In a lot of households, parents are wary of their children pursuing careers in the performing arts because of the limited chances of success. For Ashley Judd, the reserve was true. She comes from a whole family of successful actors and singers. When you take that into account, her educational career could almost be seen as an act of rebellion.
Judd is probably one of the most educated actors in the world. While at the University of Kentucky, she completed a major in French, and also obtained minors in Women's Studies, Art, Theater and Anthropology. She then moved on to Harvard to study law, where she received the Dean's Scholar Award for her work along the lines of law and justice where it relates to gender violence. She may not have pursued a career in law, but her interests may explain why she's always maintained an interest in humanitarian and political causes alongside her career.