This episode of College Hill: Celebrity Edition Season 3 was likely my favorite so far. It had a unique feel-good vibe, aside from a few moments. The celebrities received their midterm grades, which added a lot of intrigue and unexpected twists. I believe it was an excellent setup for the final episodes of the season, especially as the celebrities approach the final stage of their interdisciplinary studies program at Xavier University of Louisiana.

The Build Better Lives Act of 2024  (BBL)

It was fascinating to watch the celebrities come together in the political science class. This demonstrated that the task wasn't as difficult as they initially perceived. Their presentation, in my opinion, was impressive and well-founded. The bill, titled the “Build Better Lives Act of 2024” (BBL Act), struck me as somewhat unserious. I especially commend Karlous Miller and all the celebrities for managing to keep a straight face at the title. Nevertheless, I applaud them for successfully completing the project.

Clearly, it significantly impacted their grades as they managed to perform well in political science. Although there were technically only two assignments—the policy brief and the bill presentation to the congressman—the final exam greatly boosted their performance, despite initially struggling as a team. Interestingly, Karlos Miller, who was quite adversarial towards Dr. Frazier at the beginning of the season, ended up proposing ideas in that initial discussion which ultimately formed the basis of their proposal to the congressman.

During the initial debate on whether American citizens should help combat homelessness, Karlous suggested taxing luxury items like boats, expensive cars, and cigarettes. This idea was included in the presentation and proved to be quite feasible. Karlous's contributions were invaluable to the team during this assignment, which is why I was perplexed by his behavior at the beginning of the season.

But, what was more perplexing was Karlous's midterm grades.

Karlous Miller being the top student at midterms is unexpected

At this stage of the show, Karlous Miller stands out as the top student with an impressive 3.5 GPA among the six celebrities. Claudia Jordan, as anticipated, is tied for second place with Tamar Braxton, both holding a 3.25 GPA. Tamar Braxton's performance was a delightful surprise, as I initially pegged her for a middle-of-the-pack position, possibly in the top three but not at the very top. Her tie with Claudia for second place was unexpected and intriguing. However, Karlous Miller's 3.5 GPA was even more surprising, considering his frequent complaints about the workload and his behavior in the Political Science class. According to the preview for next week, it seems Karlous is still voicing his dissatisfaction.

But I can understand why he did get the mid-term grade that he got, because he did pull it through with the homelessness bill, his Mardi Gras presentation was amazing and he was very engaged in the Philosophy course from the very beginning. Even though Karlous and Nick lost the final exam debate, I think Karlous presented a very sound argument.

Rather than focusing the story on Saucy Santana and his comeback tale—his redemption arc of initially not caring about college, only to perhaps start caring due to a music class—we should highlight Kalous Miller's redemption arc. Kalous's story is inherently more redeemable than whatever Saucy is attempting to achieve on this show.

Saucy Santana is lucky

Saucy Santana has been quite fortunate. Throughout the entire season, he has shown disrespect towards Dr. Stewart, frequently skipping class in favor of partying, and then sleeping during the day.

His overall GPA is 0.75, which is better than I anticipated. I thought he might be the first student to earn a 0.0. It's surprising that he passed political science despite frequently skipping classes and even sleeping during the ones he attended. Additionally, earning a D in philosophy is quite remarkable, especially considering that, based on what we've seen in the show, he barely attended either philosophy or political science classes and, when he did, we didn't see a lot of footage of him participating.

He completely missed the Mardi Gras class and all the field trips, except for one to the Covenant House. That trip was particularly memorable as he had a meaningful interaction with one of the young residents. Given this, awarding him a 0.75 is quite generous.

When they informed him about his grades, he didn't care at all. It was evident that he was indifferent to his academic performance. Honestly, he could not have cared less about this experience, which is something I won't dwell on for yet another week in this recap.

But, I have to say this once again. For the upcoming seasons of the show, it's essential to recruit celebrities who are genuinely interested in participating and fully aware of the workload involved. Many join the program without understanding its demands. They must acknowledge that they are non-traditional adult learners. Whether they are 24, 25, 26, or even 40, 50, or 60 years old, they need to accept that their collegiate experience, especially in an accelerated program, will differ significantly from that of an 18-year-old freshman. This reality applies to any HBCU they film at in later seasons.

I thought that Saucy would care a bit about looking unserious on TV, but Angela White had the reaction of the show over her mid-term scores.

Angela White crashed out over her midterm grades

In my approximately 22-year educational journey, Angela is the only person I've ever seen get upset about having a 2.7 GPA. I understand she expected it to be higher, but she's still passing her classes. As we often say in college, especially for core classes, “C's get degrees.” However, we approach our major-specific courses differently, as they are crucial for preparing us for the workforce.

Angela must be honest with herself; she wasn't very active in some classes due to being extremely shy and quiet, reluctant to share her experiences. She even left her applied media class when they had an assignment about the legacy they wanted to leave. In an accelerated course like this, such behavior will work against her, as it doesn't allow room for growth within the program. In a full semester from August to December, for instance, starting slow can be manageable if the professor provides guidance. However, in a condensed format, there's little leeway for a slow start.

If Angela was this upset, I would expect her to focus more and not let the antics of the other cast members distract her. When they decide to go out and party, she should stay in! Unlike Saucy Santana, who clearly doesn't care about the situation, it's evident that Angela does.

BI genuinely believe that Angela took it too far. I understand her frustration because perfectionism is real. She puts immense pressure on herself to succeed, and falling short of that goal can cause significant mental distress. I completely relate to her, and she's one of my favorite castmates. However, I firmly believe that Angela went overboard. And I think once she woke up after her crash out. I think she understood that she was tripping.

I believe Angela had the opportunity to focus, improve, and raise her grades. She has been present and performing well, but now it's time for her to step out of her shell. With upcoming classes and final exams, she needs to awaken her potential, push herself, and ensure she handles her responsibilities.

Looking Ahead

But it seems as if College Hill: Celebrity Edition Season 3 is drawing to a close. Next week, it appears that the narrative will again focus on Saucy Santana, who is committed to excelling in his music class. Dr. Peyton Stewart will also have a conversation with him about participating in the program. However, it seems that Santana is reluctant to engage with Dr. Stewart, which could lead to some tension in the upcoming episode. I'm eager to see how this situation unfolds and how these celebrities navigate the rest of their HBCU experience. We're nearing the end of the journey, and I'm excited to see the final outcomes, especially who will eventually be at the top of the class as this year's valedictorian.

College Hill: Celebrity Edition Season 3 is available now on BET+.