I had a friend, that's been dead for a number of years now. He quit school in the 6th. His family lived a short walk to one of the big Collage's in LA. He spent every minute he could studying in the collage library. At 19 he went to work at JPL. In a short time they knew he was a really smart man. His understanding of math & science were over the top! In no time he was set up with his own lab and staff. Hi tech fuels that were used in the Apollo missions were his, along with the shuttle fuels. He received Phd's from MIT, U Alabama, UCLA, without ever taking a class. He moved to All in the mid 70's, and worked for NASA, at the Red Stone Arsenal. He was just unbelievably smart!
Education, is more than going to a higher school, and a sheep skin! I know people with 4 to 8 year degree's, that work the counters at McDonald's, because they do not have what it takes, to use what they learned!
Everyone has natural abilities both in learning and understanding! I worked with mechanical engineer's for a few years, one a Mr Bill Fortman, had only a high school education, yet he had a natural mechanical understanding, the others could never match. No amount of education can teach what he had!
I am nobody, under pressure from the elders, I quit school in the 9th, to pionner. Right after that my dad order me back to school, or get out. I was hardly 15. I left. Pioneered, worked, and lived in a boarding house until I was 18. I got a real job. One day they started giving everyone assessment test. Then based on the results gave more specialized test. Mine was Mechanical. In a test that was to take an hour, I finished it in 25 minutes. I scored 99%. Well I was accused of cheating, for no one had ever taken this test in less than 50 minutes, and I was told no one had ever scored over 97%. Well they gave me a much newer test, with three people watching. It too was an hour test. I finished it in 46 minutes! And scored 99%! The next week I was sent to Chicago for training, under Bill Fortman. Major pay increase, and a great job. Sadly over time the elders got to me, for all though I made moist meetings, and fs, it wasn't good enough, I bought into the lie's about 75, and quit the best job I ever had. I would be retired now, and in much better shape!
I wasted my real gift for nothing, broken, used up and crushed. In pretty bad shape physically, and i see no real way forward!