Successful people who got crappy grades in high school or college – what are you doing now and how did (or didn’t) your grades affect your success/career?

Barely passed high school. Got kicked out of university second year in. Always had trouble focusing and generally just don’t enjoy the monotony and wasteful nature of time spent at school.

Worked in a mall for 5 years. Was completely fucked with 10k in cc debt and 15/20k on my student line of credit making 30k a year in Vancouver point 1.2k a month in rent. Was a very low point. I remember being rejected by a girl because she did not want to date someone working at a clothing store in their mid twenties. Really hurt.

Started a small business on the side promoting punk shows. Grew the business in to owning a night club in a few years. Sold the nightclub.

Used the business experience from that to get myself a very good 150k a year sales job that has nothing to do with the bar business.

I’m really not a smart guy. In the way that science and abstract math shuts down my brain. But without sounding self centred I do think I have a somewhat natural talent for people management.

Also at least in my current job, being an education outsider really helps. When everyone in a room is Ivy League having a more “unrefined” approach has been beneficial I think to our company. But I also had to brand it as such. First few months were hard but I pressed on in ways I knew I would be successful in and ultimately my results spoke for themselves.

Now in the company I’m known as an “out of the box thinker”. Which in my head I just laugh off as being the only one in management who was ever poor (and probably for generations with some of those guys lol)

My teachers told me I’d never get paid to sit there and stare out a window.

I’m one of the top respected truck drivers at work and people often come to me for advice and help. Whether it be laws, permits, how to do something, or practical help on chaining or tying shit down.

I got fairly bad grades in highschool. My guidance counsellor told me to join the army and be an infantry soldier because I’d never go to university/college or be successful.

I ended up getting a BA and now I’m an ESL teacher. Currently looking at options to get fully certified and step up the teaching game.

Dropped out of highschool, got my GED, tried college but realized it just wasn’t for me. I joined the Us Army and while I was enlisted I realized that I’m just going to have to figure my own way because I can’t stand school. So I made my own way, learned to code 25 years ago and have done very well for myself. My brother has a similar story but he didn’t even bother trying college. He’s followed his dreams and made successful careers out of his hobbies. Just because school doesn’t work out for you don’t think less of yourself and don’t underestimate your value.

Did very well in high school but sucked pretty hard in college. My HS grades got me a military scholarship that had very forgiving standards to keep. Today I’m an airline captain and a military pilot with a 2.something college GPA. I just can’t math that good.