Computers saved me from having to go to college. Graduated high school at the right time in 1990, became a computer consultant at 17. Started my own consulting company at 20. Started a small ISP at 24. Sold it at 26. Started working for corporate America and have worked as a software engineer in finance for the past 18 years. I wouldn't change a thing about my career or my self-taught path.
It all worked out well which is good because my parents couldn't afford to send me to college. But they did have the foresight to save up and buy me a Commodore 64 in 1982.
Computers are the only reason I have a job right now, despite being in a country with subsidized (effectively free) tertiary education.
Turns out basically nothing I did in university was remotely applicable to my current actual job. Though I suspect it's more a comment on my country's industrial priorities than anything else, but it does make me incredibly sad for US students.
After getting a job in the industry, I feel my university years were pretty much wasted. Very little, if not zero, knowledge I got in the university has been needed in my day to day job. I'm becoming more and more convinced that if you don't attend some of the top universities or don't wish to stay in academia, universities provide very little of value in the software world.
It all worked out well which is good because my parents couldn't afford to send me to college. But they did have the foresight to save up and buy me a Commodore 64 in 1982.