WhenhisfamilymovedtoWashingtonD.C.，BuffettbecameapaperboyforTheWashingtonPostanditsrivaltheTimes-Herald.Buffettranhisfivepaperrouteslikeanassemblylineandevenaddedmagazinestoroundouthisproductofferings.Whilestillinschool，hewasmaking$175amonth，afull-timewageformanyyoungmen.
Whenhewas14，Buffettspent$1，200on40acresoffarmlandinNebraskaandsoonbegancollectingrentfromatenantfarmer.Heandafriendalsomade$50aweekbyplacingpinballmachinesinbarbershops.TheycalledtheirventureWilsonCoinOperatedMachineCo.
Alreadyasuccessfulalbeitsmall-timebusinessman，Buffettwasn’tkeenongoingtocollegebutendedupatWhartonattheUniversityofPennsylvania—hisfatherencouragedhimtogo.AftertwoyearsatWharton，Buffetttransferredtohisparents’almamater，theUniversityofNebraskainLincoln，forhisfinalyearofcollege.ThereBuffetttookajobwiththeLincolnJournalsupervising50paperboysinsixruralcounties.
BuffettappliedtoHarvardBusinessSchoolbutwasturneddowninwhathadtobeoneoftheworstadmissionsdecisionsinHarvardhistory.TheoutcomeendedupprofoundlyaffectingBuffett’slife，forheendedupattendingColumbiaBusinessSchool，wherehestudiedunderreveredmentorBenjaminGraham，thefatherofsecuritiesanalysiswhoprovidedthefoundationforBuffett’sinvestmentstrategy.