Who are Harvard dropouts?
Asked by: Margarete Goodwin | Last update: January 21, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (33 votes)
Most people are familiar with the stories of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, who achieved great success as the founders of Microsoft and Facebook, respectively, after dropping out of Harvard. Here are nine other former Harvard students who made out just fine without earning their degrees.
Who is the richest person to drop out of Harvard?
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard and co-founded Microsoft, becoming one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of $114 billion.
Who is the most famous college dropout?
FAQ. What are some famous examples of successful college dropouts? Famous college dropouts include Bill Gates (Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Steve Jobs (Apple), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Michael Dell (Dell), and Jack Dorsey (Twitter).
Is Elon Musk a college dropout?
Musk later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania and received bachelor's degrees in economics and physics. He moved to California in 1995 to attend Stanford University but never enrolled in classes, and with his brother Kimbal co-founded the online city guide software company Zip2.
Why did Bill Gates drop out of Harvard?
Despite being admitted to the world's most prestigious university, billionaire Bill Gates decided to drop out to pursue his dreams of joining the software revolution! Bill Gates demonstrated an early interest in computers and programming.
WHO'S SMARTER? | College Dropouts vs Harvard Students
Did Mark Zuckerberg drop out of Harvard?
Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard University in 2004 to focus on building Facebook. Seven years later, he returned to recruit top talent to join his company. And this is how he was welcomed.
Which billionaire was rejected from Harvard?
Warren Buffett: Rejected by Harvard, Now One of the World's Top 5 Richest Men. Warren Buffett, one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet, didn't inherit his fortune from family wealth or massive business empires.
Why did Matt Damon drop out of Harvard?
Damon did not finish his undergrad courses at Harvard University. He was reportedly 12 credits short of graduating in order to star in "Geronimo: An American Legend." Following his university days, the Hollywood actor starred in numerous Oscar-nominated films.
What GPA do you need to get into Harvard University?
GPA requirements for Harvard
At Harvard, the standard GPA is 4.18. (While some schools publish an unweighted GPA, most utilize a weighted GPA out of 4.0.) Harvard needs you to be at the top of your class with a GPA of 4.18.
What college degree has the most dropouts?
Average College Dropout Rates
The average dropout rate for first-time first-year college students is 19.0%. The computer science major has the highest dropout rate of 10.7%, while the advertising major has the second highest dropout rate at 7.7%.
What actor dropped out of Harvard?
Damon, on the other hand, ended up dropping out of Harvard 12 credits short of graduating in order to star in Geronimo: An American Legend.
Who is the richest person that went to Harvard?
1. Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg (MBA '66) is the founder, CEO, and president of Bloomberg and the former three-term mayor of New York City. His net worth is estimated at $45.4 billion.
What rich person never went to college?
Estimated net worth: $170.3 billion
After dropping out of two different colleges, Larry Ellison moved to Berkeley, Calif., where he picked up basic computer skills at various jobs.
What university did most billionaires go to?
Harvard University: This Ivy League school holds the number one spot. Its graduates make up a considerable number of the world's richest individuals. Notable billionaire alumni include Michael Bloomberg, Steve Ballmer, and many more.
Did Bill Gates dropout of Harvard?
Bill Gates attends the 2022 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 08, 2022, in New York City. Bill Gates never finished his undergraduate degree — the billionaire dropped out of Harvard University after three semesters to start Microsoft.
Was Steve Jobs a college dropout?
2) Steve Jobs
Unlike Bill Gates, who dropped out of college so he could run a company, Steve Jobs dropped out of college so he could … well … go to college.
Who was Mark Zuckerberg roommate at Harvard?
Four people, three of whom were roommates—Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Chris Hughes, and Dustin Moskovitz—founded Facebook in their Harvard University dorm room in February 2004.
What rich person dropped out of high school?
McDonald's founder Ray Kroc and Walt Disney both left high school to pursue other interests that became globally-recognized brands. Likewise, Henry Ford and Coco Chanel never finished high school but created enduring brand names that outlasted their lifetimes.
Did Paul Allen drop out of college?
Allen achieved a perfect SAT score of 1600 and went to Washington State University, where he joined the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity. He dropped out of college after two years to work as a programmer for Honeywell in Boston near Harvard University where Gates was enrolled.
Did Elon Musk drop out of high school?
We're clearing up any confusion about Musk's education. Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. He attended Waterkloof House Preparatory School and then graduated high school in the South African capital city before immigrating to Canada when he was 18.