It is not condescending at all, the fact of the matter is that your Dad is the exception not the rule. Its not 1985 anymore where you can walk into anice job with no academic credentials but a high school diploma. The point is if you want to be able to compete with others for good jobs you have to make sure your education is the absolute best it can be. If you cannot get into the elite private schools, go to Madison, if you cannot get into Madison than go to the next largest state University you can...so on and so forth. Some people do succeed without higher education, but most who bypass college end up punching a time clock every Monday through Friday for forty plus years. All of our journeymen sheet metal guys make more then most on this board averaging about 48,000 to 55,000 a year and the steam fitters make more then that and I can guarantee that all of them didnt go to college. Now you are going to say, yeah but they work hard, yes that is true, but most will retire at 55 and make a really good pension. I was making more then I do now as a foremen and did little to no work.