There’s been some speculation as to whether 17 year-old Miley Cyrus will put her career on hold in order to attend college. Miley’s dad Billy Ray went to Georgetown College in Kentucky on a basketball scholarship, but from what I can tell he never graduated. I can’t find any information on whether her mom, Tish, went to college, which makes me assume that she didn’t.
In December, 2008, Miley said she was interested in studying photography at an art school London, having been introduced to the field by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz. She said “That’s what I want to do with my life. I would love to be a photographer.” Around that same time, Miley also said she wanted her show Hannah Montana to last as long as possible, so it’s not like she hasn’t since changed her mind about her career and education.
We heard earlier this year that Brooke Shields, a Princeton graduate, was trying to get Miley to consider college to broaden her horizons. Brooke knows Miley after doing some cameos as Miley’s deceased mom on Hannah Montana.
All of Brooke’s efforts have probably been for naught, though. Miley told a radio station that she’s not going to bother going to college at this point. She noted that she had plenty of time as her grandmother went back to college at 62. The girl is 17 and has no clue what she’s going to be missing. College is not the same even 5-10 years later, although maybe if she waited until she was 22 she would take it more seriously.
Don’t expect to see Miley Cyrus scouting any college campuses this summer.
“My sister went to MTSU in Nashville, so I’d probably want to be there with all my friends, but I’m not gonna go to college right now,” Cyrus, 17, told Q100’s Bert Show Monday morning. “I am a firm believer that you can go back at any age you want, because my grandma went back to college at 62 years old.”
The “Can’t Be Tamed” singer is growing up in more ways than one, even if her critics still see her as a little girl.
“No one ever wants to see someone grow up,” she complains. “It’s like when Hilary Duff started growing up off the Disney Channel. Everyone thought she was anorexic and she did this and that. It’s just because she grew up! She didn’t look like a 12-year-old anymore.”
And though she’s beginning to step out of Hannah Montana’s shadow, Cyrus doesn’t understand the controversy surrounding her latest music video (in which she wears a $25,000 corset).
“My song is clearly about breaking free and being out of a cage and being able to be truly who you are,” Cyrus says. “If you see Hannah Montana through that, or are mad because you don’t, turn on Disney Channel. That’s where my show is. My show is still on the air. I’m not done doing Hannah Montana…your true fans are gonna love the artist when they express themselves.”
Two men who aren’t sad to see her grow up? Current boyfriend Liam Hemsworth and singer Justin Bieber.
“I have my travel-size boyfriend [Bieber] and I have my oversized security boyfriend [Hemsworth],” she jokes of the young men. “It’s perfect!
[From US Weekly]
Miley was recently spotted in a red polka dot bikini on the beach in Mexico with her dad. (We don’t have the rights to those photos, but you can see them here.) She’s currently on a world tour promoting her album, so it’s not like she has a lot of time to go to college even if she was interested. Do you think Miley’s parents and handlers would even support her taking four years off to study? She’s making money for them hand over fist and in four years she’ll be old news. I bet that everyone around her is telling her that she doesn’t need to go to school because they need her to keep working in order to keep their jobs.
Miley is shown on 5/22/10 out with her friend, Mandy. Credit: Riv/Fame Pictures
She’s not a Jodie Foster and taking 4 years off right now would probably end her career. I don’t think waiting is that terrible of an idea.
I am a big believer in education, having obtained my own degree at age 35. But, I hate to say it-she’s already a millionaire many times over. it’s not like she has to prepare for a career. While it would do her a lot of good to get a college education, I can understand her saying no to that right now. She won’t be this famous forever. Might as well rake in the fortune while she can, and worry about higher education later.
Agreed. LA’s fickle. Enjoy your 15 minutes while they last.
She has time. Her career will b short lived. She really can not “act” beyond the Disney channel stuff. And her music career will fizzle.
The girl has been working plus going to school for years, so I can understand wanting to skip college for now while she can still bring in the bucks. Just hope she doesn’t go the Lindsay Lohan route, but her parents do seem to give her freedom while being nearby with guidance and support.
Think there is no prob with going to college later on – sometimes its more beneficial as you know what you want and really go to study not just party – which Miley is most likely doing anyhow.
What could this hick possibly get out of college?
Can she even get into a college? She doesn’t seem very bright
College isn’t for everybody. She’s got a trade. I’m a big believer in the value of trades.
At some point if she wants college, that door will always be open.
Her career won’t last that too long(at least not the singing side) so she can go after that.
When you look at the young actresses who successfully took off a few years to go to college, and then transitioned to adult roles (I’m thinking Jodie Foster, Natalie Portman, Emma Watson, and I’m sure there are more), they all seem to have possessed, even at 17, a maturity and innate intelligence that Miley does not.
She’s already earned enough money to comfortably support herself, so college won’t be necessary for survival/employment purposes. It would be an experience undertaken solely to broaden her horizons, understanding of the world, and intellectual pursuits.
Miley ain’t the type to see college as a goal in and of itself- she’s got a very small window to prove she’s more than Disney (Hillary Duff is a great example, a young woman who is famous for being engaged at this point).
I am still waiting for the surprise…
I can’t speak for Miley, but if I was in her shoes, money wise or even if I had a financial windfall now, I’m not so sure I would bother with college. Bill Gates dropped out, as have others.
I go to college just to get myself a better job, but it doesn’t mean that it’s fun all the time.
If anyone in La-la land could use a good dose of education, it would be this girl, and fortunately she would have the cash to buy her way in! Did she even get a GED, or anything? She always sounds like such an idiot when she speaks- that is if you can understand her over the gum chomping.
Wow. What a shocker.
Going to college requires alot of dedication. Which most teens don’t seem to grasp till year 4 and they are still classified as a Sophomore.
Thank goodness College is not the end all be all of finding a career path now for girls.
Maybe 40 years ago it was the only true option for a girl to get ahead.
Now there are so many options for girls to find their niche and prosper.
But I would stress everyone should always take and pass a basic accounting course. Even if it’s a Summer school course at the local Jr. College.
Of all the crap that High School pushes, the basic understanding of how to manage your cash is never high on the list of things, all teens should know.
I spent many years in the financial world. I was always stunned how many over educated individuals can not understand how to read and comprehend a contract. From buying a car to a house. No grasp about about how to figure interest. And why you should pay off a car in 3 years instead of 5.
So my advice for Miley, is to haul her butt down to the local community college and sign up for that summer school course. That way it will make it harder for everyone to steal from her.
Strike while the iron is hot, baby. School – later on, when Noah is whoring herself.
Good advice, Hautie!
Great points Hautie! that is exactly where education fails so badly! People have no idea how to open a simple bank account, but they have to know algebra to graduate from HS. I spent 3 years in college to eventually drop out because it was not for me. I went because that’s what people are told to do after HS. That is not true at all.
Yeah – no rush on the college thing – if she goes at all. You can be educated without a college degree, and she’s a multi-millionaire, so doesn’t need help getting a job. And I’m speaking as a woman with her masters.
I’m big on education but her time is now and this chance won’t come again. Her act won’t be cute much longer, so now’s the time to capitalize.
She’s got MILLIONS in the bank and i’m sure she’ll keep findin gigs. Somehow i think she’ll be okay.
College would be a big waste of time and loss of income for her right now. As long as she has her high school diploma for now. She should try and improve her brain though, start reading some good books and elevate herself with knowledge. She doesn’t have to go to college to improve her mind.
I think she will be one that fades away after Hannah Montana ends. Might as well milk it now and in a few years when she is Miley Who, go to college then.
Of COURSE she’s not! She wouldn’t be representing the white trash set if she went to college. She’d probably alienate her fans if she tried to enrich her mind and get an edjumacation!
Someone should teach her how to talk, not look smutty, and stop posting inanities online. Oh, and stop grinding on old men. All things she could learn in the school of hard knocks, and not at Uni/college.
Yeah, she’s no Emma Watson, Natalie Portman, Brooke Shields or Jodie Foster.
She might as well keep milking the cash cow while she’s relevant and then when people get sick of hearing her buck-toothed squawking, she can either go to school and learn photography or she can try acting or something else.
She’s not going to be like other singers who can reinvent themselves over and over. Her window of opportunity is going to be limited to about ten years at best, I’d say.
“The girl is 17 and has no clue what she’s going to be missing. College is not the same even 5-10 years later, ”
Yeah, she’s missing a horribly expensive, glorified babysitter for millions of self-important man-children.
College, far to often, is just an excuse for lazy people not to grow up and be responsible for themselves.
I have so many mixed feelings about this… yes she needs to strike while the iron is hot, and yes Bill Gates didn’t finish college, but to be fair he is an exception to the rule and brilliant he is not the yardstick to measure others. But on the other hand, she will not be making this kind of money for long, if she educates herself and expands her mind it can only enhance her life and choices. If you work your mind your mind will work for you.
I have to agree with you, Devries. I was very immature when I finished high school and doubt that I would have done well in college if I’d gone right away. I was too busy partying and thinking that I was an adult to worry about education.
But, going back to school in my 30’s, I think I got much more out of it educationally. I mean, sure, I missed out on the keg stands and dorm parties and other troublemaking, but who needs that, right? I went to school, I studied, I maintained my job, home and marriage. That was quite enough. And I graduated with honors-NEVER would have happened if I’d gone when younger.
Talentless little fug-nugget is marching right down white trash row.
There are many, many stars who don’t/didn’t go to college. The consensus on the stories about Miley is that Miley is a buck-toothed beaver/horse hybrid who is only famous for her daddy. So why is everyone criticising her/caring for not going to college and going on about her “missing” something?
Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron, Shia LaBeouf, Carey Mulligan, Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfrid, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Emma Stone, Angelina Jolie, Hilary Duff, Taylor Kitch, Fergie, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Demi LovatoAshley Tisdale, None of the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez…
The list goes on and on. Would people care as much and criticise if this story was about one of them? Why is Miley so special and called out all the time for choosing to do what most people in her position do anyway?
In general, it seems like a good idea for child stars to slow down the career and get some normalcy back by going to college. A lot of them continue to work while going too, so it’s not like the career has to stop completely.
In Miley’s case, I don’t think she’s talented enough to sustain a long career once the teeny bopper stuff is done, so I guess I’m in the strike while the iron is hot camp for her. The problem will be if she doesn’t find a new direction, through college or otherwise, once that ends- that’s when you end up being an unhappy has been.
We dont mind seeing someone grow up we just dont like seeing young girls turn into media whores and sell their souls for fame which Miley HAS done. Go to college – get educated. Your 15 minutes will be up in a few yrs so save your $ and get an education.
Actually, Billy Ray went to college on a baseball scholarship.
“Miley Cyrus says she’s not going to college.” I’ll bet the colleges said the same thing.
She should really be looking for something outside of “acting” (and I use that term loosely). She’s not good enough to have a career once she outgrows Disney. Not every successful actress is talented, but they make up for it with looks. She doesn’t have the looks either. Her equine face is passably cute as a child because all children are cute, but it won’t work as an adult. Her career doesn’t have much time left.
Why is this news or shocking? Most celebrity kids don’t go to college. Miley is probably just coming down from the peak of her career. Who know where she will be one or two years from now nevermind four years. Grab all of the celebrity and money while you can.
@Hautie:
Your advice is priceless! Unfortunately, Miley probably won’t see its worth until she runs into financial trouble like so many celebrities do who don’t really understand how to manage their own money. As she matures, she’ll understand that she can’t trust everyone, especially where money is concerned. As far as her long term career prospects are concerned, a degree in Fine Arts with a major in writing, directing or acting, in general, would really help enhance her prospects. She may even want to consider studying music as a minor, too.
Does white trash ever go to college?
Haha, as if she’s smart enough to get into college!!! I feel vastly superior to her right now. I’m going to UCLA next year.
In 5 years she’ll own Hollywood, earning 2 billion per year now just in merchandise alone. Why bust yer balls for a college degree and earn a pittance from it.
She’s set, she doesn’t have to another bloody thing as long as she lives!
What’s up with the braces on her legs? Did I miss something? I think whoever urged her to release this “no college” decision was right to do so, as it’s widely assumed Cyrus couldn’t pass Basketweaving 101.
She isn’t missing a damn thing. College isn’t for every1.
Yes, I personally hate watching this girl grow up, but she does not have to do it the same way Xtina, and Britney and all the other ones do it. She should take notes on how Hillary Duff grew up in the public eye since she used her as an example….. I don’t want to see Miley grinding things, and wearing slutty clothes, I just don’t.
more people want to finish their studies because they want to become succesful someday have their own jobs and earn their own money but eventhough miley was so young i think she have already all that..
maybe she already have her own earnings that she can use to buy her needs and to help her family.. but education is important to everyone its the only thing that other people can’t get to us…
Miley Cryus aka Hannah Montana you took a beautiful bright amazing life and turned it in to nothing your life is drugs sex
and movies I liked you before but now your dead to me change back and don’t awes listen to everyone else be true to you self follow your heart in what’s right now your just horrible and a punk rock edit you don’t do good stuff don’t be a jerk do what’s best
Not to burst anyone’s bubble here, but since her fan base is huge, she’ll probably be famous for a while. Doesn’t matter if she’s a horrible actress or singer. Usually directors will just give the part of a movie because of your fans. she’ll not go away until another generation comes in. Also I didn’t like how put her grandma in to this. I mean, I know college is for everyone, regardless of age, but back there was no need for women to go to college. most women,like her grandmother, didn’t have any job opportunities back then besides being a housewife, a teacher and a secretary. The majority of women who went to college, back then, became housewives.