Which university did Fitzgerald attend but not graduate from?

Fitzgerald attended Princeton University but did not graduate. He enrolled in 1913 and quickly became deeply involved in the university’s literary and theatrical life.

At Princeton, Fitzgerald wrote for student publications and the Triangle Club, a university theatrical organization. He also formed lasting friendships with future writer and critic Edmund Wilson and poet John Peale Bishop. These connections helped sustain his literary ambitions even after he left the university.

Fitzgerald’s academic career was interrupted by poor health, weak grades, and his determination to become a professional writer. In 1917, during World War I, he left Princeton and joined the U.S. Army. Although he never received a degree, his Princeton years supplied important friendships, experiences, and material for his fiction.

This fact is sometimes obscured because Princeton lists Fitzgerald among its notable attendees, and biographical references may describe the university as his alma mater in a broad sense. He is also associated with Princeton through characters and settings in his work. The university’s literary culture influenced him, but he remained a non-graduate.