Anyone in HR explain why a degree is so necessary?

I'm not in HR.. However, I can say that I would not want a doctor that hasn't gone to med school O.O
ETA: But I do agree with you, btw.

HR is a complex field that requires a spot on knowledge of the various employment laws that govern the field, especially when you get into issues of dismissal, corrective action plans, and disability law. Most places want a Master's degree in HR fior this very reason. In addition, a college degree shows that you have the stamina to carry on through a course of study concentrated in your field, and demonstrates that yiy have the written and verbal communication needed for a "soft sciences" field.

The current job market is highly competitive. If you think you're going to command a salary and position without that piece of paper, you are really not as smart as you propose to be. Get the piece of paper and market yourself with the proper credentials.

@adios...agreed. The paper just gets you in the door.

Did you learn anything in high school that will help you in a career that you couldn't have done with just an 8th grade education? If so, that's why a college education is required. If not, well, I hate to break it to you but you are in a dead end job.

WHY??????

It doesn't, but the job market is saturated. It's a fairly simple filter.

If it is from an accredited Establishment then that implies you have met a couple of minimum criteria. It is an easy way for them to assume you know certain things, same reason some ask for a high school/GED. It would just take too long and too much for an employer to figure out what you know.

Not only this, but colleges are designed to reshape the way you think. Classes are designed to force you to think critically, ask questions objectively, and weed out lazy people who can't be bothered to take time to get their homework done. After you graduate, you (or most people, anyway) do not think the same way, are better-rounded, better able to learn new material and can problem-solve better. Would you want someone who can't do that in your workplace?

With that in mind, I don't think it's any wonder at all why most places won't give anyone without a degree a second glance. If I were in a hiring position, I know I sure wouldn't.

If it is from an accredited Establishment then that implies you have met a couple of minimum criteria. It is an easy way for them to assume you know certain things, same reason some ask for a high school/GED. It would just take too long and too much for an employer to figure out what you know.

Not only this, but colleges are designed to reshape the way you think. Classes are designed to force you to think critically, ask questions objectively, and weed out lazy people who can't be bothered to take time to get their homework done. After you graduate, you (or most people, anyway) do not think the same way, are better-rounded, better able to learn new material and can problem-solve better. Would you want someone who can't do that in your workplace?

With that in mind, I don't think it's any wonder at all why most places won't give anyone without a degree a second glance. If I were in a hiring position, I know I sure wouldn't.

I don't agree with this at all. Maybe a degree should be indicative of the above, but in my experience there are kids putting in minimum effort to get through college and get their bachelor's in a liberal arts subject. Many of my high school classmates are spending tens of thousands on a degree and will make as much money or less than I do when they graduate this year - that is, IF they are able to find a job.

I am more than intelligent enough to hold my own in college and obtain my degree (and I did complete two years with a high GPA), but I cannot afford to do so and am unable to take on student loans. Instead I work, relatively underpaid, at a demanding job to gain experience. If I were to go up for a promotion in my industry against someone with no experience but a degree in say, psychology or even finance, who is more qualified? Should I be automatically disqualified for this hypothetical job because I have no degree?

If you are talking about entry level positions, then yes, for the most part someone with a degree would likely get the job over someone with no degree or experience. But when there is real world job experience at play, things are different. Degrees do not mean someone is a good employee with desirable workplace qualities, nor do they automatically indicate a higher level of intelligence.

I also strongly object to the notion that I am "lazy" because I don't have a degree. I do not have parents or relatives to pay my way through college. I also do not have anyone to cosign for me on student loans, and federal loan amounts do not sufficiently bridge the gap between financial aid and tuition. That does not make me lazy. I would argue I've had to work much harder than my peers to get where I am now.