Guess what George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley and Harry Truman have in common? They and six other presidents not mentioned here all share a fraternal commonality of never having graduated from college. Some of them even attended college, but simple never finished leaving them without a degree. Some would jump to conclusion that this leaves someone without an "education" per se. I'd disagree. An education comes from any collection of learning experiences, formal or not. At most, education itself is a secondary purpose of attending college. The degree is a confirmation that you completed the requirements of a given discipline. The primary reason for going to college, at least in 2015 A.D., is to get a career. Period. Show me a retired 70 year old that decided to get an "education" late in life because she felt that she had missed out on the opportunity in life and I'll show you 50 people that are going and have career aspirations. "I need to get this degree so I can do that".
The 70's old's story is cute and it makes me smile to know it does happen sometimes and an education is a wonderful thing. But this is where I cringe when people like to scold athletes for leaving college in order to enter a professional sports draft. For the elite few kids talented enough to reach that level, this IS their career aspiration. And when the chance to make it is offered, why chastise them for pouncing through the window of opportunity? Aren't we all encouraged to do the same with our own careers?
Do you not realize that these kids have to choose between go now and at the very least make the league minimum which is a sizable sum of money as compared with staying in school in order to complete your "education" while risking career-ended knee injuries and not earning a cent? Maybe you never thought of it that way.
I think there are those of us that feel education should be a 1 to 1 accomplishment where the more education you accumulate, the more success you should have. There is no law in life that will ever make nor back that naive claim. College will improve your chances for success, yes, but they will not guarantee it nor insure you from possible failure. There are some with multiple degrees who are currently waiting the table of a college drop out making 7 figures. It happens.
Quit expecting reality to conform to a simple mathematical formula. Me + education = high salary.
I suspect that people like Howard Dean, an impressively educated man that among other accomplishments, has a medical degree from Yeshiva could quite possibly be frustrated that he himself did not get the Democratic nod back in 2004, let alone a shot at the presidency, all the while Scott Walker, one who did NOT finish college is currently very high in the polls for likely GOP candidates.
People seem to have this unspoken list of resumé requirements that any presidential candidate must have in order to qualify. Education, marriage, children, military background, what have you.
My question to them is "How has that been working out for you so far?"
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