--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You must realize that honorary degrees…" description: "\"You must realize that honorary degrees are given generally to people whose SAT scores were too low to get them into schools the regular way. As a matte..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/neil-simon-10535_comedy_you-must-realize-that-honorary-degrees-a_1829845.jpg" --- # You must realize that honorary degrees are given generally… ![“You must realize that honorary degrees are given generally to people whose SAT scores were too low to get them into schools the regular way. As a matter of fact, it was my SAT scores that led me into my present vocation in life, comedy.” quote by Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/neil-simon-10535_comedy_you-must-realize-that-honorary-degrees-a_1829845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/neil-simon-10535_comedy_you-must-realize-that-honorary-degrees-a_1829845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/neil-simon-10535_comedy_you-must-realize-that-honorary-degrees-a_1829845.jpg) > “You must realize that honorary degrees are given generally to people whose SAT scores were too low to get them into schools the regular way. As a matter of fact, it was my SAT scores that led me into my present vocation in life, comedy.” [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honorary degrees often reward those who succeeded despite low test scores, highlighting alternative paths to achievement. **In simple terms:** Degrees can honor unconventional success. Key Takeaway Value diverse achievements. Themes education success humor Mood witty reflective Type satirical inspirational When to use this quote - career counseling - comedy writing - academic policy - personal development Key Concepts sociology psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do honors truly reflect merit? - How do alternative routes shape identity? A Different Perspective Not all success is measured by standardized tests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sat scores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat-scores/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [I have actually five honorary degrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-dunham/i-have-actually-five-honorary-degrees/) [Katherine Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-dunham/) > [Bill Cosby no longer on Temple University's board. His name has been removed from various college scholarships and buildings. Two dozen colleges and universities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-harris-perry/bill-cosby-no-longer-on-temple-university-s-board-his-name-has-been/) [Melissa Harris-Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-harris-perry/) > [My rule on honorary degrees has always been to have one more than Arthur Schlesinger Jr.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/my-rule-on-honorary-degrees-has-always-been-to-have-one-more-than/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [People with honorary awards are looked upon with disfavor. Would you let an honorary mechanic fix your brand-new Mercedes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/people-with-honorary-awards-are-looked-upon-with-disfavor-would-you/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [If colleges wanted to admit only legacies, or only tuba players, or only people who got astonishingly low SAT scores ' to ensure some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/if-colleges-wanted-to-admit-only-legacies-or-only-tuba-players-or/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Whatever success I have achieved, whatever positions of leadership I have held have depended less on Ivy League degrees or SAT scores or GPAs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/whatever-success-i-have-achieved-whatever-positions-of-leadership-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [A girl just asked for SAT scores good enough to get her into Yale. I think she was nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/a-girl-just-asked-for-sat-scores-good-enough-to-get-her-into-yale-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [In K-12, almost everybody goes to local schools. Universities are a bit different because kids actually do pick the university. The bizarre thing, though,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/in-k-12-almost-everybody-goes-to-local-schools-universities-are-a-bit/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [People are idiots. Including me. Everyone is an idiot, not just the people with the low SAT scores. The only difference is that we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/people-are-idiots-including-me-everyone-is-an-idiot-not-just-the/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [When the students were asked to identify their race on a pretest questionnaire, that simple act was sufficient to prime them with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-the-students-were-asked-to-identify-their-race-on-a-pretest/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [They're coming out of high school exhausted. The pressure in high school is killing these kids. By the time they get to college, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debora-spar/they-re-coming-out-of-high-school-exhausted-the-pressure-in-high/) [Debora Spar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debora-spar/) > [Want to know why American students' SAT scores are falling? We've kicked the light of the world out of the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/want-to-know-why-american-students-sat-scores-are-falling-we-ve/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [The SAT is not perfect. We all know smart, knowledgeable people who do badly on standardized tests. But neither is it useless. SAT scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-postrel/the-sat-is-not-perfect-we-all-know-smart-knowledgeable-people-who-do/) [Virginia Postrel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-postrel/) > [You still remember your SAT scores. And everybody else does too. Everybody's forgotten everything about themselves, everything else about high school. They remember their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzman/you-still-remember-your-sat-scores-and-everybody-else-does-too/) [John Katzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzman/) > [“The U.S. Air Force Academy likewise sought racial “diversity” through double standards. A 1982 memorandum on Air Force Academy stationery, with the notation “for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-u-s-air-force-academy-likewise-sought-racial-diversity-through/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) ## More by Neil Simon > [Talent is the gift plus the passion - a desire to succeed so intense that no force on earth can stop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/talent-is-the-gift-plus-the-passion-a-desire-to-succeed-so-intense/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [You get attached to the way you write, and I'm attached to notebooks. That's where I really write the plays. Just two or three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/you-get-attached-to-the-way-you-write-and-i-m-attached-to-notebooks/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [There's no such thing as a sure thing. That's why they call it gambling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-sure-thing-that-s-why-they-call-it-gambling/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [“Never have so many given so much for so long for so little for so few for so seldom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/never-have-so-many-given-so-much-for-so-long-for-so-little-for-so-few/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Don't listen to those who say, you taking too big a chance. Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/don-t-listen-to-those-who-say-you-taking-too-big-a-chance/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Once you've opened yourself up, it's best to go all the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/once-you-ve-opened-yourself-up-it-s-best-to-go-all-the-way/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Everyone thinks they can write a play; you just write down what happened to you. But the art of it is drawing from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/everyone-thinks-they-can-write-a-play-you-just-write-down-what/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Sports is the only entertainment where, no matter how many times you go back, you never know the ending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/sports-is-the-only-entertainment-where-no-matter-how-many-times-you/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [Evan Handler's new book is simply wonderful. He pulls you inside his life, and you come out his very close friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/evan-handler-s-new-book-is-simply-wonderful-he-pulls-you-inside-his/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [The body of a young woman is God's greatest achievement...Of course, He could have built it to last longer but you can't have everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/the-body-of-a-young-woman-is-god-s-greatest-achievement-of-course-he/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [I don't like dating or just living with a woman. I like to create a relationship, a marriage. And almost all of my marriages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/i-don-t-like-dating-or-just-living-with-a-woman-i-like-to-create-a/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [ “\[Y\]ou're young. Young takes care of everything.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/y-ou-re-young-young-takes-care-of-everything/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [People with honorary awards are looked upon with disfavor. Would you let an honorary mechanic fix your brand-new Mercedes?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/people-with-honorary-awards-are-looked-upon-with-disfavor-would-you/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [I feel like writing about a time when I was probably, and think all of us are, the happiest before the obligations start in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/i-feel-like-writing-about-a-time-when-i-was-probably-and-think-all-of/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) > [“You're a witness. You're always standing around watching what's happening, scribbling in your book what other people do. You have to get in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-simon/you-re-a-witness-you-re-always-standing-around-watching-what-s/) [Neil Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) [Explore all 65 Neil Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-simon/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. 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