Coolest School Subjects That U.S. Presidents Studied

Not every U.S. president takes the same path to the White House. But they all have some type of formal education.

Whether that comes later in life, like Abraham Lincoln, or early in life with specialized tutors like James Madison, schooling plays an important part in many of their lives. Those educations — and the lessons they learn — often propel them on the road to the presidency. 

If you want your child to become president of the United States, here’s how they might get to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. These are the subjects presidents studied in school.

Party: Republican

Years in office: 2001-09

C-SPAN presidential ranking: 33

Why business: George W. Bush has admitted several times he was a pretty average student throughout his life, and after he graduated from Yale with a history degree, his application to the University of Texas law school was rejected. 

Bush turned to business, securing an MBA from Harvard (the only president with such a degree). He put that degree to good use when he put together an investment group to buy the Texas Rangers in 1989.

He turned an $800,000 investment of his own money into $15 million when he sold his stake in the team in 1998.

Party: Republican

Years in office: 1969-74

C-SPAN presidential ranking: 29

Why debate: Richard Nixon was a determined student and football player in high school, even though he didn’t get to play very much. But where he really excelled was on the debate team. 

Nixon, under the tutelage of Fullerton Union High School English teacher H. Lynn Shelter, learned the art of making arguments through conversation and became known for his wins on the high school debate circuit in California.

Nixon cited Shelter’s instruction for much of his career, always focusing on using a conversational tone and making sure not to shout. 

Party: Republican

Years in office: 1881

C-SPAN presidential ranking: 28

Why foreign language: James Garfield was born into abject poverty and tried to become a deckhand on several boats but was denied because of his age — he was just 16. He only went to school when he returned home after catching an illness managing mules on the canals in Cleveland. 

Once in school, Garfield’s mastered the study of Greek and Latin. Those languages drove him into law and also got the attention of his future wife, fellow student Lucretia Rudolph, who needed help learning Greek.

They went on to have seven children together.

Party: Republican

Years in office: 1974-77

C-SPAN presidential ranking: 27

Why physical education: Gerald Ford’s participation in team sports pushed his education along at several different, crucial times in his life. 

First, it got him a football scholarship at the University of Michigan, where he was a two-way star and helped lead the Wolverines to back-to-back national championships in 1932 and 1933. 

Physical education also helped his case when he applied to Yale Law School, where he was already the school’s assistant football coach and head coach for the boxing team. Ford had his foot in the door and was admitted to Yale Law in 1938.