Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page.
Cover Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page.

He is a software developer, America's richest man, and a philanthropist—these are things that most people know about Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. But there's probably a lot about him that you have not heard yet and we have listed them down for you

Despite his popularity, there are many things that the world does not know about Bill Gates, the man behind the American multinational company Microsoft. If you ever wonder what kind of person Gates is off the stage and behind the cameras, allow us to introduce a few fascinating facts.

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Photo: Business Insider
Above Photo: Business Insider

1. He is a college drop out

Two years into his college education, Gates dropped out of Harvard University to take a shot at life and start Microsoft. The business eventually made him a millionaire by 26. In 2010, the Harvard Crimson called Gates “Harvard’s most successful dropout”.

In 2007, Gates came back to Harvard to accept an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. This award is given by the university without the need for the completion of the usual requirements of a certain degree.

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Photo: Flashbak
Above Photo: Flashbak

2. He was arrested in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1977

The eccentric personality of Gates is not often highlighted in many articles about him. In 1977, the CEO was flagged in Albuquerque, New Mexico for a traffic violation. In a Time magazine piece about Gates, he admitted that he was bailed out by American business magnate, Paul Allen.

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Photo: Bill Gates' Official Facebook page.
Above Photo: Bill Gates' Official Facebook page.

3. He has an impressive SAT score

Gates scored a near-perfect 1590 out of 1600 on his SATs. The SAT is a standardised test widely used for college admissions in the United States.

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Bill Gates poses with his kids in a family photo (Photo: Business Insider)
Above Bill Gates poses with his kids in a family photo (Photo: Business Insider)

4. His kids will only get a fraction of his wealth

Gates has three offspring and you must think they are very lucky for they will amass all their father’s fortune eventually. But did you know that each of them will only inherit US$10 million each? This is just a fraction of their father’s US$81.1 billion net worth.

"Leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favour to them," he explained in an interview.

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Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page.
Above Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page.

5. He does not speak any foreign language

Even if multilingual people abound Gates’ family, he is monolingual and can only fluently speak in English. “I feel pretty stupid that I don't know any foreign languages,” Gates admitted in an interview.

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Eighth grade Bill Gates with Paul Allen (Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page)
Above Eighth grade Bill Gates with Paul Allen (Photo: Bill Gates' official Facebook page)

6. If Microsoft failed, he would have been an AI researcher

If Microsoft was not as big as it is at present time, Gates would have been in another company as an AI researcher

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Photo: Netflix
Above Photo: Netflix

7. There is a Netflix documentary about him

Follow Bill Gates’ life in a 2019 Netflix three-part documentary called Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates.

Directed by Davis Guggenheim, who is known for his works NYPD Blue, ER, 24, Alias, The Shield, and Deadwood, the television series answers the questions about what makes him tick, what and who formed him, and how he was able to enter a fiercely competitive industry.

(Related: 11 Netflix Documentaries to Inspire You to Make 2021 Your Most Positive Year So Far)

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