In addition to her amazing talent as a singer-songwriter, a piano virtuoso, and top-selling performance artiste, Alicia Keyes is a gifted scholar.
Alicia Keys received a scholarship to attend the prestigious Ivy League Columbia University where she attended college for a month before dropping out. As a consequence, she did not graduate, thus did not receive a degree.
Alicia was accepted into University at the tender age of 16 after graduating high school two years early.
Academic Accomplishments
The consistently straight-A and gifted student graduated valedictorian from high school at 16 years old. She had attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan where she majored in Choir and started to compose music.
At the time Alicia was already a gifted piano player, having started taking lessons at seven years old.
It was as a result of these accomplishments that she was offered and accepted a full scholarship at Columbia University.
Short-Lived College Career
Alicia Keys enrolled program at Columbia University fresh out of high school. At the same time, she had just accepted a record deal from Columbia Records after inadvertently inciting a bidding war for her talents among several companies.
Alicia has stated that she kept up a grueling schedule – recording in the studio at night and attending classes during the day as a freshman at Columbia.
The stress of balancing a burgeoning music career and juggling college classes proved too big a feat for the busy teenager. After one month she dropped out.
According to Alicia, this was another case of choosing ”music over everything.” She discussed breaking the news to her mother that she was dropping out of university in an Oprah MasterClass in 2013.
Honorary Degree
There are many who believe that Alicia Keys deserves an honorary degree, similar to recognition Rihanna received from Harvard in 2017.
According to promoters of this sentiment, she is a generous philanthropist and has contributed significantly to the field of education, working with women for scholarships to earn STEM degrees.
Alicia Keys is an honorary member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; the honor bestowed upon her in 2004.
Why Pursue A College Education?
It is a frequent choice among celebrities to opt for their career over starting or continuing their college education.
The reasons are varied – distraction as a result of their celebrity status; the inability to keep a regular class schedule; or, difficulty with juggling a thriving career and college courses.
Some Hollywood stars like Natalie Portman, Angela Bassett, and James Franco defied the odds and graduated from Ivy League Schools with degrees ranging from Acting to Fine Arts.
At some point, these Hollywood elites were simultaneously students as well as actors, focusing on their education and expanding their acting careers.
Alicia Keys said in an interview with JET Magazine in 2001, “I think school is important and I want to definitely go back, even if I have to do an internet college course”.
Maybe Columbia hasn’t seen the last of the superstar just yet.