--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: College isn't necessary for everybody and…" description: "\"College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from what you put into it what you go there for.\" — Tom Hanks" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg" --- # College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from… ![“College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from what you put into it what you go there for.” quote by Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg) > “College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from what you put into it what you go there for.” [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Education is valuable but its worth depends on personal effort and goals. **In simple terms:** College matters only if you invest in it. Key Takeaway Invest fully or seek alternatives. Themes education self‑direction value effort Mood inspirational pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - choosing majors - online learning - skill development - career planning Key Concepts higher learning personal agency career pathways Questions to Reflect On - What knowledge do you truly need? - How can you create value without a degree? A Different Perspective Not all careers require formal degrees. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-isn-451643/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Isn Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-necessary-1512032/) [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [Necessary Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-everybody-3834556/) ## Related quotes > [You can't fool all of the people all of the time. But it isn't necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/you-can-t-fool-all-of-the-people-all-of-the-time-but-it-isn-t/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [If it isn't necessary I would rather not subject my skin to too much, so if I don't have anything special to do for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-schull/if-it-isn-t-necessary-i-would-rather-not-subject-my-skin-to-too-much/) [Amanda Schull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-schull/) > [And I've always said, 'If two people think the same thing about everything, one of them isn't necessary.' We need to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/and-i-ve-always-said-if-two-people-think-the-same-thing-about/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I definitely want to continue being an actress. I love it. The reason I'm going to college is because I do want knowledge in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-winter/i-definitely-want-to-continue-being-an-actress-i-love-it-the-reason-i/) [Ariel Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-winter/) > [College isn't the place to go for ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/college-isn-t-the-place-to-go-for-ideas/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [When people say that college isn't worthwhile and paying all this money isn't worthwhile, I really disagree. I think those experiences and those classes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-systrom/when-people-say-that-college-isn-t-worthwhile-and-paying-all-this/) [Kevin Systrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-systrom/) > [“College isn't half as much fun as they told us it was going to be." "It's not one-hundredth as much fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringle/college-isn-t-half-as-much-fun-as-they-told-us-it-was-going-to-be-it/) [Molly Ringle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringle/) > [ “The really significant education in thinking that we're supposed to get at a \[liberal arts college\] isn't really about the capacity to think but,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/the-really-significant-education-in-thinking-that-we-re-supposed-to/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [I think if a young person is passionate about something specific, he or she should follow their passion. You look at Bill Gates or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/i-think-if-a-young-person-is-passionate-about-something-specific-he/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [College isn't in everyone's hearts. I am living proof, though, that school doesn't mess up your plans. It gives you more experiences to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-cole-2/college-isn-t-in-everyone-s-hearts-i-am-living-proof-though-that/) [J. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-cole-2/) > [“it’s okay if college isn’t your thing. I’m sure there’s a pole somewhere with your name on it, but next time you might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-vianna/it-s-okay-if-college-isn-t-your-thing-i-m-sure-there-s-a-pole/) [Candace Vianna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-vianna/) > [For whole swaths of people, that map of, 'Come along this way, come to college, do this and that,' isn't offered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-granik/for-whole-swaths-of-people-that-map-of-come-along-this-way-come-to/) [Debra Granik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-granik/) > [Relative to the rest of your life, college isn't all that hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-evans/relative-to-the-rest-of-your-life-college-isn-t-all-that-hard/) [Sean Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-evans/) > [“it’s okay if college isn’t your thing. I’m sure there’s a pole somewhere with your name on it, but next time you might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-vianna/it-s-okay-if-college-isn-t-your-thing-i-m-sure-there-s-a-pole-2/) [Candace Vianna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-vianna/) > [Language can also be play and music and beauty and desire and grief and rage and truth without always having to be message-driven or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-limon/language-can-also-be-play-and-music-and-beauty-and-desire-and-grief/) [Ada Limon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-limon/) ## More by Tom Hanks > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Mass-market movies have become about one thing. They kind of declare themselves right off the bat. . . . But when I go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/mass-market-movies-have-become-about-one-thing-they-kind-of-declare/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If you look at romantic comedies as pieces of commerce, the audience is looking for wish fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/if-you-look-at-romantic-comedies-as-pieces-of-commerce-the-audience/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Some people are cowards... I think by and large a third of people are villains, a third are cowards, and a third are heroes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/some-people-are-cowards-i-think-by-and-large-a-third-of-people-are/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [I try to do what I call the three E's - educate, entertain, and enlighten. If you don't entertain, no one will show up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-try-to-do-what-i-call-the-three-e-s-educate-entertain-and-enlighten/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [But actors with political views are a dime a dozen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/but-actors-with-political-views-are-a-dime-a-dozen/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [We're part of a greater humanity and we can actually affect the world by the choices we make once we leave the theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/we-re-part-of-a-greater-humanity-and-we-can-actually-affect-the-world/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Saying no to something is actually much more powerful than saying yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/saying-no-to-something-is-actually-much-more-powerful-than-saying-yes/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If things were easy to find, they wouldn’t be worth finding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/if-things-were-easy-to-find-they-wouldn-t-be-worth-finding/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Reading a script is usually as exciting as reading a boilerplate legal document, so when you read one that makes you feel as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/reading-a-script-is-usually-as-exciting-as-reading-a-boilerplate/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Let's not pretend there isn't a huge industry driven by the choices made by editors and writers who decide what a story is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/let-s-not-pretend-there-isn-t-a-huge-industry-driven-by-the-choices/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [It just so happens that my body type and my lifestyle gives me a preclusion for high blood sugars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/it-just-so-happens-that-my-body-type-and-my-lifestyle-gives-me-a/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [Are you crying? There's no crying. There's no crying in baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/are-you-crying-there-s-no-crying-there-s-no-crying-in-baseball/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [My son is a gentleman and a professional who is pursuing something difficult. Yet the only thing he has ever asked me for is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/my-son-is-a-gentleman-and-a-professional-who-is-pursuing-something/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) [Explore all 213 Tom Hanks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) ## More College quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [I was totally sober in college and really, really focused. I just took the time when other people might be partying and just made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-was-totally-sober-in-college-and-really-really-focused-i-just-took/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [In college we didn't pass block the way they do in the pros - they played the I-formation at Wisconsin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-webster/in-college-we-didn-t-pass-block-the-way-they-do-in-the-pros-they/) [Mike Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-webster/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) [Browse all 7,391 College quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from what you put into it what you go there for.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Hanks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-and-it-s-only-from-what-you-put/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "College" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-and-it-s-only-from-what-you-put/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50a/tom-hanks-1717_college_college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-an_2857186.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“College isn't necessary for everybody and it's only from what you put into it what you go there for.” — Tom Hanks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tom Hanks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "College isn't necessary for everybody and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-and-it-s-only-from-what-you-put/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/college-isn-t-necessary-for-everybody-and-it-s-only-from-what-you-put/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```