Have you ever felt embarrassed by your lack of a degree?

[mom2LLL]

YES! My whole adult life, it has bothered me to not have a degree. I don't know why... My husband doesn't have a degree, nor does he want one and he is perfectly happy with that. He really is the most intelligent person I know. I tell him all the time that he could be one of those people who can get their BA in 4 weeks easily! But he doesn't really care about that. He is a self-made computer software consultant and doesn't see a degree getting him anywhere.

For me though, I made the mistake of going to a 2 year unaccredited art college and now it is usless Most of my working life (I get to be a SAHM now) I continued to have my lack of a degree hold me down. It really affected my self esteem. But I always had a problem with going to a B&M school. I just couldn't take being in the classes. That is why I liked TESC. My first online experience was great, but when I found CLEP I was hooked.

I now feel more confident with every test I take. Since I want to be a teacher and need a degree, I feel like I am finally (20 years later) on the right track.

Kim

[Alaskan]

It's kind of weird...I have one co-worker that has a BA and tons of experience and then there's another one who has a high school diploma, some experience, and lots of drive. There's some folks with certs, others without certs but tons of experience, and still others who have a mix of formal education, experience, certs, and whatnot. No embarrassment...but it sure would be nice to complete this BS degree for my own satisfaction.

[Kiwi Lover]

Originally Posted by Alaskan

...but it sure would be nice to complete this BS degree for my own satisfaction.

I think we would ALL agree with that statement Alaskan! In fact, the other day I started thinking "What would I do if I won the lottery...would I still want to finish my degree? YES!! Because it is important to me to do so!"

Good luck with the rest of your exams!

Kiwi

[bluetooth]

The worst part is when the subject comes up in a group setting when people are asking about where they went to school. Do you take the vague route and mention where you have attended school without pointing out that you didn't graduate? Or when directly asked about graduating do you lie? Is telling the truth about a monkey on your back worth looking like a loser? Will the degree, once earned, finally give you relief or will you still find something to be embarassed about? In other words, even though it's accredited, [insert non-traditional school here] wasn't good enough compared to [insert traditional school here].

I tend to avoid the conversation entirely. When asked directly, I tell the truth. When asked where I went to school I tell them where I attended school if only for a semester.

[snazzlefrag]

Originally Posted by bluetooth

The worst part is when the subject comes up in a group setting when people are asking about where they went to school. Do you take the vague route and mention where you have attended school without pointing out that you didn't graduate? Or when directly asked about graduating do you lie? Is telling the truth about a monkey on your back worth looking like a loser? Will the degree, once earned, finally give you relief or will you still find something to be embarassed about? In other words, even though it's accredited, [insert non-traditional school here] wasn't good enough compared to [insert traditional school here].

I tend to avoid the conversation entirely. When asked directly, I tell the truth. When asked where I went to school I tell them where I attended school if only for a semester.

Hi bluetooth,

I can totally empathize with your situation. It is easy for people's perceptions of you to be negatively affected by many things, including something as silly as the lack of a degree. However, you should try to be proud of what you HAVE accomplished, and try not to be ashamed of what you HAVEN'T accomplished YET.

There'll always be someone who has been more places, done more things, and earned more degrees than us. It doesn't make them any better than us. It only means that they have been more places, done more things, and earned more degrees. Big deal!

Snobbery is such an ugly thing. So you just go right ahead and be PROUD of all that YOU have accomplished. You can bet that you have been places, and done things that THEY envy YOU for. That's life!

You're good enough! You're smart enough! And gosh darn it, people like you!


Snazzlefrag

[bluetooth]

Not having a degree has actually pushed me further in other professional areas. I'm actually quite accomplished from a career standpoint compared to my peers, but I still have that urge to prove myself from an education perspective. It will all be over by December hopefully. By the time I am finished, I will have earned about 90 credits in 2006 mostly from CLEP.

[SimonTam]

Originally Posted by bluetooth

The worst part is when the subject comes up in a group setting when people are asking about where they went to school. Do you take the vague route and mention where you have attended school without pointing out that you didn't graduate? Or when directly asked about graduating do you lie? Is telling the truth about a monkey on your back worth looking like a loser? Will the degree, once earned, finally give you relief or will you still find something to be embarassed about? In other words, even though it's accredited, [insert non-traditional school here] wasn't good enough compared to [insert traditional school here].

I tend to avoid the conversation entirely. When asked directly, I tell the truth. When asked where I went to school I tell them where I attended school if only for a semester.

Whenever the topic comes up, I'm honest about it. I tell them where I went to school and that I majored in procrastination and laziness. Don't get a degree for that. Of course the P.H.D. (Public Highschool Diploma) joke works too.

[ShotoJuku]

Originally Posted by SimonTam

Whenever the topic comes up, I'm honest about it. I tell them where I went to school and that I majored in procrastination and laziness. Don't get a degree for that. Of course the P.H.D. (Public Highschool Diploma) joke works too.

Forget about the past and look forward towards the future; your degree is just a few calendar pages away!!

[bluetooth]

My dad has always quoted Longfellow when he notices distress.

"Trust no future, however pleasant! Let the dead past bury its dead! Act - act in the living Present! Heart within and God overhead."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

[snazzlefrag]

Originally Posted by bluetooth

My dad has always quoted Longfellow when he notices distress.

"Trust no future, however pleasant! Let the dead past bury its dead! Act - act in the living Present! Heart within and God overhead."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Beautiful!