Readers continue to respond to the student editorial "Future Perspectives."

Editor's Note: We have received almost 30 letters in response to the student editorial "Professionalism (or the lack thereof in surveying)" published in our March issue. We will continue to publish these responses in upcoming issues to continue the discussion on education, experience and professionalism in surveying. We thank you for your letters.

Michael Tock
via E-mail

After allowing Matthew Mitchell's article to simmer a few days, I believe he may be partially correct regarding the requirement of formal education for surveyors. This at least would turn out surveyors who refuse to settle for the type of wages typically paid by the mom-and-pop shops. Of course, finding anyone willing to spend four years and all that money on a surveying degree when they could just as well obtain an engineering degree or an IT degree is going to be hard to do. I would not be a licensed surveyor now if that was the case because I am one of those who would not spend the time or money on a surveying degree. I have no doubt anyone with an entrepreneurial bent could walk out [his or her] door [on] any given morning, start a lawn care business, and earn as much money in an eight-month year as most surveyors do in 12 months (granted, one would still work as many hours).