Successful people without college degrees (Inspired by Toby'sfriend)

[Pin Wizard]

Toby'sfriend had mentioned in a thread that Bill Gates does not have a college degree. I believe Kelly Ripa is another. What other people who are "successful" in their careers do not have degrees?

 

[Cindy B]

I thinks its hard to define success. Are you talking millions of dollars success, or just happiness success.

I think of my father, who has no degree, and devoted many years to the Armed Service. He has amazing abilities. He owns his own business, and is financially set. He has just retired from his Air Force position and is retiring from his government job in two weeks.

He will be retired, at at 54! He has a home that is paid off, and a retirement/summer home.


I think many artists have no college degrees. Many people in show business do not emphasize their degrees.

I don't think Penelope Cruz has a degree either, I read a bio that she did not go to college.

 

[monkeyboy]

My dad

With little education ran a very successful company he founded for over 35 years

 

[aesalsa]

My DH did not got to college, and he started AND currently runs 2 companies .

Sean Connery dropped out of elementary school. Demi Moore dropped out of high school. Quentin Tarantino dropped out of high school, too.

All of these people are quite successful . They were also VERY internally motivated and inherently intelligent--that helps A LOT!

 

[AllyandJack]

My DH didn't go to college. He went to trade school instead. He became an electrician and is now an electrical foreman. Stupid me went to college and law school. Guess which one of us makes the six figure salary. (Hint....it's not me). If I wanted to make what my DH makes in a regular 40 hour week, I'd have to work 80-90 hours a week (been there, done that, quit the job!).

There are dozens of things you can do that don't require a college degree that can make you a huge success and a big, expensive education does not automatically mean success.

 

[RachelEllen]

Kind of funny you should ask this. Until a few months ago, I'd have to have mentioned my husband. He got a great job his senior year of college and decided to leave early because 'it was just a peice of paper' He was extremely successful for over 20 years at what he did. Until last year, he was required to pass a certain licensure exam to keep working. What do you know, it requires a college degree. So this 40ish person with a technical job had to go out and take one humanities course to continue working (plus pay tuition, do a load of paperwork and pass a swim test!)

So that degree can still matter!

Rachel

 

[Deb in IA]

Originally posted by RachelEllen
pass a swim test!)

Pass a SWIM TEST???

 

[minniepumpernickel]

One of my friends is a former marine, and a current Captain of the guards at a prison. He is totally uneducated and not book smart at all. Never the less, he excells at everything that he does. He always gets promoted as far as he can go, he's the hardest worker I've ever seen, and he can fix anything without a manual.

I told him about how I want to build a telescope, and he built a stand for me without ever having to read about it. He may know nothing about literature and art, but he is one of the smartest individuals that I know!

 

[ZachnElli]

My dh as I said on the other thread. He is "Director of Financial Services" and makes quite a bit doing it. He just quit his job in April with a big company (#20-something on Forbes' list this year) as a Regional Manager. He had 5 states, did alot of traveling, had a jerk for a boss and was miserable. He was offered this job at one of his accounts and he took it. We had to move but now he works M-F 9-6. He's much happier now. He also has several real estate investments and is always looking for more.

 

[totalia]

Somehow I doubt that Bill Gates doesn't have a degree. As I recall, he's worked making software since the 70's.

He started his business by writing PC DOS and then taking the programming code with him to create MS DOS.

You don't write computer programs like this one by knowing nothing or by being self taught. They are very complicated (even in the 70's and 80's).

While its true that Bill gates simply has a head for business, most people do not really have a head for anything.

Shortly put, I don't think this complaining trend, and the fact that many people on these boards seem to be trying to convince others NOT to go to college.

You are not Bill Gates. The reality of today's world is that you need a college degree to do almost anything. I know of some places that won't even hire a janitor if they don't have a degree.

Perhaps you consider it worthless, but obvious employers don't consider it so.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Originally posted by totalia
Somehow I doubt that Bill Gates doesn't have a degree. As I recall, he's worked making software since the 70's.

He started his business by writing PC DOS and then taking the programming code with him to create MS DOS.

You don't write computer programs like this one by knowing nothing or by being self taught. They are very complicated (even in the 70's and 80's).

While its true that Bill gates simply has a head for business, most people do not really have a head for anything.

Shortly put, I don't think this complaining trend, and the fact that many people on these boards seem to be trying to convince others NOT to go to college.

You are not Bill Gates. The reality of today's world is that you need a college degree to do almost anything. I know of some places that won't even hire a janitor if they don't have a degree.

Perhaps you consider it worthless, but obvious employers don't consider it so.

Bill Gates truly doesn't have a college degree -- he dropped out of Harvard during his Junior year: http://www.microsoft.com/billgates/bio.asp

 

[Robinrs]

I have a different take on this ....

I think ANYONE can be successful without a college degree, depending on their vocation, their abilities and who they know.

On the other hand I believe you go to college fo EDUCATE yourself, not to get a job. I can be in the presence of someone for five minutes and can tell if they graduated from college or not. It's a completely different mindset and mentality. College is a challenge and trains you for much more than a job, it trains you to make choices and how to get to a conclusion. It's a process, not to be matched up with work experience.

My Mom never got her high school diploma and she could beat me in intelligence by miles! She was self taught and did all she could to constantly educate herself. She made sure I went to college and I will do the same for my son for the reasons I pointed out. The result I was given and I give him is not to focus on what you get afterwards, but who you become.

 

[elgerber]

My SIL does not have a college degree. She was actually a major hellraiser in HS, and did not score great grades. She had a child at 19, and was a single mom for many years (please note, I am not saying this is a bad thing at all, just showing you how busy she was when she was college age). Even with those factors, she worked her way up from the bottom of the mortgage industry, and is now one of Wells Fargo's top loan officers in the nation. She has made a 7 figure income in the last couple of years.

Erika

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by totalia
Shortly put, I don't think this complaining trend, and the fact that many people on these boards seem to be trying to convince others NOT to go to college.

You are not Bill Gates. The reality of today's world is that you need a college degree to do almost anything. I know of some places that won't even hire a janitor if they don't have a degree.

Perhaps you consider it worthless, but obvious employers don't consider it so.

Wow! Is this a general statement or directed at someone? I for one can appreciate a college degree. Especially since I don't have one! But I had "old fashioned" parents who thought girls didn't need a college education. So I've worked for years, quit to go to college, quit in March for now to move and get my butt back to work. It's a heck of a way to go. I'm tired of the dead end jobs with low pay. It's nice to actually read about successful people that don't have degrees! It can be done if you are a go getter. But you can bet that the day my son graduates from high school, he's headed to college. He's NOT going through this struggle.

 

[barbeml]

You just can't make such sweeping generalizations or assumptions about anyone.

Some of the most brilliant and successful people I know do not have degrees, and some do. On the other hand, I know a bunch of folks with college degrees who many would consider failures: underemployed, 40+ with nothing to show for it, unable to manage their finances, etc.

I know people who went to college and learned how to do nothing but drugs, and I know a high-school drop out with the most expensive house in town.

My brother and I did not go to college. He is a successful business owner in a highly technical multi-media field. I have had two successful and lucrative careers, and am now a self-employed consultant with gives advice to some of the most powerful and influential people in my state. People assume we have degrees. I don't have any qualms about telling them that I did not graduate from college.

DH has three degrees and a professional license and we make about the same money, but he works twice as hard. He considers me the family genius.

Everyone needs to find their own path, and college is not the answer for everyone.


Barbe

 

[charlie,nj]

I work for a major corporation…forget about college degrees they are now looking for people with master’s degrees.(I have mine) If you happen to be in the company now without a college or master’s degree they will NOT promote you.

PinW – my mother was a clerk in a grade school. She was a stay at home mom ..she got the job when our father died. She worked like a dog to get her three sons through college, graduate school, law school, med school. The teachers in her grade school treated her like **** bossing her around. She in her 60’s decided to go to college at night to get HER college degree. She did it and graduated Maga cum laude. She did not get another job, but she PROUDLY displayed her diploma on her desk for all of the ******* teachers to see.

Good luck to you!

 

[aesalsa]

This thread isn't saying that a college degree is worthless, it's just recognizing that it's not always doom and gloom for those who don't have college degrees. I graduated college with a BS in Elementary Education at the very top of my entire graduating class (Summa Cum Laude), and I am happy that I am more "educated" in the scholastic sense. But I admire my DH so much because he created very successful and lucrative businesses from the ground up without the significant edge of a college degree. And we are both VERY happy. When we have kids, DH and I WANT them to graduate from college! I know that John is in the minority with his career and financial success unlinked to a college degree; I think people who have the intellectual capacity would greatly enrich their lives and achieve their career desires by earning a degree. I think people also generally believe what great value a college education will bring, regardless of what some people on discussion boards might "say".

P.S. I haven't seen anyone on these boards try to "convince others NOT to go to college". Please post a link to the threads that you've read where people are trying to do this. I am interested in reading them for myself .

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by charlie,nj
I work for a major corporation…forget about college degrees they are now looking for people with master’s degrees.(I have mine) If you happen to be in the company now without a college or master’s degree they will NOT promote you.

PinW – my mother was a clerk in a grade school. She was a stay at home mom ..she got the job when our father died. She worked like a dog to get her three sons through college, graduate school, law school, med school. The teachers in her grade school treated her like **** bossing her around. She in her 60’s decided to go to college at night to get HER college degree. She did it and graduated Maga cum laude. She did not get another job, but she PROUDLY displayed her diploma on her desk for all of the ******* teachers to see.

Good luck to you!

WOW, Charlie!! CONGRATULATIONS to your Mom!! For me it's on again, off again until I get that degree. Back when I first thought of quitting my job and heading to school, my sister...who got her Masters at 40...told me to stay in school the extra year and get that Masters! Said it really makes a difference in pay. She also said make sure I'm in a "good school" for my final year. Then she clued me in that some companies will not consider you unless you have a degree from certain schools! Ugh! Politics!! I had heard of employers wanting to see graduates at a certain GPA and above, but this one she mentioned is new to me.

Thanks for the "Good luck!"

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by aesalsa
This thread isn't saying that a college degree is worthless, it's just recognizing that it's not always doom and gloom for those who don't have college degrees.

Bingo! Thanks, Erika!!