Bill Gates' Harvard Regret: The Year He Tried to Keep One Foot in College

In 1975, Bill Gates faced a pivotal decision: continue his education at Harvard University or leave to found Microsoft with his high school friend, Paul Allen. Gates, then a 20-year-old undergraduate, struggled with the choice, ultimately deciding to leave college to pursue the burgeoning software industry. However, he spent the first year of Microsoft trying to delegate the company's management to a friend, hoping to return to Harvard.

Gates' initial hesitation in leaving Harvard stemmed from his enjoyment of college life. He loved the intellectually rigorous atmosphere, the opportunity to learn deeply about various topics, and the late-night discussions with smart people (Source Code, p. 123). Additionally, he appreciated the social life at Currier House, where he lived, and the male-to-female student ratio, which was unusual at the time (Source Code, p. 124). Gates also found himself surrounded by students whose math skills surpassed his own, giving him a wake-up call and pushing him to excel academically (The Times of London, 2025).

However, the opportunity to be at the forefront of the personal computing revolution proved too enticing for Gates. When Allen showed him the Altair 8800 on the cover of Popular Electronics, they realized that the software industry was about to take off. They believed they could be at the forefront of this new industry by creating software for personal computers (Source Code, p. 135). The urgency to act quickly, as someone else might beat them to the punch, ultimately drove Gates to leave Harvard (Source Code, p. 136).

Despite his decision to leave, Gates spent the first year of Microsoft trying to delegate the company's management to a friend, Ric Weiland, so he could return to Harvard. He even tried to convince Weiland to "take charge of things," but Weiland ultimately left for graduate school and later resigned from Microsoft (Source Code, p. 140). Gates eventually realized that he needed to give Microsoft his full attention to stay ahead of the competition, and he never returned to complete his degree.



Gates' experience highlights the importance of timing and opportunity in the world of startups. By leaving Harvard, he was able to capitalize on the emerging personal computing market and establish Microsoft as a key player in the industry. However, his initial hesitation also demonstrates the difficulty in making such a significant decision, especially when faced with the allure of college life and the uncertainty of the business world.

In hindsight, Gates' decision to leave Harvard and commit fully to Microsoft proved to be the right choice. The company revolutionized the computer industry, turning both co-founders into billionaires. Today, Microsoft is worth more than $3 trillion, and Gates' estimated net worth is $108.7 billion, according to Forbes. Despite his initial regret, Gates' decision to leave Harvard ultimately paved the way for his incredible success in the tech industry.

Sources:
Gates, B. (2025). Source Code: My Beginnings. Knopf.
The Times of London. (2025, February 15). Bill Gates: The Harvard dropout who became a billionaire.