9th grade education? Not quite. He actually completed a single GCE (General Certificate of Education) in Ancient History at a public (in the US: a private) school in Buckinghamshire in 1967. In short, he completed his high school equivalent education but did not go on to university. He was far too busy with the
Student magazine which is what lauched him into the business world and starting the Virgin empire.
Interestingly, when he left school at age 17, his headmaster's parting words "Congratulations, Branson. I predict you will either go to prison or become a millionaire" seems to have spurred him from a rather insignificant schoolboy prankster into the unconventional, fun-loving, but highly successful entrepreneur that he is today.
