Okay guys - I would like you to please look at the thread that I linked a bunch of posts up. This discussion has nothing to do with the topic at hand, and I'm sure the original poster would like it somewhat back on track. That opinion of mine had to do with a student expressing that, as a high school student, he could do what engineers do. I'm sure there are exceptions to what I stated - I admit that I put it in terms that were a bit too black and white - but generally, you do need a degree (or some sort of specific training involving years of experience) to be an engineer. As Dan_Lafleur pointed out, the way that doesn't involve a degree is long and hard, and there is no way a high school student could have been through it. There is plenty of good discussion (also regarding Dean Kamen) in that thread, so if you would like to discuss the topic more, and read some important opinions on it, here you are! There are many people in that thread who have expressed my opinion more eloquently that I ever could.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=29746 (link should work now)