The most brilliant, famous, and influential American architect in history, Frank Lloyd Wright, was a bonafide genius. And this genius was homeschooled by his mother, who was a teacher.
One day, Wright’s mother brought home a set of “Froebel Gifts,” building blocks, and other educational play materials for children. Wright later said that this was the start of his perception and love for design and building. He did attend high school for some years but never graduated and dropped out of university after a year.
Christina Aguilera
The princess of pop Christina Aguilera has had a long, stellar music career, skyrocketing to fame in the late 90s with her debut song ‘Genie in a Bottle.’ But before she became a superstar, Christina started out like many other celebrities – in Disney’s 'Mickey Mouse Club.' She was homeschooled from then on.
By 1998, when she was barely 18 years old, Christina had recorded 'Reflection,' which was written for the 'Mulan' soundtrack. Shortly after, she was signed by RCA and went on to become one of the highest-grossing singer-songwriters in history.
Jamie Anderson
Growing up in South Lake Tahoe, Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson snowboarded from a very young age. She and her seven siblings were all homeschooled. Not only that, Jamie had a very ‘free’ version of homeschooling since her mother was adamant that character-building was always more important than academic studies.
This allowed Jamie to build her physique, practice snowboarding, and become the best in the world. As her parents said: “It was always more important to me for the kids to be outside running and jumping and being children rather than cooped up inside sitting at a desk.”
Justin Bieber
Seeing as the world-famous pop star was discovered at age 12, it’s no surprise that Canadian-born Justin Bieber had to be homeschooled. After his YouTube video went viral in 2006, Bieber had to leave his public school and continue elementary and high school from home.
It was impossible to manage his insane schedule of traveling, tours, TV appearances, and more with school hours. So, the pop star completed his classes online while focusing on his music career and graduated in 2012. Nowadays, he’s worth over $285 million.
Simone Biles
Simone Biles is one of the best gymnasts in the world, with 19 Olympic and World Championship medals to prove it. This legend started training when she was a child, and at age 13, Simone left school and started homeschooling.
Her parents and trainers saw her talent and insisted on her focusing on her career. Nowadays, even though Simone is aware of not having had the traditional high school years, she’s happy she focused on gymnastics. It definitely paid off.
Misty Copeland
Becoming the first African-American woman to be a principal dancer in the American Ballet Theater is no small feat. Misty Copeland achieved this honor in 2015, and her success has been growing ever since. Of course, dancing at that level requires relentless practice and hard work, and Misty’s family knew this early on.
Being a family of dance coaches, they knew Misty had to focus on her career, and so in 10th grade, she began homeschooling. We’re sure Misty has no doubt it was the right decision.
Miley Cyrus
Although Miley grew up around music, fame, and everything that comes with being Billy Ray Cyrus’s daughter, she says she had a pretty normal childhood until she starred in Disney’s "Hannah Montana." But after the show’s huge success in the 2000s, Miley rose to such international fame that she had no time for school and so began homeschooling.
Cyrus had online courses and tutors that even helped her graduate early, and with a budding career as an actress and singer, it’s quite a feat. Miley has been topping music charts ever since.
Hilary Duff
Another child actress that had to resort to homeschooling due to a busy schedule is Hilary Duff. Her mother had homeschooled her since she was eight years old, which was lucky because, after her star role as Lizzie Maguire in Disney’s show of the same name, it was impossible for Duff to do anything but focus on her career.
As she continues to see incredible success as an actress and singer, Hilary Duff has said that homeschooling was a great experience and the only way she could achieve her dream career.
Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning has been acting since she was 5 years old! You might think that acting from such an early age is going to affect a person’s education, but not in Dakota’s case.
She managed to focus on her career while being homeschooled by her mother from 2nd grade all the way up to 8th grade. By 9th grade, Dakota wanted the high school experience, so she enrolled in a school in Los Angeles. She then attended NYU and graduated with honors, proving that you can do it all.
Selena Gomez
A child actress that had a tough time in school is Selena Gomez. Starting out her career at a very young age on the show "Barney & Friends," Selena got bullied a lot in school. 'I was a nerd,' says the star. This, combined with the fact that her showbiz career was taking off, pushed her towards homeschooling with the help of tutors.
Selena ensured she was always on top of her academic work and graduated from high school in 2010. She’s gone on to become an A-list celebrity, recently acting alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short in "Only Murders in the Building."
Ryan Gosling
Before he even appeared on the "Mickey Mouse Club", Ryan was already being homeschooled. His mother decided to take him out of public school when he was diagnosed with ADHD. At age 10, Ryan was still having trouble reading and was suffering from severe bullying at school, so the decision was made.
Two years later, at age 12, Ryan signed his contract with Disney. Nowadays, the star is one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, and he claims homeschooling was a unique experience that gave him his independent character.
Blake Griffin
One of the Boston Celtics’ star players, Blake Griffin, was homeschooled throughout elementary and middle school. Needless to say, this Oklahoma native has had a phenomenal sports career, playing for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Detroit Pistons, and the Boston Celtics. The only time he attended school was during his high school years, so he could play in the school’s basketball team.
Seeing as Griffin was the NBA’s number-one pick in the 2009 draft, we’d say it was the right decision to focus on his career and learn at home.
Bethany Hamilton
Known for being one of the world’s best surfers, Hawaiian-born Bethany Hamilton is proof that anything is possible. At age 13, she was attacked by a shark and lost her left arm, but just a couple of months later, she was back in the water. This was a true testament to how much Bethany wanted to be a competitive surfer, and since she’d already been homeschooled since the 6th grade, she had the freedom to focus on her career.
She went on to win dozens of international surfing competitions worldwide, and her story is an inspiration to athletes everywhere.
The Jonas Brothers
Nick, Kevin, and Joe Jonas come from a conservative Christian family, and their mother decided to homeschool them from a very young age. The brothers formed the Jonas band in 2005 and saw worldwide success as their songs climbed the billboards.
When interviewed about the boys’ upbringing, mother Denise said that even if her sons hadn’t started a band and skyrocketed to success, homeschooling would have still been the choice. Kudos to Denise for educating three boys at home and making sure they achieved such professional success.
Sage Kotsenburg
The 2014 Olympic gold medalist Sage Kotsenburg grew up in Utah and was homeschooled from a young age. Sage and his three siblings were homeschooled through online courses at the Alpha Omega Academy. This gave him the freedom to start getting on a board from age five, and it clearly paid off since he went pro at age 17, a year before even finishing high school.
Nowadays, he has a collection of Olympic medals at home and is considered one of the world’s best snowboarders. Sage and his siblings go snowboarding together every chance they get, as the athlete has repeatedly said in interviews.
Joey Logano
Joey Logano was barely 18 years old when he joined the NASCAR cup series in 2008, and he’s won 31 races and 25 poles as of 2022. The racing prodigy has driven in 504 races and will probably rack up countless more during his career.
Logano’s exceptional talent was evident from an early age, so his parents decided homeschooling was the best way to go, and we’d be inclined to agree since their little Joey is worth over $24 million nowadays.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato was sadly pulled out of school because of bullying. After her role in "Camp Rock" at 12 years old, Lovato was getting picked on in school, and it became so untenable that her family decided to homeschool her. This was clearly the right decision since her grades started improving, and she stopped the self-destructive behavior she had at school.
And she was homeschooled with Selena Gomez! Today, Lovato is one of America’s most popular singers, topping charts with her songs and getting cast in TV movies and shows.
Bode Miller
New Hampshire native Bode Miller is considered one of America’s best alpine skiers of all time, and his homeschooling definitely had something to do with it. Miller grew up on a 450-acre farm in a log cabin, so homeschooling was probably very cool.
He studied at home until the 3rd grade, and during that time, he had plenty of freedom to start skiing around the farm. Even though he retired in 2017, Miller had a stellar career, winning an Olympic gold medal, four World Championships, and 33 World Cups.
Christopher Paolini
Christopher Paolini’s incredible imagination had him writing fantasy novels from the young age of 15. Paolini was homeschooled throughout the duration of his education, and through his advanced online courses and hard work, he graduated from high school at age 15.
His first book, "Inheritance Cycle," the first installment of the famous Eragon series, was published in 2002 by his parents’ publishing company. Paolini was awarded a Guinness World Record for being the youngest author to write a bestselling novel. The Eragon series went on to become one of the top-selling science fiction and fantasy novels of all time.
Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova was 4 years old when she started playing tennis, and by age 9, she was already a student at Florida’s IMG Sports Academy. The Russian-born prodigy was clearly going places, and so at age 11, she began to be homeschooled by her mother.
This allowed her to focus on her training and competitions, and by age 13, Sharapova won the International Junior Tennis Championship and then the Rising Star Award. She’s had a stellar career that lasted until 2020, winning an Olympic Silver medal and becoming the only Russian in history to achieve a Grand Slam during her career.
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld began homeschooling when she was 12 years old after deciding she needed to focus on her acting. This allowed her to attend many more auditions, and in 2010, she got her big break by being cast in an Ethan Cohen film. Steinfeld was cast as Mattie Ross in the hit film "True Grit," and she certainly held her own, getting nominated for an Academy Award for her incredible performance.
She continued to be homeschooled and graduated with honors. And dozens of offers from top Hollywood directors. Not bad at all.
Taylor Swift
It becomes increasingly difficult to attend school when you’re a 13-year-old star. This was the case with singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who was homeschooled since the 8th grade. Taylor rose to such heights of fame that focusing on her music career seemed to be the only sensible choice.
And so, with hard work and the help of great tutors, she managed to juggle her career and learn from wherever it took her. Not only did she graduate early from high school, but she also went on to become one of America’s most famous pop stars.
Tim Tebow
With some of the best stats in NFL history, Tim Tebow is definitely considered a football star. The Philippine-born athlete was homeschooled due to his parents’ beliefs; they were missionaries and preferred to oversee their kids’ education. Growing up in Florida gave Tim the time and energy to do what he loved — playing sports.
He played football, baseball, and every competitive sport he could get his hands on. Tebow won the prestigious Heisman trophy when he was in college and then went on to get drafted as a quarterback for the Florida Gators.
Justin Timberlake
This pop icon needs no introduction, being that he’s one of the world’s best-selling music artists. NSYNC lead singer Justin Timberlake started his showbiz career alongside Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, and Britney Spears on Disney’s 'Mickey Mouse Club.'
Until being cast on the show Timberlake went to public school in Tennessee, but after his onscreen success, his family decided homeschooling was the best option. Thanks to this, Timberlake could hone his singing talent and go on to have a wildly successful career as a solo artist.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson will always be the adorable Hermione Granger from 'Harry Potter.' But certainly, the British actress has proven her talent and made a name for herself in Hollywood. Since she started acting at the young age of 10, Emma was homeschooled by tutors until she graduated high school.
Afterward, she went to Brown University and the prestigious Worcester College in Oxford. Safe to say that Hermione got a top-notch education while still having the time to become a high-paid A-list celebrity.
Venus and Serena Williams
The Williams sisters are the world’s best female tennis players, and this is only achieved by relentless hard work and sacrifice. Their parents, Richard and Oracene, knew their girls were destined for greatness, so they made sure Serena and Venus were playing tennis since they could hold a racket.
The girls were homeschooled throughout elementary and high school, giving them time to spend every extra minute training. Venus and Serena became tennis prodigies that changed the history of tennis and women’s importance in sports.
Shaun White
American snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White, otherwise known as 'the flying tomato' due to his bright red hair, first got on a board when he was six years old. Growing up in San Diego, California, Shaun was one of the first competitive snowboarders to make the sport as famous as it is today.
Being homeschooled all elementary and high school, he snowboarded for hours a day and had dozens of sponsors by the time he was a teenager. Apart from winning three Olympic gold medals in half-pipe snowboarding, Shaun has the record for the most gold medals ever won in the famous X Games.
Michelle Williams
Michelle Williams started acting at the young age of 9. Her first big break came when she was cast for the 1994 classic film 'Lassie.' Like other child actors, Williams was heavily bullied when she returned to school, and so in 9th grade, she finally got her parents to approve of homeschooling.
At age 15, she pursued legal emancipation with her parents’ blessing, so it wasn’t such a hassle to navigate around child labor laws. In 1998, she was cast in the American hit "Dawson’s Creek." From then on, it’s been nothing but box-office hits and massive paychecks for her.
Elle Fanning
Just like her older sister Dakota, Elle Fanning was homeschooled for many years. The sisters were homeschooled together by their grandma, and they’ve both said how they loved spending time with her. However, Elle was having trouble making friends as a child, so after 3rd grade, her family decided to enroll her in regular school.
This gave Elle the best of both worlds – the chance to focus on her acting while she was being homeschooled and the ability to make friends her own age once she started school. Nowadays, the actress has starred in famous Hollywood films. Plus she graduated high school with honors.
Michelle Kwan
The five-time figure skating champion Michelle Kwan has been training since she was a kid. Her parents saw her talent early on and decided it was time to switch to homeschooling in the 8th grade. This allowed Michelle the freedom and time to train harder and attend all of her skating practices.
She went on to compete in the Olympics, winning both bronze and silver medals. Of course, she always kept up with her schoolwork as well, proving homeschooling was definitely the right decision.
Erik Demaine
Dubbed 'one of the most brilliant scientists in America,' Canadian-born Erik Demaine is a computer scientist that also teaches at the prestigious MIT. His family decided to homeschool him due to his abilities and also the fact that his father was never a supporter of traditional education.
The homeschooling lasted only a few years since Erik enrolled in university at age 12, skipping all grades due to him being a math prodigy. By age 20, he had his Ph.D. in math, and his dissertation on computational origami won prizes across the country. His origami artwork can be found in New York’s MOMA Museum
Samuel Chao Chun Ting
Physicist Samuel Chao Chun Ting discovered the subatomic J particle and won a Nobel Prize for it in 1976. Born in the US to Chinese science professors in 1936, his parents moved back to China when Samuel was two years old. However, the Japanese invasion of China was in full form by that time, which made it impossible for Samuel to attend a normal school, so his parents homeschooled him until 7th grade.
Although he has no regrets, Samuel always wanted to attend school and university, and he has often said in interviews that he believes this is due to his parent's passion for academics.
Billie Eilish
When Billie was a child, her parents noticed she had Tourette’s syndrome and an auditory disorder that made it difficult for her to store and remember information. So, her father, Patrick, started doing research on homeschooling, and after discovering the Hanson brothers had done so, they began trying it out with Billie and her brother Finneas.
This allowed the kids to focus on their musical skills. By age 14, Billie released her debut single, 'Ocean Eyes,' produced by her brother. Nowadays, Billie is one of the highest-grossing music artists in history.
Sandra Day O’Connor
The Texas-born politician Sandra Day O’Connor made history by becoming the first woman to serve in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981. When she was a child, her family moved to a secluded ranch in Arizona, and so decided to begin homeschooling Sandra since the nearest school was miles away.
At age 4, Sandra was already reading and writing, and it seems homeschooling gave her the solid foundations that led to her getting accepted into Stanford University, first attaining a degree in economics and then in law.
Thomas Edison
Despite being an obvious genius, Edison had a lot of trouble in school while growing up. He became such a difficult child to handle that his mother ultimately pulled him out of school when he was seven years old. Lucky for Thomas, his mom was a schoolteacher, so homeschooling was not hard to plan.
While learning, he went on to get jobs as a telephone operator and selling newspapers, which he then produced himself. Edison went on to develop more than a thousand patents for his inventions, which included devices for sound recording, motion pictures, and electric power generation.
Kristen Stewart
Another famous homeschooler is actress Kristen Stewart, who, like other child actors, had to leave school due to a budding career. Stewart was on screen from a young age, but it wasn’t until 2008, when the first "Twilight" film came out, that her career took off.
Stewart has said in interviews that once the "Twilight" filming began, going to regular school became quite unbearable. "It wasn’t only my peers, but the teachers too. They didn’t want to do the extra work or put packages together so I could keep up while working. They all failed me."
Tara Lipinski
Former American figure skater Tara Lipinski got on roller skates when she was barely three years old. By the time she was in 6th grade, scheduling skating lessons with the school was becoming difficult. So, her mom opted for homeschooling.
Tara went on to win the 1997 US national championship, a 1998 Olympic gold medal, a World Championship, and two Champions Series Finals. She says that even though she does feel she missed out on things like school prom, she had plenty of good friends at the ice rink that more than made up for it.
Ansel Adams
Revered nature photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams was homeschooled from age 12 by private tutors. Clearly, this allowed him to hone his skills and play around with a camera from a young age. Adams is considered to be one of the best landscape photographers in the world. His distinctive black-and-white imagery of the American West has carved him a place among the world’s most famous artists.
Also, he was one of the founders of Group f/64, which is an association of photographers that support “pure” photography – a style that argues in favor of the use of full tonal range in a photograph.
Condoleezza Rice
Though she attended regular school for most of her education, Condoleezza Rice was homeschooled by her mother during first grade. This undoubtedly gave her the solid foundations for a successful academic career.
When Rice was 6 years old, she already had a 5th-grade reading level and a 3rd-grade math level. Apart from serving as the 66th U.S. Secretary of State, she was also the 19th U.S. national security advisor, and most notably, the first female African American to serve in both these capacities.
Abraham Lincoln
The 16th president of the United States went down in history for the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for all slaves under the Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln, like many presidents before him, was homeschooled by his mother, and although he didn’t have much academic education, he had a deep interest in books and knowledge.
His mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, taught him mostly from the Bible, in which Lincoln found much-needed respite in the years he dealt with his abusive father. After his mother passed away, Lincoln solemnly stated, “all that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”
Bindi & Robert Irwin
The kids of famous conservationist, zookeeper, and TV persona Steve Irwin (aka “The Crocodile Hunter”), definitely followed in his footsteps. Bindi and Robert were born around animals and nature, learning about them and treating them with the same devotion their parents had. This was why their mother, Terri, decided to homeschool them from a young age.
This allowed her to manage the Australia Zoo, which she owns, and take care of her kids’ education. Even though she received criticism at the time, both Bindi and Robert say it was a magical experience, and they both grew up to be highly esteemed conservationists and zookeepers.
Jessica Watson
Australian sailor Jessica Watson became the youngest person to solo circumnavigate the globe when she was barely 16 years old. Watson grew up on boats since her parents always took her and her three siblings sailing everywhere. She spent most of her life aboard a boat, so it’s no surprise that she was homeschooled for most of her life.
In fact, she was still completing high school courses when she was navigating the globe solo. Watson is proof that, if there is a will to learn, it can be done from anywhere, even in the middle of the ocean.
Julian Assange
One of the most sought-after men in the world, Julian Assange, changed the world when he founded Wikileaks. The Australian publisher and activist, and later political prisoner, was homeschooled by his parents partly because they moved around a lot and partly because they didn’t believe in the traditional education system.
Despite the array of serious family problems during childhood, Julian’s learning wasn’t affected. The computer science savant and brilliant journalist developed a deep interest in politics in his teenage years, leading him to be one of the first to combine technology and investigative journalism.
Jane Austen
The "Pride & Prejudice" author’s love for letters came from her father, George. An 18th-century Anglican priest, George loved literature, and he made sure that Jane and her siblings loved it too. As entertainment, the Austen family would read to each other and write novels, poetry, and plays. Jane was homeschooled with her siblings until she enrolled in boarding school.
Her six major novels, "Emma," "Sense & Sensibility," "Pride & Prejudice," "Mansfield Park," "Persuasion," and "Northanger Abbey," are considered literary masterpieces that explored the role of women in society in the 18th century.
Agatha Christie
It is famously said that English author Agatha Christie was “only outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare.” The creator of one of the world’s most famous fictional characters, detective Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie penned 66 detective novels, 14 short stories, and "The Mousetrap," her incredibly successful play.
Even though she became a world-renowned novelist, Agatha suffered from dyslexia and dysgraphia as a child. With these disabilities that affected her writing and motor skills, Agatha’s father decided to homeschool his daughter. When he passed away, her mother continued educating Agatha at home with the help of a nanny.
The Hanson Brothers
The Hanson brothers were topping pop charts back in the late 1990s. The trio of brothers, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac, were homeschooled in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Homeschooling gave the trio flexible schedules so they could pursue their music careers.
Also, their parents placed a lot of importance on the family being together and spending quality time with each other. The Hanson brothers won two MTV Music Awards and were nominated for the Grammy Awards three times. Nowadays, the brothers are homeschooling their own kids.
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt
The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, won a Nobel Peace Prize winner, expanded the U.S. Navy, and began constructing the Panama Canal. He is one of the most admired U.S. presidents of all time. Born in New York, Teddy Roosevelt had 13 siblings, and they all suffered from some medical condition. This left their parents with no other choice but to homeschool them.
His mother, aunt, and a French tutor were responsible for his education, and they clearly excelled at it. Roosevelt got into Harvard University on his first try.
Alexander Graham Bell
The inventor of the telephone was homeschooled until the age of 11 by his mother. Then, Bell was sent to Scotland to attend the Royal High School, and apparently, he was a very bad student. With very low grades and a rebellious attitude, Bell was considered an average academic at best.
It seems he was destined to create things since he made his first invention when he was just 12 years old. Throughout his life, Bell would hold over a dozen invention patents and go down in history as the man that revolutionized interpersonal communications.
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is one of the world’s most respected and profitable novelists. "The Handmaid’s Tale" author was born in Canada and raised surrounded by nature. Her father was a forest entomologist for the government, and so he spent his days in the Canadian wilderness. Because of this, Margaret and her siblings spent much of their childhood in the forests, and thus homeschooling was an obvious choice.
Margaret was homeschooled until age the age of 12 and had become enamored with literature from an early age. She’s written countless novels, two of which have been made into award-winning TV series.
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill made history as the U.K. Prime Minister which led Britain to its victory in the Second World War. Churchill was an incredibly cultured man known for his firm ideals and strong character. He was homeschooled by a tutor until age eight, before being sent to boarding school in Southeast England.
Despite hating classes and doing poorly in school, Churchill had a very high IQ and eventually attended the prestigious Royal Military College. He served in the military and became a writer, painter, historian, and politician who has many credits with saving the world from the looming destruction of WWII.
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg was born to a single mother that had to work double shifts to make ends meet. Even so, her mom decided to homeschool her through tutors until she reached high school so Whoopi could focus on her acting. She attended a regular school for her high school years, but her struggle with dyslexia was so severe that she dropped out at 17 before graduating.
Her tutors must have done something right because she grew up to be one of Hollywood’s most famous actresses, being one of the few to have won an EGOT (an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony award).
Brie Larson
The star of Marvel’s box-office hit 'Captain Marvel,' Brie Larson has been making huge paychecks lately. Larson has also proved her amazing acting talents in several other films, such as 'Room,' 'Short Term 12', 'The Glass Castle,' 'Just Mercy,' and dozens more.
Larson knew she wanted to be an actress since she was a child and started auditioning at the age of 6. Her parents realized the situation and decided to homeschool her for most of her childhood. She had the freedom and time to focus on her acting.
David Murray Pilkey
His name might not be known, but his work certainly is. David Murray Pilkey is the author of the hit children’s book series, ‘Captain Underpants.' Pilkey is a talented writer and illustrator, having received numerous awards and accolades for his works.
Pilkey was actually diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia from a young age, causing him to struggle at traditional schools. Eventually, his parents decided the best decision was to homeschool their son, and so they did for most of his childhood.
Clive Staples Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis, better known as C.S. Lewis, is the British author of the famous novel series, 'The Chronicles of Narnia.' The novels, published in the 1950s, gained such popularity that apart from selling millions of copies, they were adapted to film, TV, radio, and theater.
His mother and private tutors homeschooled Lewis throughout his childhood in a house that was full of books. This developed in him a passion for reading from a very young age.
Leonardo Da Vinci
No introduction is needed for the creator of the 'Mona Lisa' or 'The Last Supper.' The brilliant Leonardo Da Vinci was a painter, architect, mathematician, and paleontologist that is known as one of the greatest painters of all time.
Da Vinci never received a formal education but instead was homeschooled by his father. He had access to the greatest scholarly publications, and his father was adamant about being a good teacher. It seems to have worked since he became a genius in various fields.
Rex David Thomas
Rex David Thomas was the founder of the beloved American fast-food restaurant Wendy’s. He appeared in over 800 TV commercials for the restaurant, becoming a known and charismatic TV personality.
Thomas, who was obviously incredibly successful in his adult years and became extremely wealthy, was mostly homeschooled. But he was always a vocal supporter of formal education, encouraging children to finish their studies and even going back to school to earn his GED himself 40 years after dropping out.
Andrew Carnegie
The world-famous and prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York gets its name from its founder, Andrew Carnegie. He acquired his fortune by becoming one of the first men to help with the expansion of the steel industry back in the 19th century. The man was also a philanthropist that donated much of his wealth to foundations, causes, and charities throughout his life.
Born in Scotland to a poor family, Andrew had to drop out of school after only five years. From then on, he was homeschooled.
David Karp
The founder of Tumblr became a very rich man when he sold his site to tech giant Yahoo! David Karp was only 27 years old when he became a billionaire, and he didn’t even finish high school.
Karp dropped out of the Bronx High School of Science when he was 15 and began homeschooling. His mother hired several private tutors that allowed him enough free time to work on his computer programming.
Jason Taylor
The linebacker and defensive player of the Miami Dolphins has earned quite the recognition as an athlete. Jason Taylor started playing with the New York Jets and the Washington Redskins, and then joined the Dolphins, with whom he’s had a stellar career.
Taylor was homeschooled from tenth to twelfth grade and was already passionate about becoming a football player. Being homeschooled made things easy when it came to his long training hours and athletic matches, allowing him to ultimately go pro at a young age.
Allonzo Trier
Allonzo Trier’s athletic talent was clear from his college days, which must seem a long way away now for the NBA All-Star. Trier plays the guard position for the New York Knicks and is surely becoming a team favorite.
Trier was homeschooled during ninth and tenth grade, allowing him to practice basketball and join teams from all over the area. He had a flexible schedule to work on his sports career, and it clearly took him down the right path.
Albert Einstein
The father of relativity theory was homeschooled from age ten and onwards, having tutors for math, science, and philosophy. Albert Einstein often spoke out against the rigidity of the traditional education system, saying that the few years he did attend a high school were counterproductive for his development.
Regardless, he went on to make some of the most important contributions in history in the fields of science and physics. Einstein received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Mozart composed over 800 pieces of varying genres in his lifetime, learned how to play dozens of instruments to perfection, and is regarded as one of the world’s greatest musical geniuses. The pace at which he composed made him a prodigy.
The Austrian Classical composer was homeschooled throughout his childhood and teenage years by his father. His father was also a prolific musician that taught Mozart all the skills he would need for his musical development.
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt was everyone’s favorite brunette babe from the 90s. After her big acting break in 'Party of Five, she went on to act in some cult 90s classics, including 'Can’t Hardly Wait,' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' I and II, 'Trojan War,' and many more. Most recently, she starred in the hit series 'Criminal Minds.'
This beauty was also homeschooled until she started high school in Los Angeles.
Erwin Schrodinger
Although this Austrian physicist is mostly known for his “Schrodinger’s Cat” experiment and the infinite analogies it sparked for decades to come, he was actually the one that came up with the “Schrodinger’s Equation” and won a Nobel Prize in physics.
Private tutors homeschooled Schrodinger until he was 11 years old, and then he attended an Academy for his high school years. He earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Vienna.
Frank Lloyd Wright
The most brilliant, famous, and influential American architect in history, Frank Lloyd Wright, was a bonafide genius. And this genius was homeschooled by his mother, who was a teacher.
One day, Wright’s mother brought home a set of “Froebel Gifts,” building blocks, and other educational play materials for children. Wright later said that this was the start of his perception and love for design and building. He did attend high school for some years but never graduated and dropped out of university after a year.
Jena Malone
Even though you won’t see her in big Hollywood productions or box-office hits, Jena Malone is as good an actress as any A-list celebrity. Malone just prefers indie films and independent cinema, but her roles in 'Donnie Darko,' 'Contact,' 'Stepmom,' 'Into the Wild,' 'Nocturnal Animals,' and many more have been exceptional.
Malone moved around a lot as a child and never stayed in the same school for very long. She developed an interest in acting at a very young age, and after being homeschooled from sixth to eighth grade and attending a traditional school for ninth, she decided to go work as an actress full-time.
Claude Monet
No one could perceive and paint natural landscapes like the French impressionist Claude Monet. But the artist never had any formal education in the arts, learning instead by observing other artists.
Monet was homeschooled for a short time and then enrolled in a secondary school of arts. He cared little about anything other than painting and began drawing caricatures of his friends for money. He mainly learned to draw and paint from his teenage friend Eugene Bodin.
Ray Kroc
The man who turned McDonald’s into the franchise empire it is today never received formal education. Born in Illinois in 1902, Ray Kroc lied about his age and joined the Red Cross as an ambulance driver at 15 years old. His family was in dire straits, and he desperately needed a job.
Then came the Great Depression, and Kroc had to keep on working as a salesman, a piano player, a real estate agent, or basically any job he could find. One day in 1961, he met the couple that owned the first McDonald’s and decided to buy the locale. The rest is history.
The Wright Brothers
The famous Orville and Wilbur Wright were one of America’s most successful inventors. The brothers became world-famous after inventing, building, and flying the first motor airplane. The Wright brothers attended school but never graduated due to several accidents and illnesses that had them homebound for long periods of time. They were homeschooled during their teenage years.
This was also because their father was a Bishop and the family traveled frequently. When they were kids, their father brought them a toy helicopter as a gift one day, and that sparked their interest in flying.
Charlie Chaplin
English comic, actor, and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin rose to fame in the silent film era, and his works are still regarded today as some of cinema’s greatest masterpieces. Chaplin was an entertainer since he was a young boy, joining a troupe of young male clog dancers called 'The Eight Lancashire Lads' when he was a child.
His mother was adamant about him getting an education and made sure he continued to go to school and homeschooled him when that wasn’t possible. However, Chaplin left school altogether when he turned 13. Chaplin instead went to work at several jobs that allowed him to attend his auditions.
Louisa May Alcott
The writer of the timeless novel 'Little Women,' Louisa May Alcott was an admirable woman for several reasons. Alcott was a nurse in the American Civil War. She was a tireless fighter and advocate for women’s suffrage and wrote secretly under a man’s name until she finally saw fame and success with 'Little Women.' The novel got her and her family out of poverty.
She was the daughter of a teacher and was homeschooled for most of her life. Some of her teachers at home included Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Mark Twain
Born Samuel Clemens, the 'father of American literature,' Mark Twain left school in fifth grade and went on to be homeschooled and become a printer’s apprentice. Twain worked from a very young age, and in 1851, he got his first job in writing by contributing to a local newspaper.
When he turned 18, Twain left his hometown of Missouri for New York City, where he joined the printers' trade union and basically taught himself by sitting for hours in public libraries after he’d finished his work shifts.
Clara Barton
Clara Barton was a hospital nurse and a teacher during the American Civil War that later founded the American Red Cross. Incredibly, Barton was mostly homeschooled by her parents as a child, due in part to her extremely timid character that made it hard for her to socialize at any school. Later, since the nursing school wasn’t an accessible program back then, she was mostly self-taught.
Barton became interested in nursing at the young age of ten when she cared for her brother after he had been hurt in an accident. She is also credited for doing incredible work for women’s and civil rights.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
The writer of the beloved 'Little House on the Prairie,' Laura Ingalls Wilder had quite an adventurous childhood. Her children’s books are based on her life while growing up with a pioneer and settler family.
As she and her family were constantly on the move, Laura went to several schools as a child, but she was homeschooled by her mother most of the time. Also, the often-severe weather conditions made it impossible for Laura to actually get to school.
J.R.R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is one of the world’s most brilliant fantasy authors. He released his masterpiece book trilogy 'The Lord of the Rings' in 1954. The man had released 'The Hobbit' some years before, to wide critical acclaim.
J.R.R. Tolkien and his brother were homeschooled by their mother until she passed away when he was 12 years old. While schooled at home, Tolkien learned much about botany and became enchanted by the natural world. He was an excellent student of languages, which was his passion.
Chloë Moretz
Chloë Grace Moretz has been appearing on the silver screen for quite some time now. Making her debut with the hit superhero movie "Kick-Ass," she’s gone on to land some major acting roles. Moretz was cast as Carrie in the famous horror movie remake, starred alongside Denzel Washington in "The Equalizer," and basically joined the Hollywood big leagues.
Because of her increasingly demanding career, Moretz left school altogether when she was 15 years old so she could focus on working. She was homeschooled by her mom, which the actress says was a great experience.
Lewis Carroll
Charles Dodgson, who later only used his pen name ‘Lewis Carroll,' is the famous writer of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.’ Born in the United Kingdom in 1832, Carroll’s talents were clear from a young age, not only in writing but in mathematics as well.
Carroll was homeschooled until he turned 12 and was then sent to a Grammar School. Few people know that he had a stutter and that the character of the dodo bird in 'Alice in Wonderland' is based on himself.
Elijah Wood
Frodo Baggins himself was homeschooled, dropping out of regular school when he was barely eight years old. That was also the year when he made his acting debut, appearing in a small role in "Back to the Future II" in 1989.
Elijah Wood went on to land several acting roles in the years to come, but it wasn’t until 2000, when he got cast for the first film in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, that he reached his peak.
Hayden Panettiere
American actress Hayden Panettiere climbed the celebrity ladder when she starred in the hit series 'Heroes' back in 2006. Since then, she’s gone on to star in 'Nashville,' 'Raising Helen,' two 'Scream' movies, and dozens of other Hollywood hits.
Starting her acting career when she was a child, Panettiere attended school until age 13 and was then homeschooled for the rest of her academic term. She wanted to focus on her acting career, and that’s exactly what happened. She did, however, attend several conventional high school events, such as her prom night.
Jaden and Willow Smith
One of the coolest sibling duos in Hollywood, Jaden and Willow Smith are anything but ordinary. Growing up with Jada Pinkett and Will Smith as parents, they didn’t have what you’d call a regular upbringing. Both Jaden and Willow were homeschooled, and they called it “mystery school,” just a name they came up with that sounded much better than regular school.
That gave the siblings ample time and flexibility to develop creatively, and nowadays, they’re both talented and successful musicians.
Jordin Sparks
The famous pop and R&B singer rose to fame by becoming the youngest person to ever win 'American Idol.' Jordin Sparks was 17 years old when she won the show’s sixth season, and she skyrocketed to fame. That same year, in 2007, she released her debut studio album, titled “Jordin Sparks.”
Born in Phoenix, Jordin attended school until eighth grade and then high school until age 16, when she left for good and began being homeschooled by her grandmother. She did this so she could focus on her music career, and clearly, it was the right decision.