" ....." figures, from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report called Education At a Glance, reveals that graduates from the last decade earn 77 per cent more on average than non-graduates from the same period."
Barclaycard is now offering a record 27 interest-free months to pay off your debts.
The world's richest dropouts
You don't have to have a degree to make a fortune.
Image © Rex FeaturesShow Thumbnails
1 of 10
It's a traditional belief that you need a university degree to become successful. But that's not always the case.
We've compiled a list of some of the world's most successful university dropouts and those who never made it to higher education, which proves that skill, good ideas and passion are sometimes more important than a university degree.
related stories on msn
55Comments
21/02/2012 08:00
21/02/2012 01:54
Simon Cowell X marks the spot.
Bill Gates who knows what would have happened if he closed the gate.
Heston Blumenthal has always been cooking the books.(just taking the rise)
Kate Moss the other side of the grass was always going to be greener.
David Geffen. Play it again Sam.
Ralph Lauren didn't have designs on an army career.
Mark Zuckerberg just faced up to it.
Delia had her cake and has eaten it.
Gore Vidal the writing was on the wall.(how novel is that)
21/02/2012 15:13
University is for those without a natural talent such as looks, singing ability, sporting ability, but all of the these would be useless without modern technology (TV, mass media), which was developed with the help of universities, but technology has also helped destroy the world and grow a large population supported by oil. Now there are too many people, too few jobs and money to go round, with very little space left in the sun for us.
My comments are so powerful they have to pull the story as soon as I write them. This story has been on less time but has more comments than some stories still running.
21/02/2012 13:13
I am all for simon cowell.
You don,t need certficates and degree,s and all that education. The only reason you take up the college or the univertsity, is becasue no one else will learn you the skills these days. Colleges and uni,s are a rip off and only a money making machine. I have 22 qualifications and mainly in IT and yet no one single company wants to even give me an interview never mind getting a job. And i have been applying for years now, they don,t give a dam.
ILL TELL YOU WHY, ITS ALWAYS THE SAME OLD 1 LINER. SORRY YOU DON,T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE. SO LETS GET THIS COMPLETELY STRAIGHT, YOU WONT EMPLOY ME EVEN THOW I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING AS I HAVE BEEN TRAINED, YET YOU ARE THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERMENT TELLING PEOPLE TO GET QUALIFIED AND TRAINNED UP AND YET THE ONE THING THAT STOPS ME IS THE ABOVE, AND I AM TRYING TO DO ALL OF THIS JUST TO LIVE AND SOME THING I AM GOOD AT SO I CAN TAKE HOME A WAGE PACKET, AND ITS YOUR EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE STOPPED US, YOU ARE MAKING THE MISTAKES.
WHY WELL YOU PUT THE, WE FAVOUR PEOPLE SKILLS OVER THE ACTUAL SKILLS. YET HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY DO YOUR JOB AND HOW MANY OF YOU THESE DAYS, SAY THE FOLLOWING. ILL JUST HAVE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE, I THOUGHT YOU KNEW YOUR JOB.
YOU SEE THIS IS THE TRUTH OF ENGLAD, THEY DON,T WANT SKILLED PEOPLE ITS ALL LIES. THEY WANT PEOPLE WHO CAN TALK WITH A SILVER FORK TONGUE AND JUST STAND THERE AND LOOK IMPRESSIVE, THAT IS NOT DOING YOUR JOB, THAT IS PUTTING ON A FALSE SHOW TO FOOL PEOPLE. THE COMPANIES NEED TO CHANGE THERE ATTITUDE TO EMPLOYING PEOPLE, NO WONDER OUR INDUSTRIES HAVE DECLINED.
EDUCATION DOES NOT WORK, IT WORKS AGAINST YOU. IT WORKS FOR THE GOVERMENT BIG TIME AS THEY CAN FIDDLE THE HELL OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
TRY THIS, IF ME AND MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE PASSED AND GOT OUR CERTIFICATES SO TO SPEAK AND CAN,T GET A JOB, WHAT CHANCE DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE, IN A COUNTRY WHERE IMMIGRATION IS INCREASING CONSTANTLY AND OUR OWN ENGLISH PEOPLE, DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE PER JOB APPLICATION ARE APPLYING FOR JUST SAY 1 JOB THESE DAYS, YOU DONT GET IT DO YOU.
THERE IS NO HAPPY ENDING TO THIS CON, EDUCATION IS LIE AND A CON ONLY TO GET YOUR MONEY, DON,T GO TO COLLEGE YOU WILL REGREAT IT AND THEN YOU WILL BE SAYING I WISH I NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE THERE IS NOTHING FOR ME, THE ONLY ONES WHO WON WERE THE COLLEGES WHO MADE MONEY OUT OF ME, AND I HAVE,NT MADE A DAM PENNY IN RETURN FOR ALL MY YEARS OF HARD WORK, NO I WONT SAY ITS GOOD WHEN IT IS NOT, I WILL NOT LIE ABOUT SUCH THINGS, WHEN ITS ALL JUST A LOAD OF LIES.
SICK OF THE UK, ITS FULL OF LIERS, GOVERMENT, BANKS, LEADERS, MP,S, RICH AND POOR GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER, THEY DONT GIVE A **** ABOUT US, ITS ALMOST CRMMINAL.
You don,t need certficates and degree,s and all that education. The only reason you take up the college or the univertsity, is becasue no one else will learn you the skills these days. Colleges and uni,s are a rip off and only a money making machine. I have 22 qualifications and mainly in IT and yet no one single company wants to even give me an interview never mind getting a job. And i have been applying for years now, they don,t give a dam.
ILL TELL YOU WHY, ITS ALWAYS THE SAME OLD 1 LINER. SORRY YOU DON,T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE. SO LETS GET THIS COMPLETELY STRAIGHT, YOU WONT EMPLOY ME EVEN THOW I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING AS I HAVE BEEN TRAINED, YET YOU ARE THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERMENT TELLING PEOPLE TO GET QUALIFIED AND TRAINNED UP AND YET THE ONE THING THAT STOPS ME IS THE ABOVE, AND I AM TRYING TO DO ALL OF THIS JUST TO LIVE AND SOME THING I AM GOOD AT SO I CAN TAKE HOME A WAGE PACKET, AND ITS YOUR EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE STOPPED US, YOU ARE MAKING THE MISTAKES.
WHY WELL YOU PUT THE, WE FAVOUR PEOPLE SKILLS OVER THE ACTUAL SKILLS. YET HOW MANY OF YOU ACTUALLY DO YOUR JOB AND HOW MANY OF YOU THESE DAYS, SAY THE FOLLOWING. ILL JUST HAVE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE, I THOUGHT YOU KNEW YOUR JOB.
YOU SEE THIS IS THE TRUTH OF ENGLAD, THEY DON,T WANT SKILLED PEOPLE ITS ALL LIES. THEY WANT PEOPLE WHO CAN TALK WITH A SILVER FORK TONGUE AND JUST STAND THERE AND LOOK IMPRESSIVE, THAT IS NOT DOING YOUR JOB, THAT IS PUTTING ON A FALSE SHOW TO FOOL PEOPLE. THE COMPANIES NEED TO CHANGE THERE ATTITUDE TO EMPLOYING PEOPLE, NO WONDER OUR INDUSTRIES HAVE DECLINED.
EDUCATION DOES NOT WORK, IT WORKS AGAINST YOU. IT WORKS FOR THE GOVERMENT BIG TIME AS THEY CAN FIDDLE THE HELL OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
TRY THIS, IF ME AND MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE PASSED AND GOT OUR CERTIFICATES SO TO SPEAK AND CAN,T GET A JOB, WHAT CHANCE DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE, IN A COUNTRY WHERE IMMIGRATION IS INCREASING CONSTANTLY AND OUR OWN ENGLISH PEOPLE, DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE PER JOB APPLICATION ARE APPLYING FOR JUST SAY 1 JOB THESE DAYS, YOU DONT GET IT DO YOU.
THERE IS NO HAPPY ENDING TO THIS CON, EDUCATION IS LIE AND A CON ONLY TO GET YOUR MONEY, DON,T GO TO COLLEGE YOU WILL REGREAT IT AND THEN YOU WILL BE SAYING I WISH I NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE THERE IS NOTHING FOR ME, THE ONLY ONES WHO WON WERE THE COLLEGES WHO MADE MONEY OUT OF ME, AND I HAVE,NT MADE A DAM PENNY IN RETURN FOR ALL MY YEARS OF HARD WORK, NO I WONT SAY ITS GOOD WHEN IT IS NOT, I WILL NOT LIE ABOUT SUCH THINGS, WHEN ITS ALL JUST A LOAD OF LIES.
SICK OF THE UK, ITS FULL OF LIERS, GOVERMENT, BANKS, LEADERS, MP,S, RICH AND POOR GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER, THEY DONT GIVE A **** ABOUT US, ITS ALMOST CRMMINAL.
21/02/2012 14:26
11/03/2012 00:03
The Tories make a big to-do about upward social mobility. But the ruling élite tightly manages and restricts the few avenues that lead to higher levels and even more so those which lead to the top.
It is practically impossible for a student with a university degree from a lower class background to make it in the absence of some corker of a business idea.
Also, the fact that degrees are much more attainable and held by so many people has lessened the value of degrees overall, since a degree no longer marks you out as it had done previously. Therefore another avenue of approach to the "higher levels" is narrowed..
It is practically impossible for a student with a university degree from a lower class background to make it in the absence of some corker of a business idea.
Also, the fact that degrees are much more attainable and held by so many people has lessened the value of degrees overall, since a degree no longer marks you out as it had done previously. Therefore another avenue of approach to the "higher levels" is narrowed..
21/02/2012 12:15
21/02/2012 13:54
Most middle class kiddies go to Uni because Mummy and Daddy expect it of them. Ploughing through the System is not really the same as being educated, however. The Greek word Educare means "to draw out knowledge" - you can't do that if there is nothing in there in the first place; such as with many vacant young people.
PS Just for the record, i got one O Level initially as that was all that was required to be a clerk then !
21/03/2012 14:33
It does not matter whether you have a degree, doctorate or NVQ. Everything today is based on reward - money; the more you get the more successful you are.
Greed appears not just in the domain of the Banking sector, it is everywhere. Simon is a very good example of this - rebranding to cut out a compatriot thus 'ALL MINE'.
Society needs to rethink its priorities.
21/02/2012 13:13
21/02/2012 09:33
21/02/2012 11:45
i think school is important to get somewhere in life coz now a days you need qualifications and experience to get anywhere! People around do get luck and get a chance to make money with no qualifications but not everyone in the world is going to be given this opportunity without having to work at it!
All these people who they show having millions without having to do anything for it should pass it on to people that really need it instead of bragging they had to do no work to get there!
21/02/2012 05:19
If this list is accurate and factual then i would say,as cynically as i usually do,that many of them had some kind of backing from (usually) parents or,based on the ages of the individuals involved,they rose to prominanace in a much "free'r" and less regulated era,also by that i mean the 80's and 90's were periods of tremendous opportunity,when a half-way talented,well connected individual could take advantage of this.No such things can happen now,as success is mainly 'authorised' not 'earned'.
However,its very important that the establishment gives the impression that lifes a lottery and "if you work hard enough you get on in life" and persists in "dangling the carrot" for the ambitious youngster to spend the better part of their life chasing.
I feel sorry for the young ones coming through these days as theres nothing for them and i sit and watch the same old bull**** stunts and manipulation being played on them too,its all very sad.
21/02/2012 15:46
@ Alina Miedzik
Just because Kate Moss doesn't have a posh nosh University degree - it doesn't mean that she (or anyone else who hasn't been to university) isn't smart!
Some people cannot afford (or simply don't want to go to) University, but still do well with their lives! Each to their own - get off your high horse...
21/02/2012 17:37
Theres a big difference between these mega-successful stars and one of us proles who's immediate family's never ever worked and we get a 30,000 a year career and think we're supermen just because we've got a couple of lucky breaks and worked hard.
The chasm between what we call 'successful' and what these people above earn is MASSIVE,PLEASE BELIEVE ME,THE TYPE OF SUCCESS WE SEE ABOVE IS ALWAYS,ALWAYS ROOTED IN AT LEAST A BIT OF CORRUPTION HERE AND THERE
The widespread belief that this type of success is earned fairly is a testament to the 'carrot dangling' that is employed to the proles jumping through hoops!
It really is a wonderful system for those at the top! hahaha!!
21/02/2012 13:29
22/02/2012 05:17
21/02/2012 12:31
21/02/2012 13:39
21/02/2012 12:26
Report
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
latest money videos
more on msn money
The taxman says three and a half million people are due a refund, but two million will have to fork out for underpaid tax.
Fed up with low savings rates and high borrowing rates? As Dave Fishwick and his Bank of Dave has demonstrated, there are other options out there.
If you want to find a unique property bargain, there is plenty of help available online - you just need to know where to look.
US couple have found an innovative solution to the problem of sky-high house prices.
The two banks have now joined the Post Office's banking network, meaning customers can make withdrawals and deposits at branches around the UK.
Get 5p off per litre of fuel at Shell, broadband from £2 a month and more in our latest discount and freebie round-up.
Lifestyling is supposed to mean that your pension pot becomes more secure the nearer you get to retirement. Yet your pension provider might be switching you to overpriced and therefore riskier investments.
If you want to borrow a larger sum of money and repay it over time, a conventional personal loan is not always your best option.
Look out for these warning signs when house-hunting
Analysts at Barclays calculate Co-op – whose debt has been downgraded to junk – could need £1.8bn in worst case scenario
Government measures responsible for pickup in demand that has yet to be matched by increase in supply, says Rics
