A "B" Student

Think the wealthy are all smart, friendly, spendthrift, spoiled and privileged? You might be surprised by the real forces behind their success.

Here's secret #7:

"I was a B student."


Mom was right when she said good grades are the key to success -- just not necessarily a big bank account. According to the book "The Millionaire Mind," the median college grade-point average for millionaires is 2.9, and the average SAT score is 1,190 -- hardly Harvard material. In fact, 59% of millionaires attended a state college or university, according to AmEx-Harrison.

When asked to list the keys to their success, millionaires rank hard work first, then education, determination and "treating others with respect." They also say that what they absorbed in class was less important than learning how to study and stay disciplined, says Jim Taylor, the vice chairman of the Harrison Group.

Granted, 48% of millionaires hold an advanced degree, and elite colleges do open doors to careers on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley (not to mention social connections that grease the wheels).

But for every Ph.D. millionaire, there are many more who squeaked through school. Kiyosaki, for one, says the only way he survived college calculus was by "sitting near" the smart kids in class. "We cheated like crazy," he says.

Source: Smart Money