***Joel A-Z (E)***

E is for education. (Not the same as learning.)

I've debated about returning to school. Originally (and many, many years ago), I originally planned to, after high school, attend summer school, four years of college, then pursue my masters degree in business (MBA). Plan was dashed when I learned most masters progs prefer you to get some working experience before enrolling. Plan was throw off kilter when I decided not to pursue business as a career. Course I made this decision after graduating from Cal Poly.

I took course at a local junior college (jc) for a couple of years and found them useful. I even entertained the notion to get a masters in writing (MFA or a masters in fine arts). But R. pointed out--and I later confirmed--possessing such a degree provides no monetary benefit. Many writers who have gone through the prog actually have found them detrimental: like many modern industries, MFA progs seemed determined to mold their students to write in one particularly way. That's like telling everyone how to describe their favorite sunset to a blind person using only words found under the letter "G" in a dictionary.

From the 1800s. In Queen's English.

I'm not knocking formal education. There reaches a point, though, where experience matters more. I sometimes feel sad when I listen to college-age kids these days discuss their after college plans but keep my mouth firmly shut. Certain things can't be taught in the classroom.