What Defines Smart?

Having a degree or not isn't going to matter much in a way that is going to make me trust you more or less just because you have one or not. Because I would want something along the lines of trust to be the deal breaker, not a degree, (you know what I mean). Now some people are mature, and act accordingly to their surroundings, and some don't. That doesn't have to do with a degree. And some people have sheltered lives, and get their degree, and then go out of control, once they're on their own. For example: you can take a sports player who went to college, has a degree, and then gets in trouble for steroids, or something. But what I'm getting at is: the degree measures your ambition and passion/stuff like that, not your character of trust. You have doctors and such who take oaths, and that's kind of an exception, and then there are exceptions to the exceptions, like doctors who make mistakes. Hospitals get lawsuits, so... It depends on what is the person's deal breaker, for me it's if I can trust you or not, not having a degree. And other things, like you don't need a degree to have a fun conversation, and if we "click," (have some kind of chemistry), then I'm going to want to continue the conversation elsewhere, or at another time. And even if someone doesn't have a degree at the moment, it doesn't mean they can't get one at a later date and time.

The degree itself (number of them, or where it's from) of course not. (Even though the degrees she has/is working on make for interesting conversation; I like chatting up people with in-depth knowledge on a subject I know nothing of.)

It does matter to me that she be passionately intellectually curious, be able to hold a meaningful, intellectual conversation, and demonstrate some facility with language. Someone who uses 'like' for every third word, has to look up most words over two syllables, and cannot seem to employ basic rules of grammar would probably not enjoy a lengthy discussion on the finer points of literature, or the obsessive need of engineers to fix things.

However, most women who are driven, intelligent, curious, and on their way to achieving their goals tend to be earning/earn a degree or two in pursuit of those goals. It's unusual to find one without the other.

Even if you like your life as it is now, there's a massive difference between what you're capable of with a degree and without one. (It takes far longer to accumulate equivalent work experience.) What you are seeking in life may change, and leave you stuck wishing you'd finished. If you're not in a field that you are passionate about, perhaps changing majors is the right call?

It's not necessarily a deal breaker and of course it depends on many factors, but the general view is probably something like this:

If a girl stops school than at first it looks like she can't see things through to the end. If it got hard and she just quit, what does it say about her character? If things get hard in a relationship, will she just quit the relationship? Also, it may make you look dumb and guys don't like dumb girls. However, if she is intellectual, it can be fine. Then again there's a problem with that. If you don't make use of your intellect, well then, your not all that intellectual. An appropriate quote here would be "intellect w/o ambition is like a bird w/o wings". I know many people who are pretty smart, but decide not to do anything and instead go get high all the time and whatnot. That's not attractive whatsoever. Zero points, if not lost points, for being smart and deciding not to put it to use (if not in school, then some other significant goal you wan to achieve).

Basically it all boils down to this: if you didn't prove yourself in school, then you better prove yourself in life. And, of course, be able to hold a decent conversation with minute use of the word "like. "

The fact that a girl doesn't have a degree is a deal breaker for me. But I most likely wouldn't be compatible with a girl without a degree anyway. To me, if a person cannot finish his or her degree, it is an indication that such a person cannot complete a task. Also I like intellectual conversations, and when a girl (or anybody) doesn't have something interesting, intelligent, or new to say, I get bored really fast. That's why I say I wouldn't be compatible in the first place.

This is mostly what I'm getting at; I hate it when girls use the word, like, so much and especially when it's not correct grammar. Take these sentences for example. It's like so cold in here. She was like oh my GOD. Let's like go see a movie or something. A girl (or anybody) who uses the word, like, in a sentence in a way that it is not supposed to be used is uneducated as far as I'm concerned.

I find it very difficult to prove that a girl without a degree can still act and speak intelligently (to my standards of intelligence any way). I suppose it's possible, but I don't have hope.

I don't care if they have one or not, but ur right they can't be stupid, that is so annoying. I mean I didn't grad high school even, so maby that's y my standard is lower. Well if they intellectually smart there you go, having a dumb broad is so annoying, then you can converse and when you communicate with them they don't get it. Good?

As long as she can hold a conversation, that's good enough for me. I've never really thought of academic achievements as a requirement for being a girlfriend of mine. It's about the woman, not her degree. ;-)

You know what. I that's a good question.
Me & my girlfriend are both in that situation.
I graduated and I'm working. She went like 2 or 3 years and is currently out.

With me its not so much that you need a degree, but its more your mind set.
Like what do you want out of life.
She wants to go back to school so I'm helping that cause.
If she wanted to be a teacher, I'd support that too.

I say as long as you want to do something. I mean at least have a dream and try to pursue it. I worry about my girl become lazy and satisfied.

Don't get me wrong, there is no happiness without contentness.
So you need a level of satisfactory, but keep that desire to want to be better than what you were yesterday. Good Luck!


Sincerely,
A Loving Black Man

A piece of paper doesn't mean anything to me in a relationship, save it for the job interview.