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George Washington (1732-1799) -

The nation's first president and Founding Father never took college courses but did earn a surveyor's certificate from the College of William & Mary.

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George Washington (1732-1799) -

However, Washington did strongly believe in education and was even embarrassed by his lack of formal education. 

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George Washington (1732-1799) -

In his will, he left money to support three educational institutions, including George Washington University.

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James Monroe (1758-1831) -

The nation's fifth president and Founding Father also attended William & Mary College, but didn't graduate.

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James Monroe (1758-1831) -

In the end, he dropped out to fight in the Revolutionary War, where he served in the Continental Army.

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Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) -

The seventh president of the US, Andrew Jackson served from 1829 to 1837. Before his presidency, he gained fame as a general in the US Army and served in both houses of the US Congress.

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Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) -

Jackson didn't have much formal education, and before entering politics he studied law and worked as a lawyer. 

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Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) -

Martin Van Buren was the eighth president of the US, who served from 1837 to 1841. He was also the primary founder of the Democratic Party.

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Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) -

Van Buren didn't go to college. But he studied at the Kinderhook Academy until the age of 14, where he briefly studied Latin. In 1796, he began reading law at the office of Peter Silvester and his son Francis.

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William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) -

The ninth president of the US, Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, making his presidency the shortest in US history. He was also the first US president to die in office.

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William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) -

Harrison was tutored at home until age 14 when he attended Hampden–Sydney College in Virginia. However, after three years, his Episcopalian father removed him from the college, possibly for religious reasons. 

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William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) -

He went on to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, but dropped out to embark on a military career. 

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Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) -

Taylor was the 12th president of the US, who served from 1849 to 1850. His presidency was only 16 months long as he became ill and passed away while in office.

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Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) -

Growing up, he had little formal education. Unlike many US presidents, Taylor never attended college or practiced law. 

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Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) -

In 1808, Taylor joined the army, where he would spend the next 40 years of his life and quickly rose through the ranks. 

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Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) -

Millard Fillmore was elected vice president in 1848, and succeeded to the presidency when Taylor died in 1850. He served until 1853. 

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Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) -

Though Fillmore had little formal schooling, he studied vigorously to become a lawyer, becoming prominent in the Buffalo area as an attorney and politician. 

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Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) -

One of the most iconic presidents in US history, Lincoln served as president from 1861 until his assassination in 1865.

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Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) -

Born into poverty in Kentucky, Lincoln was raised on the frontier, mainly in Indiana. Self-educated as a lawyer, Lincoln once said that he had at best attended one year of school in his life.

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Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) -

The nation's 17th president, Johnson was Lincoln's vice president and took office the day he was assassinated in 1865. He served until 1869. 

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Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) -

He too had no formal schooling of any kind. Instead, he was apprenticed as a tailor and worked in several frontier towns before settling in Greeneville, Tennessee. There he served as an alderman and mayor before joining the White House. 

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Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) -

Cleveland served as the 22nd and 24th US president from 1885 to 1889, and from 1893 to 1897. He is the only president in US history to serve non-consecutive presidential terms. 

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Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) -

Cleveland received his elementary education at the Fayetteville Academy and the Clinton Grammar School. After his father died in 1853, he left school to help support his family. Although he never attended college, he was admitted to the bar when he was 22 years old. 

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William McKinley (1843-1901) - The 25th president took courses at both Allegheny College and Albany Law School but didn't graduate from either.

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William McKinley (1843-1901) -

Instead, he was the last president to serve in the American Civil War. After the war, he settled in Canton, Ohio, where he practiced law before entering politics. 

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Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) -

The 33rd president was the last US president not to have a college degree. He did take courses at Spalding's Commercial College and the University of Kansas City School of Law, but didn't earn degrees from either.

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Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) -

His family's financial difficulties forced him to go to work instead. His early jobs included working as a railroad timekeeper, in the mailroom of the Kansas City Star, and as a bank clerk in Kansas City. 

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Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) -

Truman also served during World War I as a Field Artillery officer, and continued in the Organized Reserve Corps until he retired in 1953.

Sources: (The New York Times) (The Washington Post) (ThoughtCo)

See also: The dying words of 32 US presidents

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