Steve Jobs’ time at Reed College was brief but deeply influential in shaping his future vision and approach to innovation. Although he only attended for six months as a formal student, his experiences at the small liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon left a lasting impact on his design philosophy and approach to technology.
Enrolling at Reed College (1972)
In 1972, Steve Jobs enrolled at Reed College, an institution known for its rigorous academics and liberal arts focus. His parents, Paul and Clara Jobs, had promised to send him to college, despite financial difficulties. Reed was an expensive private school, and the burden of tuition weighed heavily on his family.
Jobs quickly became disillusioned with the formal education system. He felt that college wasn’t offering him the practical knowledge he wanted and that it wasn’t worth the financial strain it placed on his parents. After just one semester, he made a bold decision: he dropped out.
Dropping Out But Staying on Campus
Although Jobs formally left Reed, he didn’t leave the campus completely. Instead, he became a drop-in student, attending classes that interested him without being officially enrolled. Without a
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