Bringing education-related news and trends to the forefront of the conversation.

Brad Womack

After a dramatic season of love and heartbreak, last night’s season finale of The Bachelor ended with the engagement of the show’s star Brad Womack and single mom Emily Maynard. Fans from across the country flooded Facebook and Twitter with status updates and tweets about their opinions on the proposal, the rejectee Chantal O’Brien and Texas bar owner Brad Womack.

Reality television has redefined the television star and given audiences new expectations of TV entertainment. How we see and view today’s celebrity is constantly evolving as more and more “everyday people” gain fame. While the shenanigans, outrageous moments and jaw-dropping dialogue of today’s Reality TV personalities keep us in awe, we can’t help but wonder who these people really are.

We here at UniversityDecisions.com are curious about all of the above. However, as higher education experts, our greatest wonder lies in the educational background of these characters. From The Bachelor to The Real Housewives to Bethenny Ever After to the slew of other Reality TV gems, we’ve investigated some of today’s most popular reality stars’ education backgrounds and where they got their start.

The Bachelor Brad Womack attended Texas State University but quit at the age of 19 to work in the oil fields. Womack later started working as a bartender before owning his own bars throughout Texas.

Bethenny Frankel

Bravolebrity Bethenny Frankel holds a culinary degree from the National Gourmet Cooking Institute in New York. Beyond starring in shows like The Apprentice, Real Housewives of New York and Bethenny Ever After, Frankel is a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur with empires in food and spirits, publishing and skincare.

The Apprentice bad-girl and well-known reality starlet Omarosa holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Central State University as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D in communications from Howard University. Besides multiple reality television roles, Omarosa has worked in the White House, provided business consulting for major corporations, and currently runs a fundraising, planning and consulting firm.

Tim Gunn

Project Runway icon Tim Gunn holds a bachelor’s degree in sculpture from The Corcoran College of Art + Design. The school has also awarded the loveable TV host an honorary doctoral degree. Gunn also worked as the Associate Dean for the New School for Design in New York City and was later named chair of the Department of Fashion Design.

So while conversation about reality television’s stars usually centers around their off-the-wall behavior, behind each of these crazy characters lies some unique life experiences. We at UniversityDecisions.com challenge you to research your favorite reality TV celebrity and share your finds about their education, lives and careers in the comment space below.

From beauty products and clothing lines to books and workout DVDs, the Kardashians have capitalized on the nation’s economy with their fame and business savvy. The girls along with mother/manager Kris Jenner have redefined what it means to be female celebrities and successful business women. Though often the BUTT of comedians’ and television hosts’ jokes, Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian can actually teach business majors and even business schools a thing or two about success.

1. Capitalize on Your Mistakes – We first heard about the Kardashian sisters when sister Kim’s home-made film with ex-boyfriend and singer Ray-J was leaked to the public. Instead of cowering behind her indiscretions, Kim capitalized on them. Kim made appearances on talk shows, late night television and radio stations. Ultimately, the negative press ended up being the catalyst for the Kardashian’s fame.

2. Always Invest in New Ventures – The Kardashian sisters have products in nearly every sector of the market. Their empire includes heath, fitness and beauty products; books and DVDs; clothing; televisions series and brand endorsements. The girls have been achieved such great success because they are willing to try their hands at a variety of businesses.

3. Know Your Market – Kim, Khloe and Kourtney know exactly who their audience and target their products and endorsements exactly to their demographics’ likes, interests and attitudes. With a demo of women approximately 16 to 25, the sisters focus on creating products around women’s favorite things fashion, beauty and entertainment.

The business lessons that can be learned from the Kardashians are vast and varied. Business schools may want to consider enhancing their curriculum with material dedicated to dissecting the Kardashian business model. It would certainly be an entertaining way to engage students.