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Man Amasses 27 College Degrees

Michael Nicholson really likes school. I mean he likes it in the same way Steve Jobs Likes turtlenecks and my unemployed uncle likes Larry The Cable Guy. The 67-year-old Kalamazoo man has amassed 27 college degrees since 1963, and he says he's not done yet. It started with a bachelor's degree in religious education at William Tyndale College in Detroit, which led to a master's degree in theology at Dallas Theological Seminary. Since then, he has earned two associate's degrees, 19 master's degrees, three specialist's degrees and one doctoral degree. Michael is currently working on two more master's degrees and is a shoe-in to lead this year's beer-pong team to the national finals.

13 comments

  1. A Fine Line by wraithguard01 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I can't decide if he's smart or stupid for doing that. Perhaps both?

    1. Re:A Fine Line by Killer+Orca · · Score: 1

      Depends on your view of perpetual Grad school.

    2. Re:A Fine Line by azav · · Score: 1

      Master's Degree in Theology? Useful if you code via divine inspiration. If he's majoring in anything besides religion, I'll give him credit. Otherwise, it's as valuable as majoring in mythology.

      --
      - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
    3. Re:A Fine Line by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does it need to be valuable to be interesting?

    4. Re:A Fine Line by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Right, because with Theory of Evolution, all the philosophical studies taken upon by mandkind prior to it, became obsolete. It satisfies all questions regarding the meaning of life and our place in the universe.

    5. Re:A Fine Line by Rog-Mahal · · Score: 0

      Learning for learning's sake seems like a wonderful thing to me.

    6. Re:A Fine Line by wraithguard01 · · Score: 1

      Oh yes, I enjoy learning just as much as the next guy. But 27 degrees are not cheap. Heck, 1 college degree isn't cheap.

  2. So.. by slashmojo · · Score: 1

    He'll soon be qualified for a Google job! ;)

  3. and yet... by cosm · · Score: 0

    MIT still won't give him an honorary doctorate in intelligent design; his theology lab classes don't meet requirements for transfer credit. Looks like he will have to jump on the m-train.

    --
    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  4. Thought it said... by asdf4 · · Score: 1

    Would have been a better story if it was about a guy who had amassed 27 college dresses. Maybe even good enough for film

  5. I would love to do this.. by spiffmastercow · · Score: 1

    Academia usually pushes students into smaller and smaller areas of specialization.. Sounds like this guy has actually managed to be a generalist (assuming his degrees aren't all in roughly the same subject)

  6. Two Scary Words... by Zymergy · · Score: 1

    STUDENT LOANS!
    ...Let's just call this what it is: The "Endless Deferment" strategy!

  7. Avoidance... by beatljuice · · Score: 1

    Great way to avoid paying student loans. Just keep going till you're dead.

    --
    Look for a reason to smile you jaded #*^ *(%$