A most excellent rant about higher-education

I dropped out of college when I was offered a fun job in Marine Biology (my major). Then (1975) personal computers came out and there was no turning back. I am a big fan of trade schools -- our local Bellingham Technical College has a world renowned welding program. The majority of their graduates are gainfully employed within a few months of graduating. I took a couple quarters of their welding and their precision machining programs to heighten my skills and to check for bad habits (I'd had no formal welding instruction before then). From Matt Walsh:

Kids, go to college or you�ll die alone in misery
Every time I write or speak about college, I tend to upset many parents and other decent, educated people. They are righteously offended at the mere suggestion that college isn�t necessarily the only way to go. Angry mothers email to tell me that my �anti-college� message is polluting the minds of their children. They don�t want their kids to skip college and become hobos and drug addicts. This is understandable. I should know � I�m one of those malcontents who decided not to get a four year degree. And what a tragedy my life has been ever since I made that fateful decision.

A bit more:

My experience, on the other hand, wasn�t nearly as fulfilling or eclectic. Like the unambitious sloth that I am, I got into my car at the age of 20 and drove 150 miles to a place I�d never been, in a state I�d never visited. I rented an apartment with my own money and got a job at a radio station and a second job as an assistant manager at a pizza joint. I met and learned how to work with people from all different age groups and backgrounds. I set out specific goals for myself and worked to achieve them.

Needless to say, without college, it was all in vain. Seven years later and now look at me. It�s the classic tale of failure and despair: Married, two kids, a career, a long term plan for the future, no debt, and I�ve never been unemployed. Please, avert your gaze. I am so ashamed.

Much more at the site. A big tip of the hat to Firehand for the link. As he says:

If you know someone planning on college, this
should be required reading. As in 'chain their ass in a chair and don't let them up till they've read every word.'

Damn straight Skippy!