TOD:
Interesting question.
Aside from Drama and English classes, I don't think I really excelled at anything in school...primarily because I didn't want to be there. Hated math courses. I had my own plan, so I did enough to get by with a 2.4 or something grade point. Same with college.
School was marking time until I could venture out into the world and do what I wanted to do. I really learned much more useful things about life by working after school and during vacations; also by working in local theatre groups.
Looking back, my life would probably not have been remarkably different had I skipped college altogether.
On the other hand, a college diploma does impress some people.