If you are serious about a job, look into going to college. When you apply for jobs, you usually submit a resume and/or fill out an application. You want your resume/application to stand out from the crowd; you want it to put you ahead of the pack.
With the way the economy is now, there are many more people looking for jobs than there are jobs available. Since the people hiring now have the upper hand and can pick the very cream of the crop, why would they select someone without a degree for a counselor position when they will most likely have many applicants with degrees? In this case, not having a degree puts you behind the pack.
kylbdnr, was that accelerated degree program accredited by the state or some college accreditation board?