[OzzyOsbourne]

I want to believe this and internalise it, and make it my road map. I intend on getting a 4-year degree as well as a master's degree.

Do you have any evidence on the state machine-ness of bureaucracies? Anecdotes? How can you substantiate your opinion and example?

[loumf]

No one can guarantee anything for you. Achieving 3 of the above criteria will not hurt you and are quite easy to achieve. They will also help you in other ways.

Worry about being great -- (Steve Martin quote is relevant here: "be so good they can't ignore you")