[apples_oranges]

there's perhaps something to be said for this argument: if you paid a lot of money for something you might be more motivated to use it wisely.

Also I can now get on the Internet and research jet engines or kidney transplants, but unless someone makes me learn the whole curriculum around it and then tests me to check if I understand, it's not worth much.

[userbinator]

and then tests me to check if I understand

That's what interviews are for.

[_proofs]

yeah, and also one's personal responsibility to make sure they are indeed learning and practicing.

implying i need to be dependent on a school to help me retain learning is a concept that is foreign to me. if i had that kind of dependency in my learning life, i'd be unemployed.