Where Did Drake Go To College?

Drake, whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham, was born in Toronto, Canada in 1986. He attended several schools in Toronto as a child and teenager, including Forest Hill Collegiate Institute.

Drake began acting at age 15, playing the character Jimmy Brooks on the TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation. This role required him to balance acting with his education.

High School Education

While filming Degrassi, Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute in Toronto for high school from 2001 to 2005. He claimed to have had poor grades during this time, as he was focused more on acting and music.

Forest Hill C.I. is a competitive public high school known for its strong arts and sports programs. The school has over 1500 students enrolled. While there, Drake was very involved with the school’s Toronto Basketball Association team.

Despite his busy acting schedule, Drake did graduate from Forest Hill with his high school diploma in 2005.

College Years

After graduating high school, Drake attended college for a brief period. However, he did not graduate with a college degree.

Virginia State University

In 2005, Drake enrolled at Virginia State University, a historically Black college in Petersburg, Virginia. He studied business administration during his one semester there.

Virginia State has around 4500 students enrolled and competes athletically in Division II sports. The business school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

Drake said he chose to attend Virginia State because his father attended that school. However, Drake did not stay there long.

Dropped Out After One Semester

Drake dropped out of Virginia State after just one semester. He claimed this was because he felt out of place and missed his family and friends back home in Toronto.

Some other possible reasons Drake did not continue his education at Virginia State include:

• He was more focused on pursuing a music career
• Maintaining his acting role on Degrassi, which filmed in Toronto
• He struggled academically and wasn’t interested in traditional college
• Financial reasons

So while Drake briefly enrolled in college, he did not obtain a college degree.

Later Education and Career Moves

Even though Drake did not complete a college degree after high school, he did make some other educational and career moves before hitting it big as a rapper.

Back to Acting

After dropping out of Virginia State in 2006, Drake returned to Toronto. He went back to acting on Degrassi while also working on breaking into the music industry.

Drake planned to stay on Degrassi while releasing mixtapes to build his rap career. However, he was soon let go from the show in 2009.

Discovering His Musical Talent

Now pursuing music full-time, Drake began releasing mixtapes in 2006. His third mixtape in 2009 included his breakout hit “Best I Ever Had.”

In 2010, Drake finally released his first album Thank Me Later with Lil Wayne’s Young Money Entertainment. His music career skyrocketed from that point on.

No Traditional College Degree

While Drake studied business briefly at Virginia State, he did not obtain a traditional college degree. Once he left Virginia State, he did not return to earn a degree.

Drake found success by following his passions in acting and music without needing a college education. However, this is an exceptional case, as most people benefit strongly from earning a college degree.

How Drake’s Education History Affected His Career

Drake’s unconventional educational path likely influenced his music career in a few key ways:

• Gave him material to draw from creatively
• Allowed him to focus time on developing his acting and music skills
• Taught him about business fundamentals from his brief time as a business student
• Forced him to learn from real-world experience
• Allowed him to make connections through his high school network

So while Drake never earned his college degree, he still gained useful knowledge and experience from his high school education and brief college enrollment.

Unique Perspective

Having attended both a competitive public high school and a historically Black university, Drake gained perspective from two different environments.

This unique viewpoint informs the themes and narratives in his music. For example, his songs often explore his identity as a Black Canadian and his rise to fame from an underprivileged upbringing.

Business Skills

The business classes Drake briefly took at Virginia State gave him some foundational knowledge about business management, marketing, accounting, and other crucial industry skills.

This has helped Drake navigate the music business world more effectively, even without a complete college education. He has leveraged his business knowledge to build his brand and become hip hop’s top star.

Self-Education

Without the structure of college, Drake had to educate himself through real-world experience once he left Virginia State.

Learning on the job as an actor and musician taught Drake valuable lessons. He refined his skills and built connections through constantly performing and recording music.

Key Takeaways

• Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute for high school in Toronto
• He enrolled at Virginia State University for one semester in 2005 to study business
• Drake dropped out after one semester to pursue music back in Toronto
• He does not have a college degree
• His brief formal education still influenced his music career and business acumen

Drake achieved massive success without finishing college, which is very rare. For almost all people, completing a college degree is crucial for starting a career. But Drake’s natural talents allowed him to make it big regardless.

His unique background gave him creative material for songs and a basic business knowledge to build his brand into what it is today.

Conclusion

In summary, Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate high school in Toronto before enrolling briefly at Virginia State University in 2005. He dropped out after one semester to return to acting and advance his music career. Drake does not have a college degree, yet still gained valuable knowledge and connections from his schooling that contributed to his success.

While his education path was unconventional, Drake’s immense natural talents allowed him to thrive without a college degree. However, graduating from college is essential for most people to build a career. Drake’s non-traditional education history provides an interesting backdrop for how he became hip hop’s biggest star.

FAQs About Drake’s Education Background

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about where Drake went to school and his educational history:

What high school did Drake go to?

Drake attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, a competitive public high school in Toronto, Canada for grades 9 through 12. He graduated from Forest Hill in 2005.

Did Drake graduate high school?

Yes, Drake did graduate with his high school diploma in 2005 from Forest Hill Collegiate Institute in Toronto.

Did Drake attend college?

Yes, Drake briefly attended Virginia State University, a historically Black college located in Petersburg, VA. He enrolled at Virginia State in 2005 and studied business administration.

Did Drake graduate from college?

No, Drake did not earn a college degree. He dropped out of Virginia State after just one semester.

Why did Drake drop out of college?

Drake claimed he felt out of place at Virginia State and missed his friends and family back home in Toronto. He wanted to focus more on pursuing a music career and continuing his acting role.

Does Drake have a business degree?

No. Since Drake did not complete his program at Virginia State, he does not hold a business degree or any other college degree.