[jboot]

I hears ya (says the guy who worked his entire life and didn’t go to college). It is possible in most organizations to waive the college requirement when hiring. Unfortunately, most managers are lazy and just circular file all resumes that don’t list a degree. I don’t. We just hired two American HS grads to do database work, because I tested them and they are darned good at it.

[OldPossum]

I hears ya (says the guy who worked his entire life and didn’t go to college). It is possible in most organizations to waive the college requirement when hiring. Unfortunately, most managers are lazy and just circular file all resumes that don’t list a degree. I don’t. We just hired two American HS grads to do database work, because I tested them and they are darned good at it.

The reason that many companies require a degree is because, as I understand it (big qualification here), they cannot administer written tests--read "IQ"--because of the Supreme Court's decision in 1971, "Griggs v. Duke Power." Look it up.

Because they cannot do this, they use a sheepskin as a proxy because it is generally accepted (though, I suspect, not by you) that a college graduate has a certain degree of intelligence.

[Lexinom]

Good for you. As a hiring manager I want to see achievement. I want to see what someone has built. I commend you, BTW, for testing because I know what a grueling task grading those tests can be.