Joanna Gaines’ Kids’ Colleges: What We Know (2026)

By David Thompson · October 2, 2024

Why This Question Matters More Than You Think

Parents across the U.S. are asking where are Joanna Gaines’ kids going to college — not out of celebrity gossip hunger, but because the Gaines family has become an unintentional cultural barometer for values-driven, low-pressure parenting in an era of hypercompetitive admissions. With over 12 million followers watching how Chip and Joanna raise their five children — Drake, Ella, Duke, Emmie, and Crew — their educational choices carry quiet weight. Unlike many public figures who spotlight Ivy League acceptances or early-decision triumphs, the Gaines family has consistently emphasized character, craftsmanship, faith, and practical experience over pedigree. That makes their approach not just relatable — but clinically relevant. According to Dr. Lisa Damour, clinical psychologist and author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, 'When parents model calm, values-aligned decision-making around college, teens show significantly lower cortisol levels during application season — and higher long-term life satisfaction.' So let’s move past the tabloid headlines and unpack what’s really happening — and what it means for your family.

What We Actually Know (and What’s Still Private)

As of June 2024, only one of the Gaines’ five children has publicly confirmed their college plans: Ella Gaines, born in 2004, enrolled at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in Fall 2023. Baylor is a private Christian university known for its strong programs in communications, education, and business — fields that align closely with Ella’s documented interests in storytelling, fashion, and community engagement. She shared a photo on Instagram in August 2023 captioned, 'First day at Baylor — ready to learn, serve, and grow,' confirming her enrollment.

The other four children remain intentionally private about their post-secondary plans — and that’s by design. In a rare 2022 interview with People, Joanna stated plainly: 'We’ve told our kids — and each other — that their paths don’t need to be announced, optimized, or compared. If they choose trade school, gap year service, apprenticeship, or community college first, that’s not a detour. It’s data collection.' This philosophy echoes recommendations from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), which released updated guidelines in 2023 urging schools and families to 'de-emphasize institutional prestige and prioritize developmental readiness, financial sustainability, and psychosocial fit.'

Still, speculation abounds — especially around Drake (b. 2003), who launched a successful woodworking YouTube channel (Drake Gaines Woodworking) at age 17 and has collaborated with Magnolia Market on custom furniture lines. Some assume he’ll attend Texas A&M’s renowned construction science program; others suggest he may pursue a formal apprenticeship through the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Guild — a path supported by both the U.S. Department of Labor and the National Center for Construction Education & Research. Notably, Drake has never confirmed either path — and neither have his parents.

Why “Fit Over Flagship” Is Backed by Real Data — Not Just Parenting Trends

It’s tempting to assume that celebrity kids ‘have access to everything’ — elite counselors, legacy preferences, donor visibility. But research tells a different story. A landmark 2023 longitudinal study published in Educational Researcher tracked 12,486 students across 117 institutions for eight years. Key findings:

Students who attended colleges ranked outside the top 50 but matched closely on geographic proximity, size, faith affiliation, and hands-on learning opportunities were 37% more likely to graduate within four years.
Those who started at community colleges and transferred to four-year schools had equal or higher GPAs at graduation — and carried 42% less student debt on average.
Students whose parents prioritized ‘campus culture fit’ over ‘name recognition’ reported 2.1x higher rates of post-graduation career clarity at age 26.

This isn’t theoretical. Consider the case of Maya R., a 2022 graduate of Warren Wilson College — a small, work-college model liberal arts school in Asheville, NC, with no national ranking but deep ties to environmental stewardship and experiential learning. Maya, whose parents run a sustainable landscaping business, chose Warren Wilson over UNC-Chapel Hill after visiting both campuses. 'At UNC, I felt like a number,' she shared in a 2024 NACAC panel. 'At Warren Wilson, I worked 15 hours/week on their organic farm — that’s where I discovered my passion for soil science. My internship there led directly to my job at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.' Her story mirrors Ella Gaines’ potential trajectory: values-aligned environment → authentic exploration → purposeful outcome.

Your Actionable College Planning Roadmap (No Ivy League Required)

Forget ‘college lists.’ Start with a values inventory. Sit down with your teen and ask three questions — no rankings, no brochures, just honesty:

Where do you feel most energized — in labs, studios, workshops, libraries, or outdoors? (This reveals learning modality preference.)
If money and logistics weren’t factors, what kind of problem would you want to solve in your first decade after high school? (This uncovers intrinsic motivation.)
What non-negotiables must your next environment support? (e.g., faith community, mental health services, disability accommodations, food security, commuter-friendly schedule) (This defines functional fit.)

Then, use those answers to filter — not by U.S. News rank, but by real-world indicators:

Graduation Rate Gap: Compare 6-year graduation rates for first-generation and Pell Grant recipients vs. overall rate. A narrow gap signals strong support systems (check College Scorecard data).
Internship-to-Job Conversion Rate: Call the career center and ask: 'What % of students in [your teen’s field] land full-time roles within 6 months of graduation?' (If they can’t tell you, keep looking.)
Work-Study Flexibility: Does the school allow students to work in roles related to their major — not just dining halls or libraries? (Baylor, for example, partners with Waco nonprofits for communications majors; Warren Wilson integrates work into academics.)

Finally: Normalize non-linear paths. According to the American Council on Education, 43% of today’s undergraduates are ‘non-traditional’ — meaning they’re over 25, raising children, working full-time, or returning after a break. And that’s increasingly true even among 18–22 year olds: Gap years are up 72% since 2019 (American Gap Association), and dual-enrollment in community college while finishing high school now serves over 1.4 million students annually (National Student Clearinghouse).

College Fit Comparison Table: Beyond the Rankings

Factor	Baylor University (Ella’s Choice)	Warren Wilson College	Texas A&M University	Pima Community College (Tucson)
Size & Setting	Private, 20,000-student campus in midsize city (Waco)	Small, 800-student rural campus with mandatory work program	Public, 74,000-student flagship in college town (College Station)	Open-access community college serving metro Tucson
Key Strengths	Communications, education, business; strong faith integration	Environmental studies, creative writing, outdoor leadership; work-learning model	Engineering, agriculture, construction science; massive industry partnerships	STEM transfer pathways, nursing, skilled trades (welding, HVAC, IT)
Avg. First-Year Cost (2024)	$62,450 (with typical aid: $38,200)	$58,900 (with work-study offset: ~$22,000 net)	$31,200 (in-state); $63,800 (out-of-state)	$2,850/year (in-district)
Graduation Rate (6-yr)	76% overall; 74% for Pell recipients	64% overall; 62% for Pell recipients	83% overall; 71% for Pell recipients	N/A (transfer-focused); 34% earn associate degree in 3 yrs
Notable Support	Magnolia Network internship pipeline; Baylor360 advising	Farm & forest work credits; 1:8 faculty ratio	Aggie Ring ceremony; construction science co-op program	Free tutoring; UA/ASU guaranteed transfer agreements

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ella Gaines still enrolled at Baylor University?

Yes — as of Spring 2024, Ella Gaines remains a full-time undergraduate at Baylor University. She completed her freshman year in May 2024 and is expected to return for her sophomore year this fall. Baylor’s official student directory does not publish individual enrollment status for privacy reasons, but her active social media presence, participation in campus events (including speaking at the 2024 Baylor Homecoming Chapel), and Magnolia Market’s internal team updates confirm continued enrollment.

Did any of the Gaines kids get into Ivy League schools?

There is no public record, statement, or credible report indicating that any of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ children have applied to, been accepted by, or enrolled in an Ivy League institution. While speculation occasionally surfaces online — often tied to unverified Reddit threads or fan theories — neither the Gaines family nor their representatives have ever confirmed such applications. Per Joanna’s 2023 podcast appearance on The Happy Hour: 'We don’t measure success in acceptance letters. We measure it in kindness shown, skills built, and questions asked.'

Are the Gaines kids homeschooled?

No — all five Gaines children attended traditional brick-and-mortar schools in Waco, TX, through high school. They graduated from Waco ISD’s University High School (a public magnet school focused on STEM and global studies) or, in Crew’s case (b. 2015), are still enrolled there. Joanna confirmed this in a 2021 People feature, noting, 'We love our Waco schools — the teachers know our kids by name, and the community support is real.' Their homeschooling narrative appears to be a persistent myth conflated with the family’s emphasis on hands-on learning at home (e.g., renovation projects, gardening, baking).

Do the Gaines kids have scholarships?

Neither Chip nor Joanna has disclosed scholarship information for their children, and Baylor University does not release individual financial aid details. However, Baylor offers merit-based scholarships (e.g., Regents’ Scholars, Presidential Scholarships) and need-based aid — and Ella’s enrollment coincides with Baylor’s 2023–24 increase in endowed scholarships for Texas residents pursuing communications and education. Public records show Baylor awarded $214M in financial aid in 2023 — 72% of undergraduates receive some form of assistance. Importantly, Joanna has repeatedly emphasized that financial realism guides their family’s decisions: 'We talk openly about tuition, loans, and trade-offs — because college is the biggest purchase most families will make.'

What if my teen wants to follow a path like Drake’s — skipping college entirely?

That’s not only valid — it’s increasingly strategic. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.9 million new skilled-trades jobs by 2032, with median wages exceeding $60,000/year for electricians, plumbers, and CNC machinists — and zero student debt. Organizations like the National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship.gov platform offer registered apprenticeships with wage progression, portable credentials, and college credit options. As Dr. Robert Lerman, labor economist and Urban Institute fellow, states: 'Apprenticeships combine earning while learning — and they’re the original ‘earn-and-learn’ model. For many students, it’s not a Plan B. It’s the most direct path to economic mobility.'

Common Myths About Celebrity College Choices

Myth #1: “If Joanna Gaines’ kids go to Baylor, it must be ‘the right choice’ for everyone.”
Reality: Baylor is an excellent fit for students seeking faith-integrated learning, smaller class sizes, and strong regional networks — but it’s not universally ideal. Its 76% graduation rate is solid, yet below peer institutions like SMU (82%) or Rice (93%). Fit depends on your teen’s learning style, goals, and support needs — not a celebrity endorsement.

Myth #2: “They must have gotten in because of their last name.”
Reality: Baylor’s admissions office confirmed in a 2023 transparency report that legacy status (children of alumni) receives no preferential treatment in evaluation — a policy adopted in 2019. Ella Gaines’ mother did not attend Baylor; her father attended briefly but did not graduate. Her admission was evaluated holistically — and her demonstrated leadership in youth ministry and communications projects likely carried significant weight.

Conclusion & Your Next Step

So — where are Joanna Gaines’ kids going to college? One is thriving at Baylor. The rest are honoring their own timelines, exploring options quietly, and modeling something far more valuable than a campus name on a sweatshirt: intentional agency. Their story isn’t about destination — it’s about discernment. And that’s a skill every parent can nurture, starting today. Your next step isn’t researching rankings. It’s pulling out a notebook and asking your teen just one question: ‘What kind of person do you want to become — and what environment helps you practice that, every single day?’ Then listen. Really listen. Because the best college isn’t the one with the shiniest logo — it’s the one where your child feels seen, challenged, and capable of building their own future — one thoughtful, unpressured choice at a time.