The College Dropouts
Hall of Fame

You don't have to go to college to be a success. Even if you go for awhile, you don't have to graduate to be a success. Here are just a few of the people who have become famous and/or successful without graduating from college and/or high school.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - XYZ

George Naddaff, founder of Boston Chicken and UFood Grill. Never attended college. As he put it, “School and I did not work out. So at age 17 and a half, I joined the Army.” And, when he got out of the Army, his dad said if you're not going to college, you get a job. He did. The next day.

Walter Nash, prime minister of New Zealand. Dropped out of high school.

Patricia Neal, actress. After two years as a drama major at Northwestern University, she dropped out and headed to New York City where she performed summer stock before becoming a Broadway star at the age of 20.

David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue airlines. Dropped out of the University of Utah after three years.

Jack Nelson, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist. Never attended college. After high school, he went to work for the Biloxi Daily Herald. Later he opened the Atlanta bureau of the Los Angeles Times and later became the Times bureau chief in Washington, D.C.

Richard John Neuhaus, theologian, Lutheran minister, Catholic priest, author, civil rights activist. He took pride in the fact that he never graduated from high school.

Donald Newhouse, billionaire publisher, Advanced Publications. Dropped out of Syracuse University.

Jim Newton, founder of TechShop (the nation's first full-service gym for the tinkering crowd), science advisor for Discovery Channel's MythBusters series. Dropped out of college.

Olivia Newton-John, singer, actress, author. Dropped out of high school.

Jake Nickell, cofounder and CEO of Treadless.com. Never graduated from college.

Xavier Niel, computer programmer, Internet billionaire, chairman of Free Mobile and Kima Ventures venture capital firm. No college degree.

Connie Nielsen, actress. Left Denmark at 18 to pursue a career as an actress. Has not attended college.

Florence Nightingale, nurse. No formal education. Home schooled.

Kristi Noem, U.S. representative. Dropped out of college to carry on her dad's farm after he died in a farm-based accident. 20 years later, she finally graduated from college (while carrying on a full-time role as a congresswoman for South Dakota.

Tig Notaro, comedienne. "I failed three grades and dropped out of high school." Now performs at many colleges.

Dropouts with last names starting with O

Drop out of school before your mind rots from our mediocre educational system. — Frank Zappa, musician, liner notes from the Freak Out album