Is university right for you? Here are 10 celebrities who dropped out of uni who made it big.
You may know that Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard for their Facebook and Microsoft adventures (and what a success those endeavours were). But, you may not know that dropping out of university is a common trend among celebrities (take that, Mum and Dad).
For most students, parents can hugely influence their decisions, and, increasingly, students are persuaded to attend university. But, do you need to study for a degree to make it big? This list of celebrities will give you confidence that, while university education is the right path for some, it’s not the be-all and end-all. Plus, with more and more people choosing to study at degree level, it’ll inspire you to ponder what you can do to stand out from the crowd.
Brad Pitt
Pitt attended the University of Missouri, where he studied Journalism, but he left just two credits and two weeks short of his degree.
Reese Witherspoon
Witherspoon attended just one year at Stanford University, studying Literature. This goes to show that you don’t always end up using your degree in your career. If you’re struggling to choose a degree course, you’re not alone. Check out our guide to making the decision-making process easier.
Oprah Winfrey
Even more frustratingly than Brad Pitt, Oprah left Tennessee State University just one credit short! The reason she left? To follow her dreams. Having already lined up gigs in broadcasting, Oprah wondered why she should stay at university when she was on the cusp of starting her dream career.
Kanye West
Kanye dropped out of Chicago State University, and the American Academy of Art then his debut album, The College Dropout, which won him a Grammy! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Tom Hanks
Hanks studied theatre at California State University but left one year in. Sometimes, experience is more important than grades.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga got into New York University Tisch School of the Arts at just 17 years old but left after two years. With over 200 music awards, it’s safe to say that she wasn’t gaga for leaving university!
Cindy Crawford
After winning a scholarship for Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University, Crawford left after just one term to pursue modelling.
Steve Jobs
Everyone knows his name - he’s the founder of Apple. Where would we be without iPhones, Macbooks and FaceTime? Jobs attended Reed College before dropping out and taking calligraphy classes which inspired the fonts for Macs.
Alicia Keys
Keys went to Columbia University before leaving and signing with Columbia Records. University is a great way to make connections, so for some, enroling in Higher Education could be the next step in your journey!
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen attended the University of New Orleans but left after one term, which led to a career in stand up comedy.
These celebrities all have one thing in common - a desire to follow their dreams. Whether that meant straying from the beaten path or realising university just wasn’t right for them, we can all learn a lesson in ambition from these stories. So, does that mean forging your own path leads to stardom and riches? We’ll leave that for you to decide.
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