Joe College

“Joe College” is a college boy. The term was first used to a college-age boy who devotes much time to extra curricular activities; later use of “Joe College” has placed less emphasis on this aspect. “Joe College” has been cited in print since at least 1925.
 
     
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Joe College n. ‘A college boy; esp. one devoted to amusement’ (Webster, 1961).
1932   Amer. Speech June 333   ‘Joe College’ is a perfect specimen of the college man. Often used with ‘himself’.
1964   Amer. Speech 39 193   The net effect of the publications on college slang has been to encourage the image of perky Joe College.
       
Google Books
The Four Winners
—the head
—the hands
—the foot
—the ball
By Knute Rockne
New York, NY: Devin-Adair Company
1925  
Pg. 186:   
“Oh, you mean Joe College and Dan Dormitory — are they here tonight?”
 
13 May 1925, The Junior Democrat (Washington, IA), “Home Brew” by Gosh, pg. 1, col. 1:
Joe College says, “She was only a farmer’s daughter, but she knew her oats.”
 
29 September 1925, The Daily Northwestern (Evanston, IL),, pg. 2, col. 4:
Watch for
Joe College
 
14 October 1925, The Monmouth College Oracle (Monmouth, IL), “The Line,” pg. 6, col. 1:
As Joe College says after the cold spell or the last week at chapter house:
 
“The early bird has to shake up the furnace.”
 
13 November 1925, Morning Olympian (Olympia, WA), “Clubs and Lodges,” pg. 3, col. 4:
The party this year will be on November 21, and “Joe College” is featured in the cards issued by the university men sponsoring the affair.
 
5 December 1925, The Daily Northwestern (Evanston, IL), pg. 2, col. 2:
ADAM: “HA, HA, HA”
Co-ed, breathlessly—Oh wait, ‘till I get my breath.
Joe College—All right, where did you leave it?
Baron Poulisschuzoff
   
Google Books
The Judge
Volume 91
1926
Pg. 28:
“JOE” COLLEGE — Very collegiate.
 
21 March 1926, Boston (MA) Herald, pg. 6D, col. 1:
Joe College: “That’s the gymnasium.”
Betty Blase: “Oh, yes, that’s where you swing the dumb-bells.”
Joe College: “We are dancing there tonight.”
 
9 April 1926, The Daily Northwestern (Evanston, IL), “Voice of the Campus,” pg. 2, col. 1L
John (John Rockefeller Prentice, grandson of John D. Rockefeller—ed.) was a “Joe College boy” right.
 
OCLC WorldCat record 
Little by little : from the Pathé picture “Joe College”
Author: Walter O’Keefe; Bobby Dolan; Joseph M Weiss
Publisher: New York : De Sylva, Brown and Henderson, ©1929.
Edition/Format:   Musical score : No Linguistic Content
 
OCLC WorldCat record
A farewell dinner for Joe College.
Author: United States. Department of Agriculture. Radio Service.; United States. Bureau of Home Economics.
Publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Information, Radio Service, 1929.
Series: Housekeepers’ chat, 1-3-29.
Edition/Format:   Print book : National government publication : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Joe College comics.
Publisher: St. Louis, Mo. : Hillman Periodicals, 1949-
Edition/Format:   Journal, magazine : Periodical : English
   
The Internet Movie Database
The Donna Reed Show: Season 7, Episode 18
Joe College (14 Jan. 1965)
TV Episode |  30 min |  Comedy, Family
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Goodbye, Joe College
Author: John E Grinnell
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: The Phi Delta Kappan, v49 n9 (19680501): 517-521
Database: JSTOR Arts & Sciences VI Collection
 
OCLC WorldCat record
News of the Death of Joe College Greatly Exaggerated
Author: Jim Miller
Edition/Format: Article Article : English
Publication: Mississippi Review, v3 n1 (19740101): 22
Database: JSTOR Arts & Sciences V Collection
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Joe College
Author: Tom Perrotta
Publisher: New York : St. Martin’s Press, 2000.
Edition/Format:   Print book : Fiction : English : 1st ed
Database: WorldCat
Summary:
“For many Ivy League college students, spring break means a raucous road trip to a spot in the sun. For Danny, a Yale junior, the spring of 1982 means two weeks in central New Jersey behind the wheel of his dad’s lunch truck, the “Roach Coach.” But Danny can use the time with the coffee urn to try to make sense of a love life that’s gotten a little complicated.”—Jacket.
 
Urban Dictionary
Joe College
Joe College is the kid on campus that everybody wants at their parties. Kid always has his own party-packs, full of beers, pot, ADHD meds, and variety of other substances he could get his hands on (ex: half pack of cigs he stole from his roommate, Skoal, flavored condoms, and 151). He has no problem sacrificing his brains cells to complete that last cup chug before going out or ripping a whole pack of hoons to win a gentlemen’s bet. Joe is a hero and an idol. When you look in the mirror, you want to see Joe College looking back.
(...)
by God’s Gift to Partying July 23, 2010