The Summer I Turned Pretty (TSITP) is one of Prime Video’s most loved teen dramas, based on Jenny Han’s bestselling book trilogy. With its strong emotional storytelling and relatable characters, the show follows Isabel “Belly” Conklin through the ups and downs of summer, love, and growing up.
By the time Season 3 arrives, the series moves beyond the shores of Cousins Beach and into a brand-new setting—college life. One of the major additions this season is Finch College, where Belly and her friends start their new chapter. While the show places Finch College in Rhode Island, the actual filming took place in North Carolina.
Let’s break down where Finch College was really filmed—and why the locations matter.
Covered by NetFilming, here’s everything you need to know about where Finch College was filmed and how UNC-Chapel Hill helped bring Season 3 to life.
Where Is Finch College in TSITP Season 3?
In Season 3 of The Summer I Turned Pretty, Finch College is introduced as the fake college that Belly, Jeremiah, Taylor, and Anika go to. People say it’s close to Brown University in Rhode Island, but all the college scenes were actually filmed at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill).
The beautiful buildings and green spaces at UNC-Chapel Hill give the show a classic East Coast college feel.
Real-Life Filming Locations for Finch College
UNC-Chapel Hill – Main Campus
Address: 203 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
The majority of Finch College scenes were shot across the main campus of UNC-Chapel Hill. Its red-brick buildings, stone walkways, and historic feel matched the vision of a traditional northeastern university.
Trivia: Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill have both filmed in Chapel Hill. These shows helped make North Carolina known as a wonderful place for coming-of-age stories.
Old East Residence Hall
In the series, Belly’s freshman dorm is shown to be a cozy and historic building. That’s actually Old East, the oldest building on the UNC campus. It appears in Episode 1 when Belly is seen settling into her dorm life.
Trivia: Jenny Han, the creator of the series, once lived in Old East during her time as a UNC student. Her personal connection to the location infuses these scenes with extra heart.
McCorkle Place
This peaceful green space on the north side of the campus is home to several landmarks like the Old Well and Davie Poplar. In Episode 2, McCorkle Place is featured during a romantic flashback where Belly and Jeremiah dance under the night sky.
Trivia: McCorkle Place has popped up in The Longest Ride (2015), a Nicholas Sparks adaptation, cementing Chapel Hill’s status as a cinematic gem.
Other Key Filming Locations for Season 3
While Finch College scenes were filmed in Chapel Hill, other parts of Season 3 took viewers to familiar and new destinations.
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington returned as the main filming location for Cousins Beach. Locations included:
- Carolina Beach
- Kure Beach
- Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
- Papercut Books (as Whale of a Tale)
Trivia: Wilmington is a filming favorite—movies like A Walk to Remember and shows like Sleepy Hollow and One Tree Hill were also shot here.
Paris, France
In a surprise twist, parts of Season 3 were also filmed in Paris, featuring outdoor cafés and scenic walkways.
Trivia: Paris has been featured in global hits like Emily in Paris, Midnight in Paris, and Mission: Impossible – Fallout. Its inclusion adds a fresh, romantic feel to the show’s evolving storyline.
Is Finch College a Real School?
No, Finch College is not a real university. In the show, it’s placed near Brown University in Rhode Island, but no such school exists today. The name might nod to a real Finch College, a women’s liberal arts school in Manhattan that closed in the 1970s, but it has no direct link to the series. Jenny Han chose UNC-Chapel Hill to bring this fictional school to life, blending her personal connection with its stunning campus.
Production Timeline
Here’s a quick look at when and where Season 3 of TSITP was filmed:
| Timeframe | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Oct–Dec 2024 | Wilmington, NC | Coastal Cousins Beach scenes |
| Jan–Mar 2025 | UNC-Chapel Hill, NC | Finch College interiors and campus shots |
| Feb 2025 | Paris, France (briefly) | Select European scenes for Belly & Jeremiah |
| April 2025 | Studio Post-Production | Soundstage scenes and edits |
| July 16, 2025 | Prime Video Release Date | Season 3 premieres with 11 episodes |
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Behind The Scenes
The cast and crew of The Summer I Turned Pretty had to deal with new problems and deeper emotions in Season 3. As the story moved into Belly’s college years, the show had to find a way to balance the memories of Cousins Beach with the thrill of starting over at Finch College.
Filming took place across multiple locations, including the iconic UNC-Chapel Hill campus and the scenic beaches of Wilmington. According to Jenny Han, the showrunner and creator, filming at her alma mater was a full-circle moment. “Going back to UNC felt surreal,” she said in an interview. “I wrote about Belly growing up, and I got to walk those same paths I did as a student.”
Lola Tung, who plays Belly, shared that this season pushed her emotionally. “There were moments I had to pause and reflect. Belly’s growth really mirrors my own,” she said in a behind-the-scenes video.
Director Erica Dunton added that filming Season 3 required a careful blend of storytelling and realism. “We wanted viewers to feel like they were right there with Belly—at the dorm, on campus, or even in Paris.”
From dorm room setups built on soundstages to late-night shoots under moonlit trees, the attention to detail was key. The crew even made snow scenes at Fort Fisher in the middle of spring, which shows how dedicated they were to keeping the magic alive.
It was clear that the cast had become like a family behind the scenes. The chemistry between actors like Gavin Casalegno (Jeremiah) and Christopher Briney (Conrad) kept the emotional weight of the show, whether they were filming sad breakups or joyful reunions.
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3 Official Trailer
At NetFilming, we’re thrilled to share these details with fans. Want to plan a trip to these locations or learn more about the show’s production? Drop a comment or check out our other guides for the latest on your favorite series!
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