Ending Soon! Save 33% on All Access

Watch a Teenage Mark Zuckerberg React to Getting Into Harvard Witness the earliest beginnings of Facebook.

By Nina Zipkin

catwalker | Shutterstock
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Graduation season is upon us, and this year, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is one of the many high profile figures who was tapped to make a commencement speech -- at his erstwhile alma mater Harvard.

Zuckerberg famously left the respected institution of higher learning a few semesters short of being able to get his diploma in order to create the global force that is Facebook. Thirteen years and more than 1 billion users later, the decision seems like it worked for him.

Related: Watch Mark Zuckerberg Ask Fellow Harvard Dropout Bill Gates for Advice on His Harvard Commencement Speech

But even though he is one of biggest tech leaders today, not too long ago, Zuckerberg was just a teenager from suburban New York waiting to hear whether he got into his dream school.

This week, ahead of his return to Harvard to finally nab that degree and inspire the class of 2017, he posted a video his father took of him when he received his acceptance from the school.

Sitting on his bed, illuminated by the light of a now very outmoded computer, the 17-year-old Zuckerberg says, in a quiet, measured tone, "yay, I got accepted," while his dad cheers from behind the camera. And the rest is history.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Career

Is Consumer Services a Good Career Path for 2024? Here's the Verdict

Consumer services is a broad field with a variety of benefits and drawbacks. Here's what you should consider before choosing it as a career path.

Business News

'Creators Left So Much Money on the Table': Kickstarter's CEO Reveals the Story Behind the Company's Biggest Changes in 15 Years

In an interview with Entrepreneur, Kickstarter CEO Everette Taylor explains the decision-making behind the changes, how he approaches leading Kickstarter, and his advice for future CEOs.

Business Ideas

87 Service Business Ideas to Start Today

Get started in this growing industry, with options that range from IT consulting to childcare.