[Cat]

I agree that since the poker boom happened, there are a lot of young guys who think poker is a fast road to riches. To anyone getting into poker solely to get rich, I would say think again. I turned pro before the boom, and like many ppl in those days, my reasons for getting into poker were quite different - mainly that I loved the game and the freedom that playing for a living gave me, and hated working a 9-5, getting up early, commuting to work and having a boss to answer to.

I think it's very important to know which camp you fall into. And also, while a degree is certainly good, it is not the be-all-and-end-all. I have a good degree from a good university, but while I did several interesting jobs in the years after graduation, none were very high-paying. A degree doesn't automatically equal (at least here in Europe) some fabulous $100k+ a year job.

If you are thinking about going pro, ask yourself these questions:

1) Am I a winning player?
2) Do I have several months outgoings saved up?
3) If I only earned, say, $40k in my first year, would I think "This sucks, I'm going to get a real job" or "I don't mind at all that I didn't earn that much, because I'm doing something I love for a living". If it's the latter, then go for it. You have nothing to lose but your marbles [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]