I have taught at the graduate level since 1992. There are so many ways to learn and the college route is just one of them. I dislike our present K-12 system that tries to push everyone to a 4 year degree, while devaluing any other skills. The travesty with this system is that it is woefully failing our children and our country. The internet provides an incredible opportunity for learning--so much so, that it is truly possible to become highly skilled in some areas without actually going to college. On the other hand, some skills are best learned through hands-on experience with an expert close by. I subscribe to an excellent series of woodworking classes, yet when I took those same classes in person (by the same instructor), he was able to watch me (say using a plane or a chisel) and correct me--something impossible to for him to do online.

The price of textbooks is often ridiculous, but for my classes, I usually use inexpensive books or free versions that are online. These days we really don't need publishers to get our work out there. It is still good to compensate someone for a good text, but that can be done at a fraction of what typical publishers charge.