WWW, you left uni in 1996, 12 years ago, and since have doubtlessly gained extensive experience in your chosen field of work with thousands of hours PIC.
Of course, whatever your chosen field of work was, the degree that you did not use would now be of (very) limited importance. However you are, as I have just said, and as everyone is fully aware, NOT straight out of education, at whatever level, with no experience in your chosen field and you are not working towards a first job along with thousands of other low hour newbies. I would be unimpressed with my life if 12 years after leaving uni I had added nothing worthwhile or more significant than my degree.
Your ability to use it for backup died long ago, as you well know. Educational achievements are, pretty much universally, invalid once you have moved on to the next stage of life and career. Well most newbies are still at the stage after school or uni, and at this level, it IS relevant, especially as a place where many of us have gained any significant life experiences so far, as this thread is confirming.
A degree outside the world of aviation does still have a large part to play in being able to formulate a backup plan should the worst happen soon after licence issue.
Some would argue that as a career option, having spent either 40 or 70 grand on training that gives you at worst no job or 12 grand a year as an FI, flying is rubbish.
And FlightDeckDave, I also fully agree on the 50% thing.
Last edited by cfwake; 3rd Jul 2008 at 15:57.