Kelly Ripa’s Shocking College Confession: TV Star Eyes Degree Years After Dropout

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Class might be back in session for Kelly Ripa.

As a proud mother, I’m thrilled to share that my son Joaquin, aged 22, is set to graduate from the University of Michigan in June. Hearing this, I find myself drawn to the allure of academic pursuits, and secretly nurturing the desire to tread a similar path he’s about to embark on.

In the recent episode of Live! With Kelly and Mark on April 17th, I, Kelly, shared my aspirations. I’m determined to attend a four-year university and earn a degree, though I haven’t yet decided what subject that will be in.

The television host, who is Michael’s and Lola’s mother, jokingly suggested that with her extensive experience on live TV spanning more than two decades, she could major in “broadcasting.” However, she mentioned that this field might come naturally to her, so she’s also considering completing her degree in psychology.

For a short while, Kelly delved into the subject matter at Camden County College. However, she decided to leave and grab the opportunity to act in “All My Children” for the first time in 1997.

She went on to say, “Perhaps I’ll study psychology, or maybe I’ll enroll in a writing course. I have a unique idea – I could teach ‘reverse psychology’. I might become an adjunct professor.

If Kelly plans to follow this path, she playfully assured that she intends to attend the University of Michigan – regardless of Joaquin’s disapproval. It isn’t the first time she has expressed interest in her son’s future university, having mentioned in November 2023 that she plans to study there after retiring.

In relation to her past college days, the former student of Hope & Faith reminisced about her college years in a 2001 interview with The New York Times. During that time, Kelly (who was then co-hosting Live! with Regis Philbin) revealed that her parents were firm on the importance of higher education, so she balanced attending some classes with auditioning for acting roles.

At that point, I tackled subjects such as psychology, areas I’d struggled to find motivation for,” Ripa shared. “My dad is yet to see me graduate from college. Perhaps they’ll bestow an honorary degree on me someday, to bring a smile to his face.

For more on Kelly’s family, keep reading… 

This year, for the first time in over 20 years, Kelly found herself without a child starting school. Instead, she chose to fill this gap by revisiting an item from 2008.

It appears that Michael is poised to surprise or catch his younger sister off guard in this picture their father posted on Lola’s 19th birthday in 2020.

Joaquin is surrounded by love at his high school graduation.

It seems that @instasuelos learned he won’t share a room with @joaquinconsuelos when they both start at the University of Michigan, and Kelly playfully hinted at this fact during their visit to Ann Arbor before Joaquin began his studies there.

In March 2022, Kelly decided to take a brief break and attend the Division 1 Wrestling Championships held in Detroit, where the Wolverines were competing.

As a freshman, Joaquin chose not to wrestle this season. However, on her recent appearance on Live, Kelly commented, “Watching these young athletes feels like it ages me significantly.

In June 2021, the entire family managed to travel to both Greece and Italy, a journey that was postponed from the previous year due to the unexpected twists caused by the pandemic.

Kelly mentioned that due to delays, last year’s graduation trip for our eldest son and niece ended up being postponed so much that it eventually became a graduation trip for our entire family, including the newest additions – the baby siblings.

As a lifestyle enthusiast, I couldn’t help but share my excitement when I captured this stunning family moment during our recent Mediterranean adventure. The memory was too precious not to be shared, so I decided to make it the highlight of our 2021 holiday greetings.

Kelly posted an old picture with the caption ‘Happy Easter from 2012’, since Lola had given her permission, always taking the opportunity to playfully poke fun at her teenage daughter on social media.

Mark wished the “spectacular women” in his life a happy International Women’s Day. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day to the loves of my life!” Kelly wrote from the heart on Feb. 14, 2022.

Kelly celebrated the fruits of her labor on National Sons Day, Sept. 28, 2021.

Kelly and Mark’s oldest child, their son Michael Consuelos who was 24 at the time, shared this heartwarming throwback photo on his mom’s 51st birthday in 2021, saying “Happy Birthday Mom!! I wish you the best day possible. You’re amazing and a role model for all. By calling you a T-Rex, I mean it as a compliment – I hope you understand that by now.

Back in August 2020, Kelly Ripa posted a stunning reenactment of a family photo from 2003 on Instagram. In this heartwarming snapshot, her youngest son Joaquin sat comfortably on her lap, while Michael and Lola were positioned neatly beside them. Given the slight enlargement of certain objects as Kelly pointed out with a humorous remark, “objects may appear larger,” it seems they truly managed to recreate the original picture perfectly.

In May 2020, Kelly and Mark celebrated Michael’s graduation from New York University, although it was a virtual ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. To mark the event, Kelly posted on Instagram, “In an instant, you graduated college. MJC, the happiness and pride you have brought our family is beyond words. I adore you completely.

In a recent Instagram post, Kelly reminisced on the years by comparing then and now, sharing “Walls have become smaller” to reflect how much her children have grown from being kids to teenagers.

“The Graduate #2019,” Kelly wrote on Instagram celebrating Lola’s final days of high school. 

Kelly receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015 was an all-hands-on-deck event.

Kelly matched her son’s gown and the flowers at Joaquin’s middle school graduation.

If your family is as stunningly lovely as a picture postcard, it’s quite possible that you find yourself striking more selfie poses than casual moments.

Holidays always bring family together and this famous crew is no exception. 

In the year 2003, Kelly and her spouse, Mark Consuelos, celebrated the grand opening of the play “A Year With Frog and Toad” at Maxine’s venue located in New York City.

In the year 2001, Mark and Kelly attended the premiere of “ATLANTIS The Lost Empire” with their son, held at the Ziegfeld Theatre located in New York City.

Regardless if their destination is sunny and tropical or cold and snowy, this family consistently manages to enjoy themselves.

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2025-04-17 23:49