Yes, Albert Einstein attended college. He enrolled at the Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1896. He initially intended to study physics and mathematics to become a physics teacher, but he later shifted his focus solely to physics.
While Einstein acknowledged the benefits of formal education, he had mixed feelings about his own college experience. He found the rigid and traditional teaching methods at the Polytechnic Institute to be uninspiring and clashed with his independent thinking and curiosity. He often felt constrained by the academic environment and felt that it hindered his creative and intellectual pursuits.
Einstein once remarked, "Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." This statement reflects his belief that true education extends beyond memorization and conformity to encompass critical thinking, imagination, and independent inquiry.
Despite his reservations about the traditional education system, Einstein's time at the Polytechnic Institute provided him with a strong foundation in physics and mathematics, which he would build upon throughout his life. He engaged in self-study and independent research, which eventually led to his groundbreaking contributions to theoretical physics.