Hi, I'm Mark Holton -- a security savvy REST, Ruby, JavaScript, Rails, and Ajax practitioner. I am in the process of earning an M.S. in Computer, Network, and Information Security.

"Focus on the core things that do not change"

Your Career is Not Defined by your Degree Your Career is Not Defined by your Degree

I believe the success of a person in learning (or in life) is not dictated by the cost nor prestige of the education. These factors in my opinion are almost meaningless. It’s more determined by the desire to learn, the attitude, the determination.

I don’t believe one is guaranteed a better education and certainly not a better life by paying $50k per year for it for 4 years between ages 18-22. Nor is someone limited or even handicapped in the slightest way by a 4 year degree from any of the top 100 schools.

I think college and a college degree is a great goal for many reasons. But 4 years time does not define a person or a life. Not even close. Sadly many people think it does. “He’s a Harvard man!”, etc. Your undergraduate years are small compared to the big picture. A college degree is just one step and is not a guarantee

I believe much more in ideas like there’s always time to launch your dream. Ideas like this resonate with me.

DISCLOSURE: I graduated from Miami University in Oxford, OH, one of the original “Public Ivy’s”. Since graduation from school with a degree in Engineering Physics with a minor in Aeronautics, I have met many people smarter than I am from “lower ranked” schools or no school at all, and much lazier and less intelligent from “high ranked” schools. It runs the gamut based on the person, not the degree. Value your education, not only in the 4 years you are there, but every month since. Drive towards your goal, and take care of life responsibilities.