The Benefits of a University Education Over Self-education
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The same argument can be made about college graduates, but with more evidence. The implication of the above is that college graduates are less narrow in their outlook, and this springs from the college experience. But much evidence points the other way.
One of the points of the often-recommended academic sabbatical for students is to broaden their horizons, give them a chance to see how the real world works. Students who've had some real-world exposure tend to be more practical in their academic choices than those who stay in school.
Corporate personnel recruiters often complain about the poor skill sets and unrealistic expectations of new college graduates, who often seem to think employment is like education, a system in which there's an answer to every question, there's no ambiguity, and goals are well-defined. But the real world isn't like that. Autodidacts know this from direct experience. College graduates learn it over time.
"Many recent college graduates lack basic practical skills": http://www.videtteonline.com/index.php?option=com_content...
A quote: "The issue [...] is the educational system emphasizes the wrong values. She said classes are more focused on memorization and regurgitation than understanding the underlying concepts of the lessons."
Couldn't have said it better myself.
In any case, all these issues aside, the bottom line is that there is a rapidly approaching point at which, advantages notwithstanding, college will cost more than it's worth.
"College Tuition's 1,120 Percent Increase": http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-23/college-tuit...
A quote: "Schools are investing and building more than ever—and students are paying for it."
As a graduate of this small liberal arts school, I can relate to the power of "participating in learning communities, in which they [students] live, study and socialize with other learners."