Those who are conscientious and intelligent enough to be able to self-study university-level material and be consistent with it over a period of years don’t need to attend this sort of university because they’re already overwhelmingly likely to succeed in life the traditional way. And the rest (the vast majority of people), desperately need the structure of going to class to motivate themselves to do anything. And university is mostly not about learning anyway, it’s an excuse to make friends, find future wives/husbands and generally have a good time and learn how to behave in adult social environments.
I think there’s a significant amount of people between “not conscientious and intelligent enough for self-study” and “conscientious and intelligent enough that no degree is needed”.
For example, there are really interesting jobs I can’t get because I don’t have a business degree nor a US work permit. I’m qualified enough for those jobs, and I’m pretty sure I’d do better self-studying, but I need a degree to prove it to the US government. I might become successful enough to get some other visas, such as by investing a lot in the US economy, but I still think there’s a lot of people in this middle ground.
What “traditional way” do you have in mind? I feel like most successful people today have attended (and usually graduated from) a traditional university.
Those who are conscientious and intelligent enough to be able to self-study university-level material and be consistent with it over a period of years don’t need to attend this sort of university because they’re already overwhelmingly likely to succeed in life the traditional way. And the rest (the vast majority of people), desperately need the structure of going to class to motivate themselves to do anything. And university is mostly not about learning anyway, it’s an excuse to make friends, find future wives/husbands and generally have a good time and learn how to behave in adult social environments.
I think there’s a significant amount of people between “not conscientious and intelligent enough for self-study” and “conscientious and intelligent enough that no degree is needed”.
For example, there are really interesting jobs I can’t get because I don’t have a business degree nor a US work permit. I’m qualified enough for those jobs, and I’m pretty sure I’d do better self-studying, but I need a degree to prove it to the US government. I might become successful enough to get some other visas, such as by investing a lot in the US economy, but I still think there’s a lot of people in this middle ground.
What “traditional way” do you have in mind? I feel like most successful people today have attended (and usually graduated from) a traditional university.