Donald Trump was born in 1946 in Queens, New York City. He was the fourth of five children of Fred Trump, a successful real estate developer who specialized in middle-class housing in New York's outer boroughs. Growing up, Donald was immersed in the world of real estate. He often accompanied his father to construction sites, learning the family business from the ground up.

As a teenager, Trump was energetic and assertive, which led his parents to send him to the New York Military Academy at age 13. They hoped the school's disciplined environment would channel his energy in a positive direction. The academy provided a structured and competitive atmosphere, where Trump excelled both socially and in sports, becoming a star athlete and student leader by his senior year.

After graduating from the military academy, Trump attended Fordham University in the Bronx for two years. However, his sights were set on a different path. He transferred to the prestigious Wharton School of Finance at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the few schools in the country at the time to offer a dedicated real estate studies department.

At Wharton, he studied economics, finance, and real estate, preparing himself to join and eventually take over his father's company. He graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Science in economics. This combination of practical experience from his father and formal business education from an Ivy League institution provided the foundation for his ambitious ventures into the world of Manhattan real estate.