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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 03: Simone Biles of Team United States looks on during the Women’s Balance Beam Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

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TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 03: Simone Biles of Team United States looks on during the Women’s Balance Beam Final on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on August 03, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Being a legend in a sport comes with a fair share of perks. But it also means you can’t have an ordinary life like the rest. Many Olympians often talk about going to college and experiencing student life. However, not everyone is lucky enough to do so. While most elite gymnasts went to college, Simone Biles completed her degree through an online college. One might wonder why didn’t she attend college? Was it because of her busy schedule? Or was she not interested at all?
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Any college program would have been privileged to have Simone Biles as their alma mater. What Suni Lee does for Auburn could have been the story of Simone as well. She could have experienced the taste of college life like other elite gymnasts, such as Aly Raisman and Shannon Miller. Instead, she decided to have an online college experience with the University of the People (UoPeople).
Why Simone Biles didn’t attend college?
According to the gymnastics G.O.A.T., “she was torn between her full time, “gymnastics dreams” and studying at UCLA.” Her busy schedule made it impossible to attend any regular college. Therefore, while choosing between college and fulfilling her gymnastics dream, she gave up on the former.

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Simone Biles performs during the Gold Over America Tour at Staples Center on September 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
However, sharing on her online college experience, Simone said, “University of the People opened up an opportunity for me that didn’t otherwise exist, accommodating the flexibility I need to fit in my college studies around my career.”
The University further appointed her as its Global Ambassador to inspire more and more people to pursue education without compromising on their priorities.
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Simone just wanted a college scholarship
When Biles started her gymnastics journey, no one would have expected her career to be this big. The four-time Olympic gold medalist said, “All I wanted was a college scholarship.” However, what she has accomplished as an athlete is way more than a college scholarship.

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Simone Biles looks down as she warms up during the final day of women’s competition in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for gymnastics in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., June 27, 2021. Picture taken June 27, 2021. Picture taken June 27, 2021. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson
Today, she is an icon, an inspiration for the entire world to follow. People look up to her as a role model who helped the world understand that sometimes it’s okay to not be okay. Simone made everyone realize that sometimes it is better to prioritize oneself over everything else. Perhaps her legacy as a mental health propagator is far greater than her Olympic glory.
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WATCH THIS STORY – Gymnastics Legend Simone Biles Looking Like A Doll In Front Of The Tallest NFL Player Of Atlanta Falcons
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