[orokusaki]

FWIW, I won't bother with anybody in my life that requires a degree for anything, even teaching. Having a degree for something is, IMHO, no better than having a JD Power & Associates award, which is not very valuable. Now, are there countless people with PhDs who are terrific and very intelligent? Yes. Are they terrific and very intelligent because they received degrees? No, and furthermore, they'll probably achieve less than their drop-out counterparts (e.g., Steve Jobs, Bill Gates) or their "bad student" counterparts (e.g., Albert Einstein). Even Napoleon Bonaparte dropped out of Berkley at age 22... just making sure you were paying attention :)

[ynd]

FYI, Einstein was not a bad student. (http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/12/albert-einst...). It's just a myth.

Having a degree does not magically make you more qualified, it's the work you put it over the years to get your degree. The paper is useless, but the experience learned remains in your head.

[orokusaki]

In other words, do what you love and do it well, and don't ever let "papers, please" get in your way.