Benjamin Franklin left formal education behind to work at his family’s candle and soap-making business before becoming an apprentice at his brother’s printing shop.
However, Franklin continued his education independently by reading whatever books, essays, and articles he could get his hands on. His studious ways not only helped him become a revered writer, politician, and inventor, but also allowed him to earn honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Oxford, the College of William and Mary, and the University of St. Andrews.