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There have been several entrepreneurs throughout history who have left college before graduation.

I would never encourage anyone not to get a college education, but entrepreneurial spirit and success is not restricted by any means in the United States to college graduates.

Among some of the names:

Henry Ford II Auto Tycoon - dropped out of Yale University

George Romney Auto Tycoon left the University of Utah after one year

J Paul Getty Oil Billionaire left three colleges behind: U.S.C., Berkley and Oxford

Woody Allen Actor/ Producer/Director expelled from New York University and City College of New York.

Bill Gates Founder of Microsoft dropped out of Harvard

Steve Jobs Apple, NeXT, Pixar dropped out of Reed College in Portland Oregon after one semester.

Lawrence Ellison Oracle Computer

Michael Dell Dell Computers - University of Texas dropout

David Geffen - Geffen Records, Dreamworks SKG flunked out of University of Texas, and Brooklyn College in New York

H. Wayne Huizenga Blockbuster Video Billionaire, owner Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers, and Florida Marlins stayed only three semesters at Calvin College in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Ted Turner media mogul was expelled from Brown University in 1960, took over his father's million dollar billboard business after his fathers suicide. He then turned that into a media empire.

Ron Popiel inventor, entrepreneur, founder of Ronco never attended college, learned his trade from his father. His father was also an inventor and sold his wears at carnivals. Ron started learning to sell you and continues to invent kitchen products. His first Product was the Veg-O-Matic. Eventually he was the first to host an entire show for showcasing Ronco Products.

This list does not include many others who have made it big in areas of acting, music, authors, politics, or have returned to gain a degree at some other college or university.
Other famous dropouts who returned to college were John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, Barry Goldwater, Woodrow Wilson and many others.

Though Woody Allen is often more thought of for his movies, he is also an entrepreneur and businessman within the movie industry.

College Dropouts Alumni Association
http://www.geocitie s.com/CollegePark/7734/cdoaa.h tml

Time Magazine, "The Famous Dropouts" by June 8, 1962
http://www.time.com/time/m agazine/article/0,9171,896311, 00.html

Learn more about this author, Glenda K. Fralin.
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