WoW!

An FCC commissioner has stated that video-game addiction is a "leading cause" of college drop-outs:

You might find it alarming that one of the top reasons for college drop-outs in the U.S. is online gaming addiction - such as World of Warcraft - which is played by 11 million individuals worldwide.

Hat tip to Chris Blattman. This assertion is apparently uncorroborated by any available statistical measure, and the term "video-game addiction" rather problematic. Nevertheless, I can testify to the exacting toll online gaming can take on one's personal life. It is easy to let little things--social behavior, grooming habits--go by the wayside when there are orcs and/or trolls to slay. But dropping out? It strikes me as quite possible, but inordinately stupid. For undergraduates who have thoroughly immersed themselves in World of Warcraft or similar endeavors, it is much smarter to pick an easy major and do the bare minimum of work. Angry parents often force drop-outs to get jobs, and this can be a serious obstacle to continous gaming.

 I offer this advice with the lone caveat of slim personal experience with extreme gamers. My closest experience with a drop-out story comes from a girl I briefly dated, whose immediately previous long-term boyfriend failed out of college due in large to WoW.

And that gives you a pretty good idea where I stand on the totem pole.