Search: Rachael Ray

Rachael Ray is one of the most recognizable names in TV's food court, yet she never received any formal training. While working at a shop in Albany, New York, in her twenties, she gave cooking lessons that eventually landed her the Food Network show "30-Minute Meals" in 2001. Today, she has several cooking shows, a daytime talk show (clips) and her own magazine.

Trivia: Her husband is the lead singer of what rock band?

John D. Rockefeller, an American business icon of the 1800s (photos) who became one of the richest men in the country with his company Standard Oil, never went to college but founded this university.

Trivia: What year did the Supreme Court dissolve the Standard Oil monopoly?

from... Search: Success without a degree

For the average person, a college degree is a career essential, but some of the world's most famous, rich and powerful people, from TV chefs and fashion designers to presidents and comedians, attained great success without one. Let's see who took a pass on the sheepskin.

Search: Simon Cowell

"American Idol" judge (clips) and British music executive Simon Cowell earns an estimated $36 million per season (how much per minute?). Not bad for dropping out of college.

Trivia: Who is he engaged to?

Growing up in a London slum with her vaudeville parents, Julie Andrews made it big as an actress, author and singer despite never attending college, deciding after high school to pursue a full-time singing career instead.

Trivia: What is her birth name?

Search: Coco Chanel

Known for her menswear-inspired designs and a signature look still popular today, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel created a fashion empire despite never obtaining a college degree.

Trivia: How did she get the nickname Coco?

The 16th president of the United States, Republican Abraham Lincoln, didn't attend college but issued one of the most important documents in the country's history before he was assassinated on April 14, 1865.

Trivia: What play was he watching when he was shot?

Search: Michael J. Fox

"Back to the Future" star and Parkinson's disease advocate Michael J. Fox didn't even make it through high school. He dropped out at age 18 and moved from Vancouver, Canada, to Los Angeles to focus on his acting career.

Trivia: He got the role of Alex Keaton on "Family Ties" only after this famous actor turned it down.

Singer, actress and fashion designer Jessica Simpson also dropped out of high school to pursue her singing career.

Trivia: She turned down a role in what 2000 movie?

Search: Walt Disney

At age 16, Walt Disney, screenwriter, animator and media mogul, dropped out of high school to join the army but was rejected because of his young age. After several attempts to become a newspaper cartoonist, he finally got it right when he co-founded Walt Disney Productions and created some of the world's most recognized characters in pop culture.

Trivia: The context remains a mystery, but Disney's last words upon his death in 1966 were the name of this actor.

After dropping out of high school and holding jobs such as coffin polisher and milkman, Scottish movie star Sean Connery became famous playing suave British spy James Bond in six films.

Trivia: What did he wear for every Bond movie?

Search: Tracy Morgan

Comedian and "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan, who married his high school sweetheart (since separated), dropped out of high school but went on to enjoy seven seasons on "Saturday Night Live" and has starred in several new movies (clips).

Trivia: What television show featuring Martin Lawrence launched his career?

Founder of one of the largest PC makers, Michael Dell (photos) sold computers out of his University of Texas dorm room but dropped out after his freshman year to start Dell Computers in 1984. According to Forbes, he is the 13th-richest person in America, with a net worth of $17 billion.

Trivia: He became the youngest CEO ever to make this prestigious list.

Search: Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs (photos) is the CEO and co-founder of Apple, and even though he dropped out of Reed College after just six months, his net worth is estimated at $5.5 billion.

Trivia: What award-winning and groundbreaking animation company did he co-found?

Co-founder of Microsoft with Bill Gates, Paul Allen (photos) attended Washington State University but dropped out after two years to join Gates in writing software for personal computers. The move paid off. Forbes estimates his net worth to be $16 billion.

Trivia: What professional sports teams does he own?

Search: Leonardo DiCaprio

Not having a college degree hasn't stopped three-time Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (photos) from becoming a Hollywood icon and donating some of his earnings to worthy causes.

Trivia: What movie earned him his first Academy Award nomination?

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States and a man known to duel, studied law and became a lawyer without a college degree.

Trivia: He was the first president to obtain this status.

Search: Kate Winslet

Though the Oscar-winner (clips) attended a performing arts high school in England where she received professional training, Kate Winslet never went to college.

Trivia: Who was her first husband (before director Sam Mendes) and how did they meet?

Already a budding fashion mogul, Ralph Lauren (photos) sold neckties to his fellow students in high school and studied for two years at Baruch College but never graduated. In 2008 Forbes estimated his net worth to be $4.2 billion.

Trivia: What is the trademark symbol of his clothing empire?

Search: Helen Mirren

A celebrated actress and sex symbol, Helen Mirren (photos) enrolled in a teachers college at her parents' request, but her time there was brief after her successful audition at North London's National Youth Theatre.

Trivia: What is her real name?

Tennis great Andre Agassi (clips) didn't have time for college. His talent was discovered at the tender age of 13 when he was enrolled at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He turned pro three years later.

Trivia: What is his nickname?

Search: Henry Ford

Founder of Ford Motor Company in 1903, Henry Ford experimented with mechanics in his youth at a Detroit machine shop, but he never made it to college. He is credited with establishing the modern-day assembly line.

Trivia: How much did the Model T Ford cost in 1908?

Although Andrew Carnegie eventually accumulated a massive fortune as a businessman, he came from humble beginnings in Scotland and had to start working at a young age to support his family. After that, he was too busy dominating the U.S. steel market to ever attend college.

Trivia: What was one of his first jobs upon moving to the U.S.?

Search: Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee, singer (clips) and "American Idol" runner-up in Season 5, attended the Boston Conservatory for three semesters majoring in musical theater before dropping out on the advice of her manager to pursue a TV career.

Trivia: What eating disorder did McPhee say she suffered from?

Bruce Springsteen (clips) made it through high school (did he make it to the graduation ceremony?) but dropped out of Ocean Community College after a brief stint.

Trivia: Which president tried unsuccessfully to use "Born in the USA" as his campaign song?

Search: Bill Gates

Microsoft visionary and co-founder Bill Gates (photos) is a Harvard University dropout but is one of the richest and most successful people in the world. Forbes estimates his net worth at $53 billion and climbing.

Trivia: In 2008 he announced he was retiring from day-to-day operations at Microsoft to focus on what?

Singer and actress "Jenny from the Block," aka Jennifer Lopez (clips), attended New York's Baruch College while taking dance classes and working in a law office. She left school before graduating to pursue her music ambitions.

Trivia: In what 1990 sketch comedy show was she cast as a Fly Girl?

Search: Drew Barrymore

Born into a famous family, successful actress and producer Drew Barrymore never completed high school (clips).

Trivia: Who are her famous godmothers?

Founder of the Hershey's chocolate company, Milton Hershey ended his formal education with fourth grade. His products came to be known all over the world.

Trivia: In what year were Hershey's Kisses introduced?

Search: President Harry S. Truman

The 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman (photos) is one of the few presidents who did not attend college.

Trivia: What did he do before his political career?

Cult filmmaker Quentin Tarantino dropped out of high school at age 16 (photos).

Trivia: Which of his recent films was nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards?

Search: Jim Carrey

Funnyman and successful actor Jim Carrey hasn't needed a degree of any kind to help him rise to the top in Hollywood (clips).

Trivia: At age 10, he sent a letter to a legendary comedian asking to be a regular on her television show.

Ringo Starr quit school at age 15, worked as a deliveryman and drummed for Rory Storm & the Hurricanes before replacing Pete Best as the fourth and final Beatle (clips).

Trivia: Which two Beatles songs did he write?

Search: Mark Zuckerberg

Founder of the social networking giant Facebook, now-26-year-old Mark Zuckerberg left Harvard after starting the site in his dorm room in 2004. Forbes estimated his net worth in 2008 to be $1.5 billion (photos).

Trivia: What did he develop in high school?

Richard Branson (photos) created a billion-dollar brand with Virgin, including Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic Airways and hundreds of other companies, even though he left school when he was just 16.

Trivia: A thrill-seeker, Branson has attempted to break many world records.