Who are we? Education levels

dwill123 wrote: emigre80 wrote: dwill123 wrote: ABD (All but dissertation), Computer Science.   I went ahead and wrote my dissertation before completing my course work or qualifiers.  Which makes me, technically, NBD (nothing but dissertation).  My advisor thinks I'm crazy but I've learned to live with that. Maybe we should combine our efforts and see if some place would give us an honorary doctoral.  Heck, they gave one to Steely Dan.

emigre80 wrote: dwill123 wrote: ABD (All but dissertation), Computer Science.   I went ahead and wrote my dissertation before completing my course work or qualifiers.  Which makes me, technically, NBD (nothing but dissertation).  My advisor thinks I'm crazy but I've learned to live with that.

Dayvenkirq wrote: \ - In my personal experience it's really important for a person to pick the right path for him

that deserves such major clappies man.. that is the word. 

for me.. I was pushed into college by my parents. I made the mistake of showing brain activity and a talent for numbers when I was younger so I was pushed by my parents to become to the first of my family to graduate college here in the states.

So I went off to college.. confident in my intellgince and ability to succeed with minimum effort as I did in HS. 

Well college was a wake up call...  oh I passed my classes.. barely as I had developed a substantial appetite for drugs, alcohol and women during my first years of college. So after 2 years and half way to a degree in physics.. I was given a year vacation by my university to get my head straight.. so I did what any kid did.

I enlisted and took out my frustrations on enemies of the US state in the middle east..  after getting my (honorable) discharge I was ready to take college seriously but decided physics was a bit too...  applied..  so went into pure math.  Needless to say.. having to pay to college myself (my parents cut me off in anger after my first attempt) I killed it man. Made Dean's list and all that jazz.. even though I suffered significant PDSD and alcohol related issues.  A semester short of graduating I decided Math wasn't for me.. but decide follow my heart and true love.. history and was a year short of that degree when I met the 'spawn of Satan' over a toilet in the Student Union and she put the zap on my head.  I decided to take another break from college as she was working her way through her PhD program.. I was facinated immensely by teh electrical field having taking some electives in E.E..  So I took a semester off and took a job as a apprenetice electrican.


and loved the job so much.. I never went back to finish my degree(s).  Life is short.. live for yourself.. and what interests you. Yes my job is a pain in the ass as I've gotten older and have to do at nearly 50 what 20 yr olds have to do.. but the job satisfaction beat anything any of you college educated f**ks gets. I help people. .and still get paid damn well to to do it. Yes it cost me a marriage my search of happiness didn't fit the life plan of The Spawn of Satan who never accepted I went to work with a shirt with name embroidered on it.

but f**k her..  I won in the end. I'm happy..  so that is the moral of my educational story. Yeah.. I just paid off my student loans 2 years ago.. but I'd change nothing. Live for yourself.. it if it college.. more power to you.. but that isn't the only path to happiness and material success. 

dr wu23 wrote: I think many here know that I am a Doctor of Optometry (39 years group and private practice...). No surgery;....exams for glasses, contact lenses, and routine external eye problems like conjunctivitis and dry eye and referral/co-management  for LASIK ,cataracts, etc. About ready to retire in a few years......so if any of you need free advice or consultation get in line.

a real doctor Wu?

and I just thought you were as much a fan of Katy Lied as I am

^ What's your major?

In many countries, just like mine, you go from "second grade school" (high school) directly to the University... well, if you pass through the examinations. Sometimes it's tough since you have to decide about your future with 16-17 years of age. Many give up their courses returning later generally in a different area.

emigre80 wrote: Blacksword wrote: I 'finished high school' or secondary school as we called it here in the UK at the time. We have some 'High schools' now...for some reason. I done my A levels then fled education. I was very immature at 18 and couldn't have coped with university. By the time I had actually grown up a bit I had a good job paying reasonable money and was too much into enjoying myself AND having the money to do it, so I had no inclination towards higher education. Of course I deeply regret that now, and I'm now too old and 'slow of mind' to learn to that level.   I started my PhD at 54 and will finish at 58. You are never too old if you find a subject that interests you.

That's fantastic What will you be a doctor of?

Ok maybe you're right....    

Bachelor of Science Architectural Engineering Technology.

Blacksword wrote: I 'finished high school' or secondary school as we called it here in the UK at the time. We have some 'High schools' now...for some reason. I done my A levels then fled education. I was very immature at 18 and couldn't have coped with university. By the time I had actually grown up a bit I had a good job paying reasonable money and was too much into enjoying myself AND having the money to do it, so I had no inclination towards higher education. Of course I deeply regret that now, and I'm now too old and 'slow of mind' to learn to that level.

I 'finished high school' or secondary school as we called it here in the UK at the time. We have some 'High schools' now...for some reason.

I done my A levels then fled education. I was very immature at 18 and couldn't have coped with university. By the time I had actually grown up a bit I had a good job paying reasonable money and was too much into enjoying myself AND having the money to do it, so I had no inclination towards higher education. Of course I deeply regret that now, and I'm now too old and 'slow of mind' to learn to that level.