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Everyone has heard it: “Go to college to be successful,” but a college degree is not the only path to success.
There are many other paths individuals have taken to achieve success and build a sustainable living for themselves and their families—some without ever setting foot on a college campus.
This is not an article meant to convince you to drop out of college or quit school altogether. College is important, whether it is for making connections, advancing knowledge or serving as a bridge while you figure out what you want to do with your life.
However, college is not for everyone. Not everyone can complete the average four-year journey to earn a degree. College is not always affordable or sustainable for those who want to attend, and sometimes life happens in ways that make college impossible.
There are multiple options for success if college is unavailable, and many people have taken those paths. A few examples include David Green, Daymond John and Bill Gates.
David Green is the founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. While Green did not attend college, he built a billion-dollar company from the ground up with grit and vision.
Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is a chain of arts and crafts stores that sells supplies for creative projects.
Green achieved success through hard work alongside his partner in their garage at home. Even without a college degree, he stayed determined through doubt and adversity, eventually staffing a small factory and later opening a store in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Today, he sits at the helm of one of the most recognizable arts and crafts chains in the world.
Green is only one example of someone who found success without a degree. Still, not everyone who skips college does it alone. Many need help to get where they are.
Daymond John is an American businessman, investor and television personality. He is best known as an investor on the ABC reality television series Shark Tank, which is a show where up-and-coming entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to investors in hopes of receiving funding and mentorship.
John started making clothes in his mother’s basement. He succeeded with her guidance and support, as she allowed her home to become the foundation of his business.
John’s success came not only from hard work, but also from the help of others. His clothing brand grew with support from two close friends and gained major traction when rappers and artists began wearing the brand, such as LL Cool J sporting the brand in a commercial.
His biggest supporter was his mother, who continuously took risks to help him grow. She took out second mortgages and invested her last savings into his business. John grew through the help of others.
While a college degree is not the only route to success, college can still help in the long run. There are many people who attended college, never graduated and still became successful.
One of the most notable examples is Bill Gates. Gates is the co-founder of Microsoft and became the world’s youngest billionaire. He attended Harvard University for a short time before dropping out.
Even so, he used the knowledge and experience he gained in college to help launch his career. Today, he is the co-founder of the Gates Foundation and TerraPower, and the founder of Breakthrough Energy and Gates Ventures. His story shows that college can still be valuable, even if you do not finish.
While a college degree is not the only path to success, attending college allows you to meet new people, build connections and find support systems that can help you grow.
So, do not give up on college. Use it for everything it offers. And if you do not graduate, that is okay—success is still possible with hard work and the right people by your side.
