15 Successful College Dropouts (PHOTOS)

This week, the Lumina Foundation for Education announced a renewed commitment to helping adults who have completed some college finally earn their degrees. Lumina hopes to support 19 distinct projects with the use of $14.8 million worth of grants, and plans on reaching out to 6.6 million adults.

The Washington Post attributes efforts on Lumina's part to Obama's call for America's return to the top spot in postsecondary attainment by 2020, but Lumina also has its own agenda.

According to the Post, Lumina's CEO Jamie Merisotis notes that while finishing a college degree will involve returning to school for many adults, for others it just means completing paperwork. Merisotis said that "for some of them, life just gets in the way."

Below, a list of fifteen college dropouts for whom life got in the way -- in the best sense of the phrase. Check out these alleged under-achievers. Do you think President Obama would send these guys back to school?

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Carla Bruni-Sarkozy

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Carla Bruni is certainly not the first beauty to ditch school to pursue a modeling career, but she may be the only to leave college (she started to study art and architecture in Paris, but abandoned formal education at 19) and eventually become a model, singer, songwriter and -- since 2008 -- France's first lady. Although she never returned to academia, Bruni paid homage to such literary greats as Emily Dickinson and Yeats in her second album, No Promises.

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Carla Bruni is certainly not the first beauty to ditch school to pursue a modeling career, but she may be the only to leave college (she started to study art and architecture in Paris, but abandoned formal education at 19) and eventually become a model, singer, songwriter and -- since 2008 -- France's first lady. Although she never returned to academia, Bruni paid homage to such literary greats as Emily Dickinson and Yeats in her second album, No Promises.

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Comments

[mltaylor13pt1]

10:37 PM on 10/12/2010

No one is a "major in the Navy". "Major" is not a naval rank. An O-4 (fourth officer grade) in the Navy is a Lieutenant Commander. John Glenn is a Marine, not a Sailor. Sen. Glenn retired as a Colonel.

[OzzieFRESH]

11:02 AM on 10/12/2010

Bill Murray is FAR too old to have attended Regis College. During his college days, Regis College was an all-female institution, within the last 3-5 years becoming coed. Perhaps Regis University in Denver, Colorado is what you meant, however, Bill's not one to shy from cross dressing.

[Andra Claudia Garcia]

09:04 PM on 10/09/2010

Tolstoy is super funny

[dixdarlin]

12:33 AM on 10/08/2010

Glen Beck NEVER attended a college. He attemped one class and failed!
How in the world does he qualify for a University

[TeacupKitten]

04:22 PM on 10/08/2010

I am afraid it's worse. He never graduated high school.

[dixdarlin]

12:29 AM on 10/08/2010

According to his Mother Rush failed every subject including Ballroom dancing! He didn't drop out he failed out!

[Strateshooter]

01:32 PM on 10/07/2010

HOW THE HELL CAN BILL GATES NOT BE ON THIS LIST?

[Dham4201]

10:17 PM on 10/06/2010

I know Rush is extremely wealthy...and has a religious following...but if I ever find myself judging my "success" in life by comparing myself to that guy, I will need to take a long, hard look in the mirror

[blueballs]

01:16 PM on 10/04/2010

No Bill Gates? No Steve Jobs? No Michael Dell? Seems like most of those are more noteworthy than some on that list.

[Joel BStylz Ogola]

11:33 AM on 10/04/2010

If anybody thinks they can go by this List, Drop out of school, Go straight to Conventional work and Succeed... Good Luck!

[considerthis]

09:23 AM on 10/04/2010

I would definetly send Limbaugh back to somewhere

[TheSardonicAtheist]

12:09 AM on 10/04/2010

I laughed extremely hard when I came across Rush Limbaugh. Priceless.

[Stay Classy America]

04:39 PM on 10/03/2010

What is the operational definition of "success" for this list? Just curious.

[JASONH0099]

01:45 PM on 10/03/2010

The list only has two non entertainers on it, John Glen and the whole foods guy.. thats it. The rest were hollywood/models/comedians.....

[Sean Myers]

09:19 PM on 10/03/2010

ted turner.

[NatTurner1]

11:19 AM on 10/03/2010

Didnt President Andrew Jackson practice law without so much as an undergraduate degree?

[3fingerbrown]

12:00 PM on 10/04/2010

So did Lincoln, for that matter.

[mltaylor13pt1]

10:41 PM on 10/12/2010

Back then, you could read law with a licensed attorney for a period of time and take the bar.

[LMPE]

12:11 AM on 10/03/2010

There's also those who never attended college to begin with. Not one of the Beatles ever went to college, and Marilyn Monroe didn't either.

[Benedictus70]

03:38 PM on 10/03/2010

Well, John Lennon went to art school: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool_College_of_Art

Yeah, he failed out pretty miserably, but it's inaccurate to say he never went to college (and this is certainly a form of higher education, if perhaps not a full university).