very little about her, but have jumped to more ignorant conclusions: "Gaga (born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta) learned to play the piano (by ear) by the age of four. At the age of 11, she was accepted to the Juilliard School in Manhattan (regarded as one of the leading music conservatories in the world, where only the very best reportedly get in, usually by audition, not grades), but instead attended a private Catholic school in the city. She continued studying music and performing, writing her first piano ballad at the age of 13 and holding her first performance at the age of 14 in a New York nightclub. The self-dubbed "Lady Gaga" (she has attributed the inspiration for her name to the Queen song, "Radio Ga-Ga") was granted early admission to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts at the age of 17 - one of only 20 students in the world to receive the honor of early acceptance." ( www.biography.com ) In some opinions that is a better school than Juilliard because it has great academics along with (arguably) the best performing arts program in the country. "It prepared her for her future career focus in "music, art, sex and celebrity" where, in addition to sharpening her songwriting skills, she composed essays and analytical papers on art, religion, social issues and politics, including a thesis on pop artists Spencer Tunick and Damien Hirst." (Wikipedia) So she was doing those things at uni, at 17 and stayed there till