"[Before going to college], I was a working actor in New York with prospects," Riegel said. "The reason I chose to go to Harvard in the first place is I have all of these other interests."

While at Harvard, Riegel has participated in a number of extra-curricular activities, including the all-female social organization the Seneca as well as the Pitches, an all-female a capella group. She served as president of the Pitches this year.

Riegel, a social studies concentrator, said she is not giving up her dream of going to law school.

"I'm not ruling anything out," she said.

And even though she won't be taking classes for the next few years, Riegel plans to maintain her Harvard social life.

"I'm going to be up [in Cambridge] all of the time," she said. "I'll get all of the parties and none of the work."

The staff of "All My Children" won't let Riegel forget her school either. The other day when she was getting made up, two of the other actors started talking.

"You know the two of us can't be the smartest any more," one said. "She went to Harvard."