Education

 

In 1966, I graduated from high school and enrolled in college in North Carolina.  It cost $500 each semester and my parents paid for my first semester.  After that, I worked full time while I attended college, and paid my own tuition, books, fees, housing, and food.

At the end of 5 semesters, I was not enjoying college, so I dropped out and enlisted in the US Navy.  After two years in the Navy, I returned to college and the GI Bill (of which I contributed nothing but my time in the military) paid for my last two years of college but two years of graduate school.

I also worked full time while I was attending college and graduate school.

Before leaving school (1966-1968) I worked in a Hosiery Mill dying socks during the afternoon from 3-11pm.  When I returned to school (1972-1974), I worked at a biological supply house.  When I went to grad school (1979-1981) I directed a non-profit.

My two years in the military was completed during the Vietnam War and as such I qualified for ALL GI BILL benefits...  that in my case, happened to be 4 years of higher education.

It was a small price to pay for the EDUCATION that the GI BILL paid for.

During my 45-year career, my BA degree and my MBA degree OPENED DOORS that would have otherwise been closed...  however, I very seldom used any of my education during my career.  Not only, was the knowledge acquired seldom used, MY GRADES or GPA was NEVER a deciding factor for my employment even when I was hired by colleges to teach classes.

If by some chance, I had an opportunity to live my life over again, I would have never gone to college in the first place.

I would have enlisted into the military right out of high school and retired twenty years later at 38 years of age.  I would have done this because my military pre-testing scores were high enough to keep me from being in the infantry.

At 38 years of age, I could have saved my retirement money and used my technical training to work a second career, where I could have retired at 58 or longer.  If I was smart, I would have found a company that had a retirement programs, so that at age 67, I would have been entitled to THREE RETIREMENT INCOMES...  plus, my medical would be completely covered for the rest of my life.

Going to college is not always the best course of action to take...