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Who needs an education when you're smokin' hot? Eva Mendes certainly proves you don't have to earn a college degree to be a success (and a drug addict).

Who would have thought a bucktoothed, Cal State Northridge (CSUN) dropout who once aspired to become a nun, would have turned out to be one of the most desirable women in the world? Eva Mendes certainly did not. For the past seven years, the actress has established her presence in Hollywood, having starred in Training Day (2001), Hitch (2005) and Ghost Rider (2007). Nowadays, you can find Ms. Mendes as the new face of steamy Calvin Klein ads.

While growing up in Miami, Florida and later in Glendale, California, the Cuban American Latina never actively pursued acting until her boyfriend convinced her to drop out of her marketing studies at CSUN to train with an acting coach, Ivana Chubbuck, who has also worked with A-list celebrities Brad Pitt, Halle Berry and Charlize Theron.

Mendes began her career by appearing in music videos, such as Will Smith's "Miami." She got her big break in film when she went nude for a scene in Training Day. Following that role as the girlfriend of Denzel Washington's character, Mendes has acted alongside Johnny Depp in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Matt Damon in Stuck on You, Will Smith in Hitch, and Nicholas Cage in Ghost Rider.

Her upcoming movie, We Own the Night, caused some problems for the Catholic-raised star. Apparently, Mendes had to knock back a few drinks to let go of any moral inhibitions before performing a sex scene with Joaquin Phoenix. Despite this and her refusal to pose for Playboy, Mendes is not as shy as you think. She has been known to shed some skin for Vogue, Flaunt, and even PETA.

Needless to say, Eva Mendes would not have been considered the #4 Most Desirable Woman if she had continued to pursue her bachelor's degree. She also would not have scored a deal with Calvin Klein, starred in so many hit films or landed in rehab for substance abuse. With a degree in marketing, Mendes could have still worked with CK or Revlon behind the camera, but what a loss that would have been for men worldwide. To all you males who lust over Eva Mendes, thank your lucky stars that she traded in books for the limelight.