Lopez went on to Hunter College High School and then to Yale University where he graduated in 1997 with a B.A. in English (the type of academic degree expressly discussed in the second song of "Avenue Q"). While at Yale, he wrote three plays (of which two were musicals) and was a member of the Yale Spizzwinks(?) a cappella group, and was influenced by professors such as Vincent Scully, John Hollander and Harold Bloom. During his time at Yale, he vaguely hoped to make a living writing musicals and "had no career options"; towards that end, he avoided courses that would prepare him for a career in something more secure like law or medicine.