[skookumchuck]

> I can't just decide what I want to learn.

Sure you can. You pick the college, you pick the major.

> only an A/B test can teach you that.

You learn how to do that and how to interpret the results in college. That's what your statistics class is about.

> The opportunity cost is enormous.

My college degree paid off enormously for me. Of course, I picked a major that paid well, and carefully selected the classes to maximize my value in the workplace. I also took accounting classes in college, because running a profitable business requires knowledge of accounting.

(Most startups fail because the owners don't understand notions of profit, cash flow, balance sheets, etc.)