Do You Really Need College Education?
Sometime ago we have already stated that MBAs are overrated. Guess what, today it is time to criticize college education!
Recently I came across another curious article listing 15 successful entrepreneurs who didn’t need college education. You can see a description for each of these entrepreneurs on the original article, and below you will find their names (most of them need no introduction):
- Mary Kay Ash
- Richard Branson
- Coco Chanel
- Simon Cowell
- Michael Dell
- Barry Diller
- Walt Disney
- Debbi Fields
- Henry Ford
- Bill Gates
- Milton Hershey
- Steve Jobs
- Rachael Ray
- Ty Warner
- Frank Lloyd Wright
Do you think that college education is not essential? Personally I think that this would be an extreme view. I do agree, however, with the fact that the traditional education system is failing to adapt to our information based society. Time will tell.
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There are many more you could add too, i.e. Alan Sugar.
I’d agree the education system has not kept up with society (at least in the UK it hasn’t).
I think this list is a bit misleading. Sure, quite a many prominent persons throughout history have been college dropouts and social misfits, but I believe it would be a mistake to draw a conclusion that being a college dropout and social misfit would increase your chances of becoming successful (measured by any way you choose).
Coincidentally, I just read a fascinating book that explains this point much better than I ever could: (warmly recommended) http://www.amazon.com/Fooled-Randomness-Hidden-Chance-Markets/dp/1587990717
Tommi,
No one is arguing that dropping from college will increase your chances.
The question is: “Is college essential to succeed in the business world?”
Personally I don’t think so.
Yup, agreed. I don’t consider college to be essential for success in business. But still, I believe it increases your chances of being successful. (just a hunch, I don’t have any facts)
Yes though we must be careful how we phrase all of that. Because for every successful under-educated entrepreneur there is - how many under-educated people working in fast food or other misc. odd jobs that they despise. At the same time I do agree that it can be done it only takes the belief, the ambition and the imagination. Great article!