I would argue that this really depends on your major. A lot of the IT and graphic design people I know didn't need school. Like you said, there is no reason you can't learn that on your own. There is no way, not even with the sheer amount of material I read (and I read ALOT) that I could have learned half of what I know with out school. Not to mention gain the actual research and clinical experience that I needed to land the job I am at now. To be honest, it doesn't matter how much you impress someone for an interview if you can't even get in the door because on that little thing we call a resume it stops at "High School Diploma".
But like I said, it really depends on the major/field you are in.
Yeah, for sure. I mean, I was doing PC tech work for a buddy of mine, and before that, at a different location, while I was in highschool. It's because I knew my stuff and knew what to do, when to do it, causes, etc.
It just bothers the heck out of me to know that to make myself "look good" or that "I am capable," I need to spend several thousands of dollars on a piece of paper.
My girl did a 3-year advertisement course and she's working in a call center. Which bothers me too, as well as her because of the fact she took 3 years of life, and several thousands of dollars to complete it, only to land a job that pays $13/hr.
I, for one, was doing Advanced Computer Systems Technology, because at the time I was big into PC's, modding, building, repairing, etc, etc, etc with PC's (still used Mac too). When I got to school, I realised how much I hated it, and how much I didn't want to go into the IT field.
I was going to open my own company dedicated to building high-performance platforms for clients (design work stations, DAW/recording setups, servers, etc, etc).
Four months of school quickly changed that for me. Now I found where I want to be, and am going with it. I don't want/need school to do it. Would it help? Yeah, probably, but it's not a requirement. "Dang the man" as they say.
Only Mom and Dad call me Eric.)
