It seems the only way to get a decent job in NYC is with a university degree - in some cases it doesn't seem to matter if the degree is relevant to the job, just that you have one. I always believed experience counts for more, but if I have to go back to university to get my foot in the door, then so be it.

I'm sure I mentioned this somewhere already, but I'm starting full-time study with the City University of New York (aka CUNY) in a few days. CUNY is huge - they have over 100,000 registered students at a number of campuses spread around the boroughs of NYC. It took an age to get through the application process but eventually I was accepted, although they've put me in a local community college (Kingsborough) to do a 2-year associate degree as they don't really know what level I'm at, other than 6th form certificate in NZ is roughly equivalent to a high school diploma here, and I completed that many years ago.

I took placement exams already and blew them away.. achieved 100% in written, 93% in oral, and 93% in mathematics, so I don't have to take a lot of the earlier level classes, and can go straight into university level calculus. I can later transfer to another campus and complete a full bachelors degree, which is my intention.