Celebrity Kids Leaving for College in 2022 and 2023

Ree Drummond's Son, Todd

In January 2023, the Pioneer Woman saw her son off at the University of South Dakota, where he will continue his football career with the Coyotes.

In a post shared on her Instagram Story, Drummond posed for a selfie in a car, as Todd could be seen behind her in a red University of South Dakota shirt.

"Made it to SD yesterday," she wrote with the snapshot. "GO YOTES! (and go Todd)."

Todd is the last of Drummond's five children to leave for college. Her daughters Alex, 25, and Paige, 23, have already graduated and moved on to their careers, while her son Bryce, 20, and foster son Jamar, 20, are still attending and playing football.

Mark Wahlberg and Rhea Durham's Daughter, Ella

Rhea Durham, model and wife of Mark Wahlberg, shared a solemn selfie from her seat on a plane on Instagram in January, reflecting on dropping their daughter Ella Rae, 19, off at college.

"On my way home from my first college drop off," the mom of four wrote. "The emotions are running wild. 😞🥹😊😵‍💫."

The teen's Instagram indicates she's chosen South Carolina's Clemson to earn her degree.

The Netherlands' Princess Amalia

Princess Amalia, 18, set off for her first day at the University of Amsterdam. The Netherlands' someday sovereign intends to study Politics, Psychology, Economics and Law in her country's capital, earning her degree before taking on full royal duties.

Leah Remini's Daughter, Sofia

Remini shared a throwback photo with her daughter, Sofia, along with a candid caption unpacking the emotional ebb-and-flow experienced during the college drop-off process.

The PEOPLE Puzzler host called saying goodbye "the most excruciatingly painful and proudest moment of my life." She attributed her only source of comfort to "other parents at Target who bonded with me over our mutual pain and pride."

"My heart goes out to all the parents and caretakers who might be going through this bittersweet journey," the mother-of-one wrote, ending with hope that her nest won't be empty for too long. "The good news is, Thanksgiving is in 83 days…"

Heather Dubrow's Twins, Max and Nick

Dubrow's back-to-school tour started with her son Nick, who just joined Loyola Marymount University's freshman class. The Real Housewives of Orange County star shared a few moments from the send-off, including photos of his neatly organized dorm room.

For her next goodbye, Dubrow headed east to move Max (Nick's twin sister) into the halls of Tufts University. The actress posted pictures of her daughter's new digs, complete with a plush pineapple that matches the one shown on Nick's dorm room bed.

Kate Hudson's Son, Ryder

Kate Hudson shared the relatable mom moment of trying to get your kid all set up for school — when all they want is to get their college experience started. "Comforter, check. Hamper, check. Pillow, check. Bye mom!" she captioned a shot of her and her eldest son shopping for the bare necessities.

"I begged him to get more… I guess he's a minimalist," Hudson added.

Joanna and Chip Gaines' Son, Drake

In a personal essay written for Magnolia Journal, Joanna Gaines explored the complex emotions surrounding her son's collegiate departure.

"In the grand scheme of heartbreaking things, this one comes with a lot of gratitude and excitement," the Fixer Upper host wrote, acknowledging still the feelings of loss that accompany a child moving away.

Drake Gaines, 17, has stayed out of the public eye in more recent years (this group photo is from 2018), but in his earlier teen years he frequented his parent's Instagrams and even appeared on their HGTV show.

Brooke Shields' Daughter, Rowan

When Shields' 19-year-old left for her second year of college, the actress took to Instagram to share the heavy emotions of saying goodbye.

The Endless Love actress explained that it would have been "too painful" to drive away from Rowan's campus once again, hence why she didn't join for drop off this year.

"It's so hard, I miss her already," Shields admitted. "Our babies. This is what you want. You raise them so that they leave you."

Deborah Roberts and Al Roker's Son, Nick

"Saturday sigh…college dorm shopping," ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts wrote alongside a selfie of herself and her son, whom she shares with Today anchor Al Roker, in Target. "XL twin sheets. A fan. A lamp! It's truly happening."

His parents proudly expressed their delight when Nick, 19, was accepted to a university. On The View, Roberts shared that her son "has been dealing with learning disabilities, developmental disabilities" throughout his lifetime.

"So very very proud of my #collegebound young man. #congratulations," Roker captioned an Instagram video of his son announcing he'd been accepted to two colleges last December.

Heidi Klum's Daughter, Leni

The America's Got Talent host has plenty of admiration for her college-bound daughter, Leni. Speaking on the Today show in June, Klum shared that her 18-year-old daughter was accepted to the "school she always wanted to go to."

Leni will attend college in New York City, and even though she's been pursuing a modeling career for the last year, "college is on top of the list," said Mom in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "It's not modeling and she's really excited for that next chapter in her life."

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's Daughter, Zahara

Zahara Jolie-Pitt is moving to Atlanta to attend Spelman College — and her parents couldn't be prouder.

The Academy Award-winning actress put her Spelman spirit on full display when dropping off her 17-year-old daughter at the historically Black college for women. She posted a group shot of Zahara and her "Spelman sisters," posed for a picture alongside Vice President for Student Affairs, Darryl Holloman, and was even seen dancing the Electric Slide at a Spelman event.

In an interview at the July 2022 Bullet Train premiere, Pitt told PEOPLE that his daughter's next step was "really beautiful."

Ant Anstead's Daughter, Amelie

The results are in: Amelie Anstead, 18, is headed to university. Celebrity IOU: Joyride star Ant happily shared his daughter's winning A-level exam results, which have earned her an offer from her top choice school.

Millie Bobby Brown

In a recent interview with Allure, the Enola Holmes 2 star revealed that she is enrolled at Purdue University, where she takes online courses studying "human services." Despite her college-ready age, the 18-year-old stands out from her classmates by juggling university with her upcoming work on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.

Noah Schnapp

The Stranger Things actor posted a wholesome video of himself and his family reacting to good news on the college acceptance front last December. Per the caption on his TikTok, Schnapp is joining the class of 2026 at the University of Pennsylvania.