Tamar;

There may be many reasons to peruse a college degree. Social and family pressures are but two sources of such pressure. When the individual decides it is a good decision then I think things will go more smoothly. Being pressured to do something for the wrong reasons does not always have positive consequences. Personal satisfaction makes the journey to obtain a degree in higher education so worthwhile.

I do not know if this is still true but at HP you have to/had to have at least a bachelors degree to fill out an application to work in a technical profession (engineering, etc.). There are many non-degreed individuals I have met in my career and some have been at the genius level. Although they were not allowed to work at HP as engineers, they started their own companies and did very well!

So a degree is a “mixed blessing” perhaps. At some point in your career you may look back and be happy you took the trouble to engage in higher education. In fact it is never too late to start. I enjoy the stories about people in his/her 70’s receiving college degrees. Some people do not have the opportunity to attend college for a variety of reasons. If you have taken time to raise a family you have done well.

Being a Viet Nam veteran I am lucky to have had and used my GI benefits. We were told that we would be paid for four years of full time study. After I completed my four years in engineering college, I received a letter from the veteran’s administration.

As of June 1975, only 6% of the eligible persons who could use his/her GI benefits had done so. I was given additional benefits to obtain an advanced degree! Here is a case of getting more than you were promised by your recruiter or the United States Government! Take advantage of your benefits – they are yours!

Tom