Successful high school dropouts

This list used to be on Wikipedia, but it was deleted. So I've decided to put it up here. It's probably outdated though, and is by no means a complete list, but it's something anyway. Also, if you're considering dropping out, you may find this page useful.

This list of secondary school dropouts consists of noteworthy people who left high school, or an equivalent institution, without having graduated. It does not include those who never attended a secondary school to begin with, and so excludes all individuals who lived prior to the first implementations of the concept of secondary education at the end of the 18th century. It does include students who were expelled, rather than dropping out voluntarily, and it also includes those who dropped out but later re-enrolled and graduated, or received an honorary diploma later in life.

As secondary education has become dramatically more common over the years, the number of secondary school dropouts has increased as well. Additionally, failure to graduate has become much more noteworthy and stigmatizing in the eyes of many than it was in the 19th and early 20th centuries, although there are a number of dropouts who nevertheless later went on to become successful in a variety of fields.

Although secondary schools in different countries have a number of significant differences, there are enough similarities for some grouping to be possible. Most secondary schools begin in 7th grade at the earliest, and end in 12th grade at the latest, though there are exceptions. Secondary school is also mandatory until a certain age (usually between 15 and 18) in most countries, unlike higher education institutions, which as a result have fewer attendees and fewer college dropouts. Secondary school dropouts have also become much more common than primary school dropouts, though in the past it was not unusual to receive only a few years of formal education at best.

British secondary school drop outs are those who left school without any qualifications or those who left before the age of 16. In the UK school system, pupils do not "graduate," nor do they receive degrees; only university students can graduate and obtain degrees.

Actors and models
Authors, poets, and playwrights
Business leaders and entrepreneurs
Comedians
Film directors
Musicians, singers, and composers
News anchors, journalists, and reporters
Politicians, socialites, and royalty
Scientists and inventors
Sports players
Uncategorized

Actors and models

Julie Andrews, British singer and actress; pulled out of school at age fifteen by her mother.
Christina Applegate, American actress; dropped out of Excelsior High School in Los Angeles at age seventeen to pursue her acting career.
Lucille Ball
Brigitte Bardot
Roseanne Barr
Drew Barrymore
Sean Bean
Joey Bishop
Humphrey Bogart
Clara Bow
Marlon Brando
Charles Bronson
Pierce Brosnan
Gisele Bündchen
Raymond Burr
Ellen Burstyn
Michael Caine
Neve Campbell
Jim Carrey
Toni Collette
Sean Connery
Joan Crawford
Russell Crowe
Tom Cruise
Beverly D'Angelo
Robert DeNiro
Johnny Depp
Bo Derek
Matt Dillon
Ami Dolenz
Patty Duke
Jeanne Eagels
Rupert Everett
Lola Falana
Colin Farrell
Errol Flynn
Ben Foster
Clark Gable
Eva Gabor
Greta Garbo
Nona Gaye
Lillian Gish
Whoopi Goldberg
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Cary Grant
Paris Hilton
Djimon Hounsou
Margaux Hemingway
Benny Hill
Nicole Kidman
Keira Knightley
Yaphet Kotto
Jude Law
Henrietta Leaver
Heath Ledger
Jason Lee
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jared Leto
Traci Lords
Sophia Loren
Sophie Marceau
Lee Marvin
Ewan McGregor
Melina Mercouri
Alyssa Milano
Robert Mitchum
Marilyn Monroe
Demi Moore
Roger Moore
Peter O'Toole
Al Pacino
Joe Pesci
Joaquin Phoenix
Teri Polo
Keanu Reeves
Leah Remini
Michelle Rodriguez
Rene Russo
Charlie Sheen
Patrick Stewart
Kiefer Sutherland
Hilary Swank
Charlize Theron
Danny Thomas
Uma Thurman
John Travolta
Kate Winslet
Elijah Wood
John Wood
Bam Margera (Got his GED.)

Successful high school dropouts

Contents

Actors and models

Artists

Authors, poets, and playwrights

Business leaders and entrepreneurs

Comedians

Film directors

Musicians, singers, and composers

News anchors, journalists, and reporters

Politicians, socialites, and royalty

Scientists and inventors

Sports players

Uncategorized

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