[gregjor]

Bill Gates described his experience learning to program in one of Malcolm Gladwell’s books. He learned by practicing, for a long time. I did too.

Programming is not the same as computer science. How do you know that any of these people are experts in computer science, as opposed to programming?

More generally, anyone can learn almost anything with some combination of study, practice, and mentoring. Attending school is one way to get an education, but not the only way, or the most efficient way for everyone. School attendance does not equal learning a skill.

[Maursault]

> Programming is not the same as computer science.

This is the correct response to OP's question, that they are making a category error: computer science is not programming, it is mathematics.

[bruce511]

This was exactly my thought too. I knew how to program before studying, but the structural theoretical things I learned made me a much better programmer for my entire career.

Add in the other subjects, statistics, maths, applied maths and so on, and I think I'm better equipped to solve the problems I am solving.

But my biggest take away from my CS degree wasn't the programming part, it was the theory part.