She attended Lowell High School and was named the SFUSD High School Poet Laureate in 2005.

Before her acting career took off, Rita was on a starkly different path:

She graduated from Duke University with a degree in psychology while on a pre-medical track, initially intending to become a surgeon. Career Highlights

While her parents initially hoped she would pursue a traditional "stable" profession, Rita's love for performance—sparked by a modeling scout and student films—led her to Hollywood. Q&A With Carter Covington, Showrunner of MTV's 'Faking It'