'19 Kids And Counting' Star Jana Duggar Reportedly Leaving TLC Show To Pursue College Education

After nine long seasons, it appears Jana Duggar may be ready to bid farewell to her family's “19 Kids and Counting” reality show. The 25-year-old is rumored to be seeking opportunities that don’t include the show or courtship, one of its big themes. According to OK! Magazine, Duggar hopes to use her time off-camera to further her education. Though she is licensed in midwifery, the source says she’s looking to further her education beyond delivering babies.

“Jana just turned 25, so she knows she needs to get on with her education if she doesn’t want to be stuck at her mom and dad’s house in Arkansas forever,” a source told OK!. “She told her parents that she was looking at Christian colleges and would be applying soon.”

Throughout most of the series, the eldest Duggar daughter has shouldered a lot of responsibility, acting as a part-time babysitter and seamstress to her ever-expanding family. According to reports, with sisters Jessa Seewald and Jill Dillard now out of the house building families of their own, Jana is tired of bearing so much of the child-rearing burden involving her younger siblings.

As expected, Duggar patriarch Jim Bob is not taking the news well. OK! Magazine claims he’s tried multiple times to change his daughter’s mind, with little luck. Despite Dad's best efforts, Jana is holding fast to her beliefs.

“This is probably the first time Jana has really stuck up for herself,” the insider revealed.

According to OK!’s source, Duggar is seizing the opportunity to get out before the tight-knit family grows any more. Although sister Jessa, who married longtime suitor Ben Seewald not long ago, has made public her plans plans to adopt, it does not appear that will be coming to fruition anytime soon. According to People magazine, the pair are busy adjusting to married life and being on their own. The 22-year-old recently announced Dillard, however, is just days away from giving birth to her first child, a son.

One thing Duggar won't be doing? Running off with her rumored boyfriend, former NFL player Tim Tebow. In fact, as of late February, Tebow's reps said the pair had never even met. Still, Duggar's newest brother-in-law, Ben, remains hopeful the two will connect, People reported.

Neither Duggar nor her family have addressed these rumors. “19 Kids and Counting” airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on TLC.