100+ Most Influential People: Fun Facts Behind their Success
Joy
May 29, 2025
When we think of success, images of billionaires, Nobel laureates, prime ministers, and Olympic champions often come to mind. But behind the spotlight, what do their educational journeys look like? To find out, we analyzed a dataset covering 108 high achievers from tech, science, politics, entertainment, sports, and activism.
This blog dives into their academic paths—degrees, institutions, fields of study, and accolades—to uncover patterns, surprises, and lessons.
The dataset is downloaded from Kaggle and the analysis is powered by Powerdrill.
Degrees of Success
Education takes many forms, and this cohort is no exception. While most completed a Bachelor's degree, many pursued advanced studies—especially in fields like science, business, and tech leadership. Still, a few notable names became legends without finishing their degrees.
Highlights:
Most common: Bachelor of Science, MBA, and Master of Science.
Prominent dropouts: Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg.
MBAs dominated among tech executives and business moguls.
Fields of Study
A clear trend emerges: STEM and business fields dominate. From computer science and engineering to economics and physics, these fields provide the backbone for innovation and enterprise.
Top Majors:
Computer Science
Business Administration
Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, etc.)
Economics
Political Science
Scholarship recipients most often came from the following fields:
Field | Number of Scholarship Recipients |
Computer Science | 11 |
Business | 7 |
Engineering | 5 |
Law | 4 |
English | 3 |
Technical and leadership fields dominate academic recognition.
This aligns with global demand for innovation and executive excellence.
Elite Alma Maters
Where you study can matter—but only to a point. A significant number of successful people attended globally top-ranked universities, especially in the U.S.
Most Frequently Attended Schools:
Harvard University
Stanford University
MIT
University of Pennsylvania
Princeton University
The top 3 universities by country are:
Canada: University of Toronto is the top university.
France: University of Paris and École Polytechnique are among the top universities.
Germany: Hannover Medical School and University of Leipzig are listed.
Mexico: UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) is a top institution.
UK: Cambridge University, University of Oxford, and University of Exeter are the top three.
USA: MIT, Harvard, and Yale Law School are identified as top institutions.
GPA and Academic Honors
Contrary to stereotypes, many top achievers performed well academically. A considerable portion graduated with high GPAs or prestigious scholarships. However, a high GPA was not a strict prerequisite for success.
Trends:
Median GPA falls in the 3.6 to 3.9 range.
Many earned awards like Dean's List, Fellowships, or National Scholarships.
Several outliers achieved greatness with unremarkable grades.
Global Educational Footprint
While the U.S. dominates, the dataset includes leaders educated in Canada, the UK, India, China, and other nations. This shows success isn't geographically constrained—access to quality education, wherever found, matters.
Top 5 Countries by Educational Background:
USA: 69
China: 12
UK: 5
France: 4
Germany: 4
Takeaway: While American institutions still lead, a notable number of achievers were educated in China and Europe, signaling the rise of global academic influence.
Education by Profession
Profession | Notable Degree Trends |
Entrepreneurs | High dropout rate; CS/Business majors |
Scientists | PhDs common; heavy in Engineering/Physics |
Politicians | Law, Political Science, Public Policy |
Entertainers | Often studied drama or unrelated majors |
Activists | Liberal arts; often scholarships involved |
Athletes | Less academic focus, but notable exceptions |
Iconic Dropouts Still Rule Headlines
Only 2 individuals in the dataset dropped out of university—yet both are among the most influential entrepreneurs of our time:
Bill Gates – Dropped out of Harvard University
Mark Zuckerberg – Also dropped out of Harvard University
Fun Fact: Despite not completing their degrees, both founded multibillion-dollar companies that have reshaped global industries.
Scholarships and Honors Are Common
About 74.07% of the individuals received scholarships, fellowships, or notable academic awards—showing a trend of early academic distinction.
Top 5 Most Common Recognitions:
Merit Scholarship
Research Grant
Merit Award
Academic Excellence
Comedy Award 🎭 (yes, someone earned recognition in comedy!)
Implication: Scholarships are not just financial tools—they often identify early potential that later turns into global success.
Among those who received scholarships or academic honors, these institutions appear most frequently:
Institution | Number of Scholarship Recipients |
Stanford University | 8 |
Harvard University | 7 |
UCLA | 4 |
Princeton University | 3 |
University of Pennsylvania | 2 |
Elite universities don’t just attract talent—they invest in it early.
Surprisingly Few Hold Multiple Degrees
Despite assumptions about continuous learning, no individual in this dataset appears more than once, suggesting either:
The dataset is curated to show only the highest degree, or
Most achievers focused intensely on a single educational path.
Insight: Depth may matter more than breadth in educational trajectory for elite success.
A Century of Graduates
Your dataset spans over a century of educational history, from the earliest graduation year in 1903 to the most recent in 2021.
Success leaves traces across generations, with education as a common thread.
This broad timeline gives your dataset a powerful narrative: from early 20th-century pioneers to 21st-century prodigies.
Outliers & Unique Journeys
Some of the most fascinating stories are the exceptions:
A top political leader who studied zoology.
A tech billionaire with no formal college degree.
An activist who rose through scholarships in war-torn countries.
Their journeys prove that drive and opportunity often outweigh academic pedigree.
What Can We Learn?
Degrees matter—but they aren't everything.
Elite institutions offer networks, but success is global.
High GPAs are common, but not mandatory.
Soft skills, risk tolerance, and real-world learning remain key differentiators.
Conclusion
Education lays the foundation, but personal traits build the legacy. By analyzing academic patterns of world-class achievers, we see both structure and spontaneity. Whether you're a student, educator, or aspiring leader, this dataset proves that success has many educational roots.
