does the room appear only when you ask it to, or does it have the ability to know what you don’t, and offer its services when it recognizes your need of them? The context in which it appears in Harry Potter would suggest the former, but the room is enough of a mystery that even Dumbledore couldn’t properly examine it, nor does it appear on the Marauder’s Map (although it’s possible that Remus, Peter, Sirius, and James knew about the room, but it may be Unplottable and that’s why it can’t be located on the map).

Curiouser and curiouser, but no matter the nature of the room, its mere existence is intriguing enough to warrant a semester at Hogwarts.

Next: The Children Are Our Future

9. A Government-Funded Education

I know there are all those big scary breakdowns out there about the annual tuition at Hogwarts, but what those breakdowns obviously fail to note is that Hogwarts doesn’t cost anything to attend because the government foots the bill. While students are responsible for their equipment—wand, books, uniform, and the like—there is no actual fee to attend. Hogwarts may be a private institute in its way, but more to the point it’s an institute for the Wizarding public, and a necessity for young witches and wizards so as to learn to hone and control their magic.

Speaking as someone who’s eyeball-deep in student loan debt, nothing threatens my suspension of disbelief quite like the notion of a free education. I can buy the underground magical world and all its constituents, but leaving school unburdened by financial woes is a whole new game, my friends.

The fact that education is on the government’s dime in Harry Potter is enough to make this point the only one on our list, but as if this wasn’t good enough, Hogwarts has plenty more to offer.

Next: Cliques and Clubs

8. Extracurriculars

Like any school, Hogwarts isn’t focused solely on academics, but offers a variety of extracurriculars to broaden its students’ horizons as well. From Quidditch to wizard’s chess to rebelling against the establishment, there’s an opportunity for everyone to take a break from homework and kick back with friends.

We learn, in passing, in Order of the Phoenix that there are official clubs for Charms and Gobstones alike, so it’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility that there’s an organization for any class or game mentioned in the text. And if you prefer a less structured activity, there’s always a game of Exploding Snap that needs playing; it won’t fry your brain, but it might singe your eyebrows if you’re not careful.

Daily living at Hogwarts tends to be something you should approach with caution, so it stands to reason that any fun and games would amplify that. But then, the risk is half the fun, and you’ve got to keep Madam Pomfrey busy somehow.

Next: A Touch of Trouble-Making

7. Secret Passageways

While the castle as a whole has its own place on our list, the secret passageways deserve their own dedication. Without them, Harry wouldn’t have gotten to Hogsmeade in Prisoner of Azkaban, Remus wouldn’t have had safe passage to the Shrieking Shack during his time at school (an easy rectification as long as Dumbledore came up with another idea, but then we wouldn’t have all the convenient plot devices the Whomping Willow provides), and Hogwarts wouldn’t be half the medieval, mysterious structure that it is.

Exploring the castle would be all the more thrilling when you don’t know exactly where a closed door or moving staircase will lead you. You might have a few run-ins with an irate Filch or nuisance Peeves, but what better way to learn how to deal with people you’d rather avoid? And if you’d prefer to just avoid them altogether, the more familiar you become with the castle’s secrets, the easier you could duck out of sight of either if they should approach during one of your outings.

Even if you’re not sneaking around where you’re not supposed to be, all the nooks, crannies, and secret passages are the perfect place to have a nap or a little rendezvous. After all, Hogwarts is brimming with adolescents, and what more do any of us want at that age than the occasional nap and/or makeout sesh?

Next: Now Hiring

6. Post-Education Career Opportunities

Hogwarts fully prepares its students for life after school not only with homework and tests, but with the resources they’ll need to make it in the real world. In order to familiarize themselves with the classes they’ll need to take at N.E.W.T. level, fifth-years are inundated with information and career counseling to prepare them for what comes after the aforementioned exit exams.

This means that at the tender age of fifteen, these witches and wizards should have an idea of what they’d like to do for a living, but it’s certainly not as concrete as what’s expected of eighteen-year-olds in the Muggle world (in the U.S., anyway). Job titles such as Healers and Aurors require further education and training, but there’s no indication that these programs cost anything, as is the case with Muggle higher education (again, in the U.S.); there’s also no guarantee that you’ll make it through the training to a successful completion, but that’s true of any career path.

Of course, Healers and Aurors aren’t the only endgames: From what we know of the Potterverse, there’s journalism, teaching, a plethora of retail and government jobs to try your hand at, and other specialized careers like professional Quidditch or possibly even your own girl group, à la the Weird Sisters. Hey, dream big.

Next: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Year?

5. Universally Usable Education

Like McGonagall, this point was a popular one on the ol’ Facebook poll. Witches and wizards will use the skills they learn in their culture and life after their education is complete, which is not necessarily the case in Muggle schooling. For example, I remember the phrase “Pythagorean Theorem” but no longer have any idea what it actually is, and I’m a little surprised that I spelled it correctly on my first try. I may have been better off learning to Transfigure a rat into a teacup, although I probably wouldn’t ever use that teacup; still, at least I would remember what the point of that is, whereas the intricacies of mathematics have eluded me for good.

Students at Hogwarts, meanwhile, receive an education crafted specifically to be integrated into their everyday lives. To live in the magical world, one must learn what magic is, how to control and utilize it, and how to wield it the way it’s meant to be wielded. Magic is a gift and a privilege, and there’s no time to waste in learning what that means.

Hogwarts offers a practical education, but these lessons in morality cannot go ignored, however subtle they may become in a time when war no longer rages. Should we attend Hogwarts now, we may miss the emphasis on this point, but I have a feeling it lingers all the same.

Next: I'd Rather Go Out with the Giant Squid

4. The Grounds

Harry Potter Wikia describes the Hogwarts grounds as being “built in a valley area—surrounding mountains are part of the landscape—with the fairly large Great Lake to the south of the main building. The huge main oak front doors leading into the entrance hall face the west, and open up to sloping lawns. The deep Forbidden Forest extends around to the west of the castle. There are also exterior greenhouses and vegetable patches on the school grounds.”

It’s not the most picturesque description, but we can allow our imaginations to do most of the work. Just as there are countless nooks to explore within the castle, there’s a lot of ground to cover outside of it, too. The Forbidden Forest may be off-limits (debatable, really), but the lake is fair game, since even the giant squid who dwells there is amiable enough that he allows you to swim in his domain. You can take a walk down to the Quidditch pitch or a stroll around the vegetable patches with Hagrid, and Neville would be just as happy to give you a tour of the greenhouses and share his storied knowledge of everything found within. And while winters at Hogwarts may be harsh, there’s always a frozen lake to skate on or a snowball fight to be had all across the grounds.

The castle’s landscape as we each imagine it may vary in our personal interpretations, but there’s plenty to interpret in our wistfulness, and to enjoy in our mind’s eye.

Next: Ghost Stories

3. Lessons Learned Outside the Classroom 

Perhaps the most important lesson our favorite trio learned from their time at Hogwarts is that “[t]here are some things you can’t share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.” While it’s true that Harry, Ron, and Hermione learned this outside the confines of their lessons, there are plenty of less dangerous ways to expand your knowledge at Hogwarts.

For instance, Harry may have only sought out the likes of Nearly Headless Nick and Helena Ravenclaw when it suited the plot, but the ghosts that frequent the halls are fountains of knowledge. We know that Professor Binns has a special talent for making even the most exciting history a dull affair, but there are plenty of spirits floating around Hogwarts who would be able to do you better. You probably wouldn’t get a word out of the Bloody Baron, even if you were brave enough to approach him, but a ghost like the Fat Friar would be happy to regale you with history as he saw it unfold, both in his living years as well as all those that followed.

The portraits that line the walls may be eager to share their stories as well. Even the likes of Sir Cadogan, however boisterous and unreliable he may be, would entertain where he could not enlighten, and so you wouldn’t waste your time striking up a conversation with him.

Next: Thank You For Being a Friend

2. A Sense of Community

Reading and experiencing Harry Potter as we did, fans across the globe feel connected to the characters and the world Rowling brought to life, and found a place amongst the pages to feel as though we belonged.

While children from Wizarding families would perhaps feel an immediate sense of rightness at Hogwarts, Muggle-borns like Hermione would connect with their education in a different way, and wouldn’t take their skills and opportunity for granted. Where they didn’t fit in before, they do now, and we see in Harry’s experience how much it means to him to belong somewhere, to be wanted and treated as though he was meant to be there, when he’d spent all his years before as an oddball, a nuisance and a burden. At Hogwarts, Harry found his niche and his purpose, and he showed everyone who’s ever felt out of place that there is indeed a place for them, even if they haven’t found it yet.

Even in its darkest times, Hogwarts remained a haven for those who needed it. Students returned under the Death Eater regime to fight for the castle, to protect their home away from home—because Hogwarts was more than a school to them, more than a necessity; it was a place where everyone belonged, no matter how Voldemort and his followers tried to dictate otherwise. Students like Neville, Ginny, and Luna protected Hogwarts because it had protected them.

On the other side of the war, Hogwarts would remain exactly that: a home to those who need a place to belong. It was home before war struck and it stayed standing during, and it would prevail long after, because that’s what it was built for.

Next: Come 'Round for a Cuppa

1. Hagrid

Despite the aforementioned sense of community, you’re bound to feel out-of-sorts every once in awhile, in need of a friendly face, and whose face is friendlier than the man with beetle-black eyes that crinkle above a big brown beard?

Hagrid has a soft spot for the underdogs and outcasts, and considers it his own personal mission to take care of them. Being an outcast of sorts himself, Hagrid understands them and what they need; because even when we’re somewhere we belong, we all experience times when we feel as though we don’t.

Enter Hagrid, who always makes you feel like you count, like you matter, because the world can be cold and cruel but you always have a place by Hagrid’s hearth, a mug of tea in hand, and a sympathetic ear to hear whatever you’ve got to say. Hagrid has a way of making your problems seem smaller, and in doing so makes them conquerable. He always gave Harry the push he needed, and often made molehills out of the mountains with which Harry came to him. Time and again, we see Harry rejected by the world that he calls home, and Hagrid always brings him back where he needs to be—because sometimes it’s not about the place you belong, but the people who belong there with you.

Rubeus Hagrid: Keeper of Keys and Stealer of Hearts.

Next: A Full Breakdown of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Cast

Why would you want to attend Hogwarts? Did your wishes make our list, or do you have others in mind? Sound off in the comments!