Is a college degree truly necessary?

Glenn Reynolds who writes the Instapundit blog did a column about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker...

Yeah yeah I know he's a Republican who cares...

Anyway if we know nothing about the backgrounds of US Governor's one thing Reynolds brought out was that Gov. Walker never finished college. In my mind this would be unfathomable because I would think anyone seeking high office had as least a bachelor's degree.

So Reynolds surmises that well if Walker chooses to run for President and wins he could break the idea that you need an "Ivy League" education to run for our nation's highest office. The main idea however is that bachelor's degree is supposed to be a "leg up".

To which I've started to come to a few conclusions in recent years. I see that one tag line for the Chicago Public Schools is that all students will be 100% college ready and college bound (found on their FB page). It's a laudable goal, but is it realistic?

I was stuck with this idea that everyone should go to college, but then I realized...should they? Everyone isn't meant for college and that doesn't mean they won't be a state governor, President or even successful in life.

I've started to conclude that college is used as an entitlement now. It's more expected than it was of previous generations to the point where it's a ticket to another high school diploma. At that for another high school diploma many students spend a lot of money or go into debt. Many may choose not to take is seriously and finish but don't do as well for the money they spend.

My point is if a bachelor's is something you're looking to achieve you have to want it. That means you do what you need to do to pay for it in addition to studying not only your field. That also means you have to study a variety of other subjects that have little to do with your field.

It's only YOUR expectation of what you hope to do with a degree. If going to college isn't the path that's for you then hopefully you can find another path that makes you happy. A college degree should never make or break your life or livelihood.