College isn't for everyone. Between tests, papers, and classes, there's a lot of stress, and plenty of students don't make it through.
But that doesn't mean these students are doomed to failure.
We put together a list of the most successful Harvard dropouts.
Some left the prestigious Ivy to pursue their passions, while others were forced to leave after partying too much. Either way, they all found extraordinary success after leaving the university.
At 20 years old, Bill Gates dropped out to start Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen.
Attended Harvard: 1973-1975
The applied math major was known at Harvard for his intense study habits. Gates would go on a 36-hour study-bender, sleep for 10 hours, socialize, then start from the beginning. He would even audit classes that were the same time frame as his scheduled classes.
Gates left the university because he and Allen wanted to be the first to establish the software industry.
The Microsoft mogul has long hovered at or near the top of the list of wealthiest people in the world, worth approximately $81 billion. Gates recently stepped down as chairman of Microsoft and now serves as a technology adviser for the company.
Gates and his wife, Melinda, started the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, through which they have donated more than $30 billion to charities around the world.
Matt Damon dropped out one semester and 12 credits shy of a degree.
Attended Harvard: 1988-1992
The Boston-born actor was known to cut class to attend auditions during his time at Harvard.
Damon, an English major, dropped out of the Ivy his senior year after earning a spot in the film "Geronimo: An American Legend."
However it wasn't until 1997 that Damon received his big break starring in "Good Will Hunting," which earned the actor an Academy Award.
His career has since taken off, making his net worth approximately $75 million. The actor/producer is also heavily involved in humanitarian work; Damon is one of the founders of Water.org.
Mark Zuckerberg built the world's largest social network, Facebook, in his dorm room.
Attended Harvard: 2002-2004
On Feb. 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched the first version of Facebook from his Harvard dorm, and he is now worth approximately $35 billion.
Zuckerberg dropped out shortly after Facebook's launch and moved to Palo Alto, California, to continue to develop the site.
Facebook went public in 2012 for the fourth-biggest IPO ever (and biggest in tech) at $16 billion.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider