Well first order of business. Like others may have said the forum is looking very "fresh".
Now that I got that out of the way I have a few questions concerning Web Design / Development and Education.
First off, Is it absolutely required to have a 4 year degree to have a good job in this industry? The reason I ask this question is because I have a relative who got in to this line of work all by himself with no degree whatsoever. What he did was study web design in his spare time and slowly build up his portfolio. Now he is making about $55 and hour and up. I also have another relative who is a back end developer who recently turned down a $65 an hour job because he didn't feel like getting up that early (9 am)... If I understand correctly some employers don't even bring you in for an interview unless you have at least a 4 year degree.
What I was thinking of doing is work towards a 2 year degree and build up a portfolio. This way I will have a degree and a portfolio to show for my knowledge. Would this be a good plan for me? Would this work? Now that i'm done with high school i'm just trying to figure out what would be my best next step.