Leah Remini Celebrates Finishing Her Second Semester at NYU: ‘One of the Most Difficult Experiences'

Leah Remini is one step close to getting her diploma!

The Emmy Award winner, 52, revealed on Instagram Friday that she's completed her second semester at New York University after making the decision to focus on her education.

"Two years ago, I had an 8th-grade education thanks to spending 35 years in a cult," the former Scientologist wrote, celebrating her academic achievement. "And now, at age 52, I’ve successfully finished my second year at NYU."

Getting to this point hasn't been easy, according to the King of Queens actress. "Undertaking this educational journey has been one of the most difficult experience of my life," she wrote, admitting, "There have been days where I’ve thought about giving up."

But all in all, Remini is proud of herself for taking a chance and sticking with it. "While I’m still not finished, I’m so glad I decided to dive in," she said.

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She also encouraged her followers to follow in her footsteps by challenging themselves in new ways. " If you have the desire and capacity, please remember that it’s never too late to start again," Remini shared.

"Thank you for all your love and support," she captioned her post.

Remini, who hosts PEOPLE Puzzler, first revealed that she would be working towards an associate dress in NYU's Liberal Arts program in May 2021, when she shared her admission's letter on social media.

"For someone like me, a person who desperately wanted a higher education and options in my life, coming from a cult and a family who didn't value an education, this is a very big day for me," she wrote at the time. "This didn't come easy."

"This is one of the last chunks of my life that I am taking back for myself from Scientology. It took a lot for me to take this step, for fear that I was not smart enough, not worthy enough, not able to do the work that will be required, my age ... I did it anyway with a lot of encouragement from a very special person in my life," she added.

The Brooklyn native left the Church of Scientology in 2013 after growing up in the controversial religion. She opened up about her experience with the church in her 2015 book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, as well as on her Emmy-winning docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.

In February 2022, Remini spoke to PEOPLE about juggling her first semester of college and work as an actress, wife, and mother.

"It's been amazing," she said. "It's been difficult when I'm working because sometimes I'll work from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. and then have to come home and read chapters and do a quiz when my brain is shutting down. But I'm doing it, and I am proud of myself. With my degree, I might eventually want to go into politics, but who knows? I would like to be of some kind of public service."