College Degrees...

After I graduated high school, I went to a community college. I was not the type of person who wanted to go away to school and really, the local community college offered what I wanted.

About a semester shy of graduating (It was a 2-year degree) I was forced to drop out due to finances.  At the time this didn't seem like a big deal because I had a career in the very thing that I was going to school for and all was right with the world.  


Fast forward 20-something years and I am screwed.

What I guess I don't understand about the whole college degree thing is that if I had graduated and had my 2-year degree in Fashion Buying and Merchandising, how the heck would that be helpful if I have changed direction and am applying for positions in English/Language Arts teaching? 


I was looking at a position to teach on-line and they want to know if I have a degree.  I mean, clearly I don't but if I did, it would be in a completely unrelated field!  So how is that any different than not having a degree at all?  Does that make sense?  Basically, I'm looking at it as not having a degree in the career that you are looking in to should mean that you don't have a degree no matter what.  I'm taking a ton of on-line classes toward learning all about the degree that I WANT to have, shouldn't that count?

Just another way for me to NOT get a job...Crazy!