Photos courtesy of The CW

Photos of Lauren Brie Harding from "America's Next Top Model." Harding says her favorite part of being on the show was learning a lot about the industry as a whole in such a short amount of time.

Photos of Lauren Brie Harding from "America's Next Top Model." Harding says her favorite part of being on the show was learning a lot about the industry as a whole in such a short amount of time.

Lauren Brie Harding says this photo — taken for an episode of "America's Next Top Model" — is one of her favorites. Host Tyra Banks said it was one of the top five model photos in the show's history.

At 21, Lauren Brie Harding can add reality show contestant and model to her resume. It's not something most soon-to-be college graduates can claim.

Harding, a senior in business marketing at Radford University and a Charlottesville native, was a contestant on this season's "America's Next Top Model." Of 14 contestants on the 11th cycle of the show, Harding was voted off seventh.

The finale is Wednesday on The CW network.

Settled back into school, Harding spoke about her experience.

Q: How did you get into modeling?

A: Well I first started modeling when I was 14, went up to New York on a family trip and kind of just dropped by two agencies. Elite in New York actually wanted to sign me, did a few test shoots and different things like that. ... Playing sports and being hit in the face with a basketball or elbowed in the face wasn't very conducive to going up there and modeling, so I had to choose between modeling and moving up to New York or just staying in Charlottesville and being a normal kid and playing high school sports and all that. I decided it wasn't really good timing at that point and I wanted to play basketball, so I chose that route instead. And then "Top Model" came along and it ended up being perfect timing because I'm graduating now.

Q: Tell me about the process of becoming a contestant on "America's Next Top Model."

A: Well, really I was thinking about going back into the industry, but I didn't know how to get started. And I was thinking "Top Model" is a great opportunity and a great way to build a portfolio fairly quickly with people who are huge in the industry. So I went online, looked up the requirements and made a video and filled out a long application, and it went on from there. ... I had to go to New York and do an audition there, kind of like when everyone else goes and you just go to an open call, that type of deal. And then I was selected from there to go to a different audition, and then I made it to the house and onto the show.

Q: What was your favorite part of being on the show?

A: My favorite part was just learning a lot about the industry as a whole in such a short amount of time, and particularly I liked getting my hair and makeup done. It was a lot of fun.

Q: What was the hardest part?

A: The hardest part is being thrown in a competition that everyone has such distinct personalities and everyone wants it just as bad as you do, so things are kind of, pretty cutthroat. That's pretty difficult. You're having such long days and it's very, very competitive.

Q: Do you have a favorite photo from the show?

A: Definitely. My favorite was probably the bathing suit photo. That was my personal favorite, but also my favorite had to be the one from the hot-air balloon shoot because Tyra [Banks] said it was in the top in "Top Model" history, or one of the top five model photos, so that had to be my absolute favorite.

Q: What was it like to work with Tyra Banks? She seems like she has a lot of personality.

A: She does. She has a huge personality. She's definitely Tyra. I don't know. I mean it was really cool because I'm a business major here, and she is such a businesswoman. She's doing a talk show and also producing Top Models and doing her own stuff on the side, so I really look up to that and admire that. She's definitely someone that I respect.

Q: Obviously, you've been in the spotlight recently, especially after being cut from the show. How do you feel when you're being written about and talked about, and how do you deal with that?

A: It's different. My dad, he's kind of been in the spotlight in our hometown of Charlottesville because he's sheriff and that's an elected position, but I kind of have dealt with my family being in the newspaper and stuff. When it comes to blogs, I just try to avoid them because a lot are lies and a lot are people with random opinions that don't really affect me day to day, so I try to stay away from them if they're good or bad. I don't know, I just stay away. I don't really want to get into all that aspect of it.

Q: What has it been like being back in Radford? Do people treat you differently at school or is everything kind of the same?

A: It was definitely really different at first. People would stop me in the library and come up and be like, "Can I take a picture of you, like, with my cellphone? People will not believe that you're actually here." I'm like, I am a student here, too. I have to study like everyone else. So I feel like they kind of forget I'm also a student and I do the normal student things, too. You'll see me at Wal-Mart getting groceries, you know? But people are normally pretty cool about it. A lot mention something or come up to me and ask me if I'm that girl, but other than that life's pretty normal.

Q: What are your plans now that the show's over and you're going to be graduating soon?

A: Hopefully I'll move up to New York, and that opportunity will work out for me and I'll be able knock down some agency doors and hopefully get signed with somebody and start working. I don't really have anything too specific right now. I'm just going to see what opportunities arise, and if none really arise from modeling then hopefully I'll be entering the business world and getting into marketing and doing stuff like that.

Q: Do you have any advice for young women who want to pursue modeling?

A: I would tell them to just make sure it's the right timing in their life because the modeling world is very intense, very demanding. At the age of 14 it wasn't the right timing and I'm glad I made that decision. Tyra commended me on making a decision to stick with doing basketball and being normal and then finding the right timing for me personally. So I can't really say when the right timing is. It might be 14 [years old] for some people, but just make sure it's the right timing for you individually.