[alltakendamned]

I was in your position in the last dot com boom around 1999. I started working, mainly because I didn't like school/studying anyway. For me it was the right decision and I was lucky to be able to work on some really cool stuff right from the start. However, it is not something I often recommend doing.

Going to college will make your life easier in the sense that you have a socially accepted piece of paper that shows you have put in the time/effort. For most companies that are hiring, that is what they want to see.

If you go the DIY route, you will have to work harder and/or prove yourself more (or maybe I just had a bad case of impostor syndrome). The really cool projects on your CV will help people "forget" you don't have a college diploma.

If you have the character and tenacity to find your way regardless of the situation, you don't need to go to college. If you're not certain, or if you miss out on college for working on some quite straight-forward CRUD apps (instead of seriously cool CV building projects), then go to college.