I am finally going to have to join one of the discussions about degrees (every chat room is having a heated discussion about the topic). I can see and understand a requirement for a college degree but there also needs to be a substitute for a degree. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend college. And there are many valid reasons of why a person did not have the chance. Those people sometimes go on to have a PhD in the college of hard knocks. My college was of the hard knocks, but I am still working on my associate degree! I went to a one room school with eight students, attended a high school with 80 students and my father considered that a waste of time because I was a girl, girls did not need to be educated. By pure luck fell into appraising 35 years ago. And my road has been differant, challanging, interesting and most important-fun! I have held three professionsal designations, one is now retired so currently hold two. Each application was an interesting experience that I do not reqret one iota! When I applied for the RES designation with the IAAO, I had to prove 5 years experience because I lacked a degree. Provided the proof, then spent two years writing a demonstration report, taking exams, acquiring more experience and became the 10th woman in the world be receive the designation. Then onward and upward to the NAIFA, which accepted all my experience and education but again I had to write a demonstration report before earning my Member designation of IFA. Later at an employers insistence applied for the SRA with the old Society of Real Estate Appraisers. They accepted the demonstration report that had been prepared for the IAAO and the NAIFA, but had to challenge their exams (which I did) and prove again five years (after being in the business 18 years by then) experience because I lacked that college degree. So my opinion is there needs to be some type of experience requirement in lieu of a college degree. Because even in this modern age, there are people who just do not have the opportunity for college. My son is 31 and just now enrolled in college after 10 years of the college of hard knocks. My daughter at the age of 37 went back to college and earned her bachelors degree in education in 18 months and now teaching special education students in a high school. Another daughter has been taking engineering courses for 20 years, works for the city of Phoenix reviewing and overseeing registered engineers. But because she has not had the time to take courses in PE or English or ancient History cannot get a degree or become registered herself. But because of her experience, on the job knowledge, and engineering courses is more knowledgable and capable than many registered engineers with degrees. So a college degree is nice, important, usefull but not the final word!