More news from the boys in Washington, this time about a test score. Word in the press says that even though a good bit of high school seniors are taking tougher courses, their national test scores in reading and math are going south. For one, I'm proud of the kids stepping up to the challenge of the harder materials. Second, I'm all about book smarts, baby ... but I know they ain't the end-all-be-all of success in life.

Getting a good education is crucial, but your GPA won't mean J-A-C-K in the real world. Dave said it best on The Dave Ramsey Show. What bosses want to see are that go-getter hard-working attitude, honesty, perseverance and creativity. I'd hire a high school grad with the burn to succeed over some college graduate who thought the world owed him something any day of the week.

One more thing. Doing good in school doesn't punch a ticket to big-time piles of dough, either. Only go to school debt free, and be smart enough to create a budget and stick to it, pay off debt and learn how to start saving money.