11 Brilliant Traits Of People Who Never Went To College That Set Them Apart From Graduates
There are benefits to straying away from traditional expectations and pressure.
Irene Miller | Shutterstock While there are many societal pressures and expectations for young adults to pursue higher education, many experiences in the modern world reveal the consequences of following this traditional pathway to "success," from lingering student debt, to struggling social skills, stagnant wages, and even lacking self-discipline and motivation. However, people who choose to pursue other endeavors instead of university may side-step those lingering consequences and get a head start on crafting an intentional adult reality.
Many of the brilliant traits of people who never went to college that set them apart from graduates are sparked by these nontraditional experiences and routines. They aren't forced to constantly compare themselves with mentors and people in older grades; rather, they have the chance to form a routine that works for them, and they have a say in embracing and pursuing life changes outside of overarching institutional pressure.
Here are 11 brilliant traits of people who never went to college that set them apart from graduates
1. They're self-reliant
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Psychologist Catherine Moore argues that adaptability and habits that promote independence on a daily basis are the keys to unlocking self-reliance. If you can set achievable goals, reduce reliance on external validation or praise, and trust your gut, you can learn to be self-reliant.
All of these habits and activities are traits that people who never went to college embody incredibly well. They aren't constantly comparing themselves to classmates on the same track, forced to adopt misguided goals and routines that don't suit them, or pressured to achieve a certain milestone. They're change-makers with their own personal values and missions in mind.
2. They're comfortable with change
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While people who went to college and pursued higher education followed a traditional path — with peers to look to for support, guidance, and success — those who never went to college learned to cope with change much earlier. They didn't always have someone in a grade ahead of them to look to for guidance or motivation and they didn't follow a traditional path with clear steps and traditions.
Now that post-graduate students are entering the workforce and carving an adult life for themselves outside of that traditional path, people who never went to college seem to have the upper hand. They've had years to figure out what they want to do, what they want their life to look like, and how to handle life change without falling into a toxic cycle of anxiety and uncertainty.
3. They have strong common sense
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Many people who never went to college still have intelligence, self-awareness, and common sense, sometimes more than people who follow traditional paths in institutions like a university. There are many examples of successful adults whose practical intelligence carried them much farther than their institutional "book smarts."
Building this kind of intelligence and knowledge doesn't usually stem from classrooms, but life experience, which people who never went to college had a jump start at building and accumulating.
4. They're creative
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Following a nontraditional path and carving out space in an adult life for yourself outside the structure of a classroom or university track doesn't just take courage and a kind of "self-starter" spirit, it also takes innovation. Having the ability to think outside the box and creatively solve problems, pursue goals, and set yourself up for success are some of the brilliant traits of people who never went to college that set them apart from graduates.
Of course, it's possible for graduates to also have a similar kind of creativity instilled in them, considering that a more practical view of intelligence, sometimes sparked in classrooms, is inherently associated with creativity, according to a 2013 study. But the root cause and driving influences behind it look much different.
5. They're adaptable
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According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, highly adaptable and flexible people tend to live more fulfilling, meaningful, and happy lives, compared to more anxious and stagnant people. Especially early in adulthood, when post-graduate students are grappling with uncertainty, pressures, and anxiety, it's not surprising that people who never went to college feel like they have the upper hand.
Of course, it's not a competition of right or wrong — who made the "right" decision and who made the "wrong" one — but rather, a personal journey and endeavor. People who never went to college had the chance to build a plethora of skills — like adaptability, self-reliance, and social skills — that enabled them in their endeavors, personal lives, and professional environments, compared to graduates being forced to relearn these skills in the real world today.
6. They're hands-on learners
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People who never went to college tend to be hands-on learners because they're not taught in a classroom how to succeed. Whether personally or professionally, they learn by "doing."
Perhaps it's technical skills like a trade, personal growth like building a new routine, or entrepreneurship, but whatever it may be, people who never went to college tend to learn things their own way and pave an innovative path forward to achieve their goals.
They may feel like they have less of a "safety net" compared to college students who have mentors, counselors, and structure to lean on in times of challenge or adversity. This encourages them to truly learn things, ask for help, and make mistakes that let them grow for a better future.
7. They have strong social skills
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Considering many people who never went to college rely on personal relationships, social interactions, and networking to land their jobs and succeed professionally, it's not surprising that they tend to have better social skills than their graduate counterparts. They're not socially stifled by expectations and rigid structures like a classroom, and can instead seek out connections and social interactions without pressure.
Social skills aren't just impactful for boosting personal well-being and growth, research shows they're also incredibly important for employers, sometimes more so than practical intelligence or education.
8. They think outside the box
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In addition to being highly motivated by a sense of grit and entrepreneurship, people who never went to college also tend to think outside the box and pave a nontraditional path forward through adversity and excitement. They don't feel pressure from traditional systems and authority figures, like a college student would, to pursue a specific career or adopt a specific extracurricular activity; they're only motivated by themselves.
It's this kind of self-motivation that allows people who never went to college to thrive in adulthood. They have the internal goals, values, and desires rooted inside them to propel themselves into change, new experiences, and toward success.
Like psychology expert Arash Emamzadeh suggests, the four staples of self motivation — goal setting, goal striving, goal juggling, and leveraging social support — are all things that people who never went to college excel at. They've been forced to set their own goals, motivate themselves, and find a sense of purpose outside of traditional structure to craft a life for themselves.
9. They're hustlers
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Outside the confines of a traditional education structure and pressure by societal expectation and inherent judgment, it's not surprising that one of the brilliant traits of people who never went to college is their hustle mentality. While there's a certain degree of toxicity to a societally crafted "hustle culture," this demographic of people generally uses it in a self-disciplined way.
They don't overwork themselves for the sake of work ethic or appealing to a company, but rather to motivate themselves and achieve personal goals. They're less motivated by traditional structures for productivity and metrics for success, and internally motivated to achieve.
10. They know how to network
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According to mentorship expert Allison E. McWilliams, PhD, having a strong personal network — crafted by great social and interpersonal skills — boosts job satisfaction, performance, and productivity, but it also opens up far more opportunities for personal and professional growth over time.
Being great at networking is one of the brilliant traits of people who never went to college that set them apart from graduates because they were forced to form connections to succeed in the present moment, while graduates are only plunged into the world of connections and networking when it's a school-sanctioned activity, conference, or internship.
When they leave school, they have to relearn the best ways to interact and network with others in the workplace and online, but people who never went to college have already been perfecting the practice for years.
11. They're not afraid of failure
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When you're navigating life outside the confines of set expectations and structure — like a university classroom — it's much easier to learn in a hands-on environment, where you're forced to get comfortable trying new things and making mistakes.
Not only does this comfort allow people who never went to college to figure out what they like, what they're good at, and how to be more confident in their adult life, it sets them up for professional success.
They don't feel an overly demanding sense of anxiety about making a mistake; in fact, they tend to view it as a positive where there's an opportunity to learn from someone else or personally grow.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
