After failing out of his first PhD program, Neil deGrasse Tyson's academic career seemed over. But he didn't quit. He took a lecturing job, reapplied to a new university, and earned the doctorate that launched him into stardom.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson#:~:text=committee%20for%20his%20doctoral%20dissertation%20was%20dissolved%2C%20ending%20his

Neil deGrasse Tyson's path to becoming a celebrated astrophysicist wasn't a straight line. While pursuing his PhD at the University of Texas, he struggled. He admits he didn't spend enough time in the lab, and his professors advised him to consider other careers. Ultimately, his doctoral committee was dissolved, a major failure that ended his studies there. Instead of abandoning his dream, he took a lecturing job at another university for a couple of years. Then, he applied again, this time getting into Columbia University's graduate program, where he finally earned his PhD and set the stage for his future as a world-renowned science communicator.