Do you believe that a degree dictates if who you will be soon?

Great question. Here in California it is the same. If you have bachelors degree you will be employed, but there is little chance of getting a promotion. A masters, however, helps climbing the corporate ladder better. In some professions, the degrees are not enough. You will actually need to have a certificate also. Some of those are HR, Accounting, Engineering, Medical services, and so on. Moreover, there are some where you have to give a test annually to show that your skills are updated. Salary depends on the years of experiences. I am in a flexible major which is Business Administration. Just finished corporate management and now one more class left for me to finish marketing. So basically I can choose to do any job I like. But I do not think degrees always help in becoming big. Look at Bill Gates. He dropped out of college, but today he is one of the richest men in the World. There are so many like him out there who do not hold a college degree. But what got them to where they are now is because of their innovative ideas which brought about progress to the world population. In our business class, we are constanly told by professors to think about ideas that will sell. Although working on them require tremendous time I support such assignments.

Hi dpalais! Although a college degree can help you get a good job later on, other factors must also be taken into consideration. Yes, having a Masters Degree and/or a Doctorate Degree can increase your chances of getting a better job. But then again, there are other things that must be taken into account. I am a business course graduate and where am I? In the university -- teaching. Well, yeah, of course, aside from my businesses. I do have a friend who finished her PhD in Development Education and she is now with the Department of Foreign Affairs and she's based in KSA as Vice Consul. Education is definitely important but it's not the only thing you need to be successful.

I think that it's somewhat harsh but sadly, yes; employers do tend to favor those with degrees. Today, having a tertiary education seems to be a requirement when it comes to finding a job in many - but not all - companies. While I both work and study, I gained my current position by starting at the bottom and working my way up. My degree - which has no relevance to my job - is being undertaken so that I can fulfill a lifetime ambition. So, obviously, a degree will not always get your foot in the door; or even allow you to reach the ultimate corporate position. Hard work and determination are still - and will most often be - the determining factors of success.