Child Stars Who Prove They Can Earn More Than Money… How About a College Degree?

This Saturday, August 4, Cole and Dylan Sprouse will turn 20. Yes, it’s true! Zack and Cody will no longer be teenagers. (Are you feeling a little old yet?) When the two twin blondes broke into the limelight back in 2005 with the premiere of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody on Disney Channel, they were only 12! When we first met them in Big Daddy, they were only 7! Despite being the two wealthiest children alive in 2007, unlike some other child stars, Cole and Dylan have managed to stay out of the media for the most part and have actually been attending New York University since the fall of 2011. So, this got us thinking… what other child actors and staples of our childhoods and generations went off quietly to college, too? Some of them are names we still see on TV and in film today, but there are also a few beloved child stars that seemed to grow out of acting and fame, continuing on a more normal path post-college. We also found out a few fun facts in the course of our expedition like brothers Fred and Ben Savage both graduated from Stanford and Tia, Tamera and Tahj Mowry all attended Pepperdine University (Tia and Tamera graduating and Tahj still attending part-time). It also seems that USC, UCLA, NYU and Columbia are particular favorites of Hollywood. But maybe our favorite discovery had to do with Larisa Oleynik. You may remember her best from her quirky (and awesome) Nickelodeon series “The Secret World of Alex Mack” or the quintessential teen movie, “10 Things I Hate About You.” In “10 Things…” she starred as Bianca Stratford, the younger sister of Bianca Stratford (Julia Stiles) whose dream school was Sarah Lawrence College. So we think it’s pretty cool that the school Larisa now calls her Alma Mater is actually Sarah Lawrence, too! When worlds collide, huh? Check out the list of college graduate child stars below and tell us if you can deduce any other fun facts! We’ve included the school they graduated from, their major (when applicable), the role they were best known for as a child star, whether they are still active in acting and more! (At the very bottom, you’ll also find a list of child stars who attended, but didn’t quite graduate from college, and another list of child stars currently enrolled in higher education!)     Jodie Foster Alma Mater: Yale University, Graduated 1985 Degree in: Journalism Further Education: Given Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Yale in 1997 Best Known Role: Iris Steensma, “Taxi Driver” and Annabel Andrews, “Freaky Friday” Most Recent Role: Penelope Longstreet, “Carnage” (2011) Currently Active: Yes     Brooke Shields Alma Mater: Princeton University, Graduated 1987 Degree in: French Literature Best Known Role: Emmeline Lestrange, “The Blue Lagoon” Most Recent Role: Joan Brown, “The Greening of Whitney Brown” (2011) Currently Active: Yes     Jerry O’Connell Alma Mater: NYU, Graduated 1994 Degree in: Film Best Known Role: Vern Tessio, “Stand by Me” Most Recent Role: Pete Kaczmarek, “The Defenders” (2011) Currently Active: Yes     Danica McKellar Alma Mater: UCLA, Graduated 1998 Degree in: Mathematics Best Known Role: Winnie Cooper, “The Wonder Years” Most Recent Role: M’gann M’orzz, “Young Justice” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Josh Saviano Alma Mater: Yale University, Graduated 1998 Degree in: Political Science Best Known Role: Paul Pfeiffer, “The Wonder Years” Most Recent Role: Paul Pfeiffer, “The Wonder Years” (1993) Currently Active: No     Joey Lawrence Alma Mater: USC, Graduated 1998 Best Known Role: Joey Donovan, “Gimme a Break!” and Donnie Russo, “Blossom” Most Recent Role: Joe Longo, “Melissa & Joey” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Fred Savage Alma Mater: Stanford University, Graduated 1999 Degree in: English Literature Best Known Role: Kevin Arnold, “The Wonder Years” Most Recent Role: Generator Rex (2012) Currently Active: Yes, Primarily as a Director     Charlie Korsmo Alma Mater: MIT, Graduated 2000 Degree in: Physics Further Education: Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School in 2006 Best Known Role: Jack “Jackie” Banning, “Hook” Most Recent Role: William Lichter, “Can’t Hardly Wait” Currently Active: No     Tia Mowry Alma Mater: Pepperdine University, Graduated Early 2000’s Degree in: Psychology Best Known Role: Tia Landry, “Sister, Sister” Most Recent Role: Melanie Barnett, “The Game” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Tamera Mowry Alma Mater: Pepperdine University, Graduated Early 2000’s Degree in: Psychology Best Known Role: Tamera Landry, “Sister, Sister” Most Recent Role: Lourdes, “Things We Do For Love” (2011) Currently Active: Yes     Jaleel White Alma Mater: UCLA, Graduated 2001 Degree in: Film and Television Best Known Role: Steve Urkel, “Family Matters” Most Recent Role: Host of “Total Blackout” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Anna Chlumsky Alma Mater: University of Chicago, Graduated 2002 Degree in: International Studies Best Known Role: Vada Margaret Sultenfuss, “My Girl” Most Recent Role: Amy Brookheimer, “Veep” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Tatyana Ali Alma Mater: Harvard University, Graduated 2002 Degree in: Afro-American History and Government Best Known Role: Ashley Banks, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” Most Recent Role: Roxanne, “The Young and the Restless” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Natalie Portman Alma Mater: Harvard University, Graduated 2003 Degree in: Psychology Best Known Role:  Queen Amidala, “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” Most Recent Role: Jane Foster, “Thor” (2011) Currently Active: Yes     Ben Savage Alma Mater: Stanford University, Graduated 2004 Degree in: Political Science Best Known Role: Corey Matthews, “Boy Meets World” Most Recent Role: Carl, “Lake Effects” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Rider Strong Alma Mater: Columbia University, Graduated 2004 Degree in: English Further Education: Master of Fine Arts in 2009 from Bennington College Best Known Role: Shawn Hunter, “Boy Meets World” Most Recent Role: Kieran, “The Penthouse” (2010) Currently Active: Yes     Larisa Oleynik Alma Mater: Sarah Lawrence College, Graduated 2004 Best Known Role: Alex Mack, “The Secret World of Alex Mack,” and Bianca Stratford, “10 Things I Hate About You” Most Recent Role: Guest Star Arc on Season 5 of “Mad Men” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Lee Thompson Young Alma Mater: USC, Graduated 2005 Degree in: Film and Television Production Best Known Role: Jett Jackson, “The Famous Jett Jackson” Most Recent Role: Detective Barry Frost, “Rizzoli & Isles” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     David Gallagher Alma Mater: USC, Graduated 2007 Degree in: Film and Television Best Known Role: Simon Camden, “7^th Heaven” Most Recent Role: Guest Star on Season 12 of “CSI” (2012) Currently Active: Yes     Mara Wilson Alma Mater: NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Graduated 2009 Best Known Role: Matilda, “Matilda” Most Recent Role: Lily, “Thomas and the Magic Railroad” (2000) Currently Active: No     Jonathan Taylor Thomas Alma Mater: Columbia University, Graduated in 2010 Previous College: Enrolled at Harvard University, but didn’t complete his four years there Best Known Role: Randy Taylor, “Home Improvement” Most Recent Role: Guest Star on Season 1 of “Veronica Mars” (2005) Currently Active: No     Currently Enrolled in College: Dakota Fanning (NYU), Miranda Cosgrove (USC), Tahj Mowry (Pepperdine University, part time)   Non-Graduates That Went to College: Claire Danes dropped out of Yale University after 2 years. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen both withdrew from NYU after 1 year. Anna Paquin took a leave of absence from Columbia University. Joseph Gordon-Levitt dropped out of Columbia University after 2 years to return to acting. Ron Howard attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts but did not graduate. Emma Watson attended Brown University but left due to her fame. Underdetermined whether or not she will return to any university in the future.