There is always a sea of reasons behind dropping out of college; it could be reasons ranging from disinterest in pursuing a certain course to finding something else that they think is worth their time and effort. Most of the times, people tend to develop the instincts of dropping out of college due to the lack of funds that will help them earn that degree they hope for. And if it isn’t the lack of money to keep them going the factor for dropout, it could either be a sudden and unexpected emergency that’s behind this pitfall. But according to a survey, one of the biggest known reasons for pupils to bid farewell to their dreams of achieving a degree is because of the lack of funds to repay their student loans. Most of them leave their homelands to get a hold of that degree that could probably change their lives. But the mere costs of survival and the heavy book expenses turns out to become their greatest nightmares, ultimately leading to dropping out of college. But somehow, dropping out of college proved to be a boon in the lives of many- some even turning out to become billionaires! Though their story is motivational, solely depending on dropping out of college to become rich isn’t the way to go! Famous people like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs are living proof that sometimes choosing to start something afresh by halting a college degree can turn out to be a successful plan. Here’s a detailed look into the lives of many others who turned out to be just fine even after dropping out of prestigious colleges!
Vote for Your Favourite People Who Were Once College Dropouts
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Birthdate: October 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Leading American technologist, business leader and philanthropist, Bill Gates is the co-founder of the world’s largest software company, Microsoft. His passion for computers made him one of the richest in the world and through his charity foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he and his ex-wife, Melinda, use this money generously to help people world over live a better life.
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Paul Allen(Co-founder of Microsoft, Philanthropist)
Birthdate: January 21, 1953
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Seattle
Died: October 15, 2018
Paul Allen was an American investor, business magnate, and philanthropist. He is credited with co-founding one of the most popular multinational technology companies in the world, Microsoft Corporation. Along with his philanthropic activities and ownership of several other companies and sporting clubs, Paul Allen had a major impact on sports, wildlife, education, arts, healthcare, community services, environmental conservation, and more.
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Claire Danes(Known for Her Performance in TV Series 'Homeland')
Birthdate: April 12, 1979
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Claire Danes is best known for playing the role of a CIA agent in the popular television series Homeland, which ran from 2011 to 2020. However, her breakthrough role was as a 15-year-old in 1994-95 critically acclaimed television series, My So Called Life. She’s also acted in films like Terminator 3, The Hours, Les Miserables, Brokedown Palace and The Rainmaker.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: April 15, 1978
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Five-time Grammy-winning country artist Chris Stapleton is best known for hits such as Parachute. He has also co-written tracks such as Kenny Chesney's Never Wanted Nothing More. Before going solo, he was part of the bands The SteelDrivers and The Jompson Brothers. His music blends country with bluegrass and soul.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: December 24, 1974
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dunwoody, Georgia, United States
Ryan Seacrest is an American television host, radio personality, and producer. He gained national recognition after hosting the popular singing competition TV series, American Idol. Also known for his humanitarian efforts, Seacrest established the Ryan Seacrest Foundation in 2010. He is also credited with producing a men's skincare line called Polished.
Birthdate: July 3, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Townsville, Australia
Julian Assange made headlines all over the world in 2010 when WikiLeaks, a non-profit organization founded by him, gained international attention after publishing leaks, such as the Afghanistan war logs and Iraq war logs. After dodging arrest for several years, he was finally arrested in 2019 and is currently imprisoned in HM Prison Belmarsh.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: August 2, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Red Bank, New Jersey, United States
Filmmaker, actor, and comedian Kevin Smith first came to prominence in the mid-1990s with his low-budget comedy film Clerks. His unique style of comedy appealed to the audience, and he was able to establish himself in Hollywood within a few years. He also operates a website, an online blog, and a comic book store.
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Bob Hoskins(Actor)
Birthdate: October 26, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk, England
Died: April 29, 2014
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
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Kate Walsh(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Dr. Addison Montgomery’ in TV Series ‘Grey's Anatomy’ and 'Private Practice')
Birthdate: October 13, 1967
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Kate Walsh is best known as Dr. Addison Montgomery from Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Fans also loved her as Mrs. Baker from the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. Kate is also known for her political activism. She has also launched a beauty and lifestyle brand named Boyfriend LLC.
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Henry Rollins(Lead Vocalist of Los Angeles Hardcore Group 'Black Flag')
Birthdate: February 13, 1961
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Henry Rollins is an American musician. Rollins is credited with forming the Rollins Band, which was active from 1987 to 2006. He is also credited with founding the publishing company and record label 2.13.61, Inc. Also a well-known activist, Henry Rollins has campaigned for various causes, including the promotion of peace movement and LGBT rights.
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Jesse Metcalfe(Actor)
Birthdate: December 9, 1978
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Carmel Valley, California, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: April 26, 1984
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kansas, United States
Emily Wickersham is an American actress known for playing Eleanor Bishop in the popular action police procedural TV series, NCIS. Wickersham dropped out of Muhlenberg College after attending the private liberal arts college for two years. She then started focusing on her acting career and went on to establish herself as a film and TV actress.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: October 4, 1957
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States
Russell Simmons is a controversial American businessman who co-founded the hip-hop music label, 'Def Jam Recordings', and established the clothing line 'Phat Fashions'. He is noted for Harriet Tubman Sex Tape which generated a lot of heat in 2013. Simmons who calls himself a Christian yogi is accused of sexual assaults on several women. He has adopted veganism and advocates non-violence.
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Kim Deal(Singer)
Birthdate: June 10, 1961
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
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Ken Curtis(Singer)
Birthdate: July 2, 1916
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lamar, Colorado, United States
Died: April 28, 1991
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: March 5, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Houston
Joel Osteen is an American pastor, author, and televangelist. He is one of the most popular televangelists in the world, with his televised sermons being watched by millions of people every week in over 100 countries, including 10 million viewers in the US alone. In 2006, he was named in the 10 Most Fascinating People list published by Barbara Walters.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: January 9, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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Jeff Probst(Producer and Host of the U.S Reality Television Show ‘Survivor’)
Birthdate: November 4, 1961
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas, United States
Famous as the host of two-decade-old American reality show Survivor, Jeff Probst is an award-winning television personality, particularly noted for his catch-phrase, "The tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go”. Celebrity Superfan Roundtable is another prominent TV show hosted by him. People magazine recognized him as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in 2001.
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Rosie O'Donnell(Comedian)
Birthdate: March 21, 1962
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Commack, New York, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
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Bill Bailey(Comedian)
Birthdate: January 13, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bath, Somerset, England
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
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Ike Barinholtz(Comedian)
Birthdate: February 18, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Chris Messina(Actor)
Birthdate: August 11, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: December 19, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Mount Pleasant, Utah, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Birthdate: July 12, 1944
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
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Miles Robbins(Musician)
Birthdate: May 4, 1992
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Scott Campbell(Tattoo artist)
Birthdate: May 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Louisiana, United States
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Isaac Hempstead Wright(Actor)
Birthdate: April 9, 1999
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Surrey, England, UK
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
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Sharon Van Etten(Singer)
Birthdate: February 26, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Belleville, New Jersey, USA
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Jock Mahoney(Actor)
Birthdate: February 7, 1919
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: December 14, 1989
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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Donna Adamek(American Tenpin Bowler)
Birthdate: February 1, 1957
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Duarte, California, United States
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John Kricfalusi(Canadian Voice Actor, Illustrator, Blogger, and Former Animator)
Birthdate: September 9, 1955
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
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Greg Valentine(American Retired Professional Wrestler)
Birthdate: September 20, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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Brandon Vera(Filipino-American Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: October 10, 1977
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Born in the US to an Italian mother and a Filipino father, Brandon Vera, better known as The Truth, initially joined college on an athletic scholarship but dropped out to join the US Airforce soon. The black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has also appeared on shows such as Kamandag and Magpakailanman.
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Shiori Kutsuna(Actress, Model best known for her role as Ran Mori in Shinichi Kudo's Written Challenge)
Birthdate: December 22, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
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William Sanderson(Actor)
Birthdate: January 10, 1944
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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Chris Barrie(Actor and Impressionist Known for His Notable Performance in a Television Cartoon Show 'Spitting Image')
Birthdate: March 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hanover, Germany
Born to an armyman father, Chris Barrie worked as a grave filler after dropping out of college. He then got a break on a TV show. Best known for his portrayal of Arnold Rimmer in the series Red Dwarf, he also gained fame with the BBC sitcom The Brittas Empire.
Recommended Lists:37
Shane Douglas(American Professional Wrestler)
Birthdate: November 21, 1964
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Eike Batista(Brazilian-German Entrepreneur and Former CEO of 'Ebx Group')
Birthdate: November 3, 1956
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Governador Valadares, Brazil
Eike Batista is a Brazilian-German serial entrepreneur. He was once engaged in a quest to promote Brazil's infrastructure with large-scale projects, which eventually led to his company’s bankruptcy. Once the wealthiest person in Brazil, he lost millions of dollars due to business losses and debts. He is currently under arrest for bribing Rio de Janeiro governor Sérgio Cabral.
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Aparna Sen(Filmmaker)
Birthdate: October 25, 1945
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India [now India]
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Alex Ebert(Singer)
Birthdate: May 12, 1978
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
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Subaru Kimura(German-Japanese Rapper and Actor)
Birthdate: June 29, 1990
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Leipzig, Germany
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
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Kan Mukai(Japanese Director, Screenwriter and Cinematographer Known for His Pioneering Work in the 'Pink Film' Genre)
Birthdate: October 16, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dalian, China
Died: June 9, 2008
Known as a pioneering filmmaker of the Japanese pink films, Kan Mukai had initially dropped out of an economics course to follow his passion of filmmaking. He helped launched the careers of many performers, such as the Roman Porno star Kazuko Shirakawa. He eventually lost his battle with cancer.
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Cristeta Comerford(Filipino-American Chef)
Birthdate: October 27, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
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Shahab Hosseini(Iranian Actor, Director, and Producer)
Birthdate: February 3, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Shahab Hosseini is an Iranian actor, director, and producer. A critically acclaimed actor, Hosseini has received Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Fajr Film Festival. Shahab Hosseini is also renowned for his association with the Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi.
Recommended Lists:45
Minoru Chiaki(Japanese Actor Who Appeared in Eleven of Akira Kurosawa's Films)
Birthdate: April 28, 1917
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hokkaidō, Japan
Died: November 1, 1999
Minoru Chiaki was one of the most impactful Japanese character actors of his time. Though he initially studied economics and commerce, he later stepped into theater and soon graduated to films. A regular in Akira Kurosawa's films, he was known for his performances in movies such as Rashomon and Seven Samurai.
Birthdate: January 14, 1880
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Staten Island, New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 4, 1925
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Roberto Cantoral(Composer)
Birthdate: June 7, 1935
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ciudad Madero, Mexico
Died: August 7, 2010
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Esther Ouwehand(Politician)
Birthdate: June 10, 1976
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Katwijk, Netherlands
Birthdate: April 1, 1901
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lyakhavichy
Died: September 12, 1964
Sergiusz Piasecki was a Polish writer who achieved widespread popularity during the mid-20th century. However, he couldn't achieve monetary success during 1920s and was forced to rob a suburban train near Wilno. He was subsequently imprisoned and the novel Lover of the Great Bear, which he wrote in prison, became the third most famous novel in the Second Polish Republic.
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Bill Briggs(American Alpine Skier Who is the First to Ski the Grand Teton)
Birthdate: December 21, 1931
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Augusta, Maine, United States
