A university education opens up opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable due to a combination of signalling ability/knowledge to others and actually imparting ability/knowledge to a graduate.
I remain cynically attached to my university studies:
1. Attached thanks to the few profs who shared knowledge and passion that is exclusive to them. These are the individuals who offered a transformative experience in the classroom-- I was totally inspired to self actualization by dint of meeting these brilliant folks. I can think of 2 of, say, 50+, and they were life changers.
2. Cynical because I believe higher education is becoming quite commoditized. The field of candidates is being diluted by universities' fiscal motive and student apathy/entitlement.
My suggestion would be to seek out mentorship for starting personal projects/entrepreneurship during high school-- earlier, if interest warrants. Anyone bright can go to university (pending finances) but few university students are truly impassioned about their field. In my experience, it's the people who have initiative outside the classroom who are most successful in life because they take ownership of their life direction. University can easily follow personal projects and, IMO, should follow if an individual's interests align with a university appropriate field of study.
