There is a world outside the software industry, a world in which a college education of some kind is necessary to get and keep a position or strike out on your own. Doctors, nurses, lawyers, accountants, and professional engineers are all required by law or regulation to obtain one or more accredited degrees. There are other fields, such as finance and some government-related positions (such as social work and child education and development) where degrees are not necessarily a legal requirement, but you will not be hired without one.
I know too many people get useless degrees. I know people get pressured go to college who should not be going. I know people have unrealistic expectations of what they are going to get out of it. However, software development is a unique case in the professional world in that you can develop significant skills and experience without a formal education, or even a formal job. That does not translate to other fields. Hell, it doesn't even translate to some parts of this field.
I found my undergrad to be a very valuable experience, despite not getting any of the "soft" experience. I was a commuter student at a public university in Florida who lived at home and did not spend any more time than necessary on campus. I did learn quite a bit once I got to my major classes (EE), and I got to experiment with multiple aspects of engineering in the presence of very knowledgeable people. I also had a $55k/year job on graduation in 2002. I would do things differently given hindsight, but I would still be going for an undergrad degree.
I know too many people get useless degrees. I know people get pressured go to college who should not be going. I know people have unrealistic expectations of what they are going to get out of it. However, software development is a unique case in the professional world in that you can develop significant skills and experience without a formal education, or even a formal job. That does not translate to other fields. Hell, it doesn't even translate to some parts of this field.
I found my undergrad to be a very valuable experience, despite not getting any of the "soft" experience. I was a commuter student at a public university in Florida who lived at home and did not spend any more time than necessary on campus. I did learn quite a bit once I got to my major classes (EE), and I got to experiment with multiple aspects of engineering in the presence of very knowledgeable people. I also had a $55k/year job on graduation in 2002. I would do things differently given hindsight, but I would still be going for an undergrad degree.