Kelly Ripa is ready to hit the books, and this time, it’s a chapter all her own. The Live! with Kelly and Mark host surprised fans with a candid confession about her future this week, and it has nothing to do with red carpets or television scripts.
“My whole thing is I want to go to college,” Kelly announced during the April 17 episode of Live!, while chatting with husband Mark Consuelos about their son Joaquin’s upcoming graduation from the University of Michigan.
The 54-year-old star, who has graced American living rooms for decades, admitted she’s seriously considering finally getting a degree of her own.
“My whole thing is I want to go to college,” Kelly announced during the April 17 episode of Live!, while chatting with husband Mark Consuelos about their son Joaquin’s upcoming graduation from the University of Michigan.
The 54-year-old star, who has graced American living rooms for decades, admitted she’s seriously considering finally getting a degree of her own.
Though she hasn’t settled on a course of study just yet, she joked that communications might be the way to go. “That’s an easy A,” Kelly teased, adding with her trademark humour, “At this point, I’ve learned more about what not to do.”
For longtime fans, it’s a full-circle moment. Kelly famously left Camden County College in New Jersey when she landed her breakout role as Hayley Vaughan on All My Children back in 1990.
© Getty ImagesThat leap of faith launched her into stardom, first as a soap opera darling and later as one of America’s most enduring daytime personalities.
Now, with her youngest child preparing to walk across the graduation stage, Kelly is reflecting on what comes next. “I’ll be an adjunct professor,” she quipped, before musing that she might study psychology or writing. “Maybe I’ll teach reverse psychology,” she added, flashing a grin.
© InstagramThis isn’t the first time Kelly has spoken about her academic aspirations. Back in 2001, she told The New York Times that college was always a priority in her family. “My parents were adamant about college,” she said. “My father is still waiting for me to go to college. Maybe someone will give me an honorary degree to make him happier.”
It’s clear education has remained close to her heart, and it’s something she’s passed on to her own children. Her eldest son Michael, 27, graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2020. Daughter Lola, 23, also completed her studies at NYU in 2023, and now Joaquin, 22, is preparing to graduate from the University of Michigan.
As the Consuelos household enters a new chapter, Kelly’s musings about college hint at a personal evolution. With her three children grown and thriving, and her career still going strong, she’s rediscovering ambitions that once took a backseat to family and work.
© FilmMagicKelly and Mark, who met on the set of All My Children and tied the knot in 1996, have long been admired for their refreshingly open and relatable take on family life. From raising kids to adjusting to an empty nest, they’ve let fans in on every step of the journey — with plenty of laughs along the way.
So, could Kelly Ripa be spotted in a college lecture hall sometime soon? Possibly. But whether she decides to pursue a communications degree, psychology, or something entirely unexpected, one thing’s for sure: she’ll dive into it with the same passion and wit that have made her a household name.
And if she ends up standing at the front of the class instead of sitting in it? As she said, “I’ll be an adjunct professor.”
