Don’t Underestimate the Need for Education

I attended the University of Illinois at Chicago in the early 1970s for about 2 1/2 years. I had difficulty deciding a major and decided to leave school and join the workforce for a while, intending to return at a later time to get my degree. As you have probably already guessed, that didn’t happen. I am now 53 years old and unemployed, and regret my decision. At the time, a couple more years in school seemed like an eternity, but my current mature status reveals that perspective as being laughable.

I strongly encourage every high school or college student to persevere and obtain a four-year degree. You probably won’t appreciate its significance until you are older, but it is even more valuable today than 30 years ago. To work as a librarian for the Los Angeles Public Library one must have a master’s degree. Education is extremely enriching and rewarding, and to qualify for most jobs a degree is mandatory.

Michael Reardon

Encino