Why can't you construct or find your own examinations? They are, after all, just a set of questions. In fact, even in school, this is the way I learned... You

Why can't you construct or find your own examinations? They are, after all, just a set of questions. In fact, even in school, this is the way I learned... You write down questions, put the materials (far) away and work on it until you get an answer in a reasonable amount of time. I'm with you on the lectures. I did actually learn a few things, but like actual schooling, I don't think you get much from just sitting and watching -- you have to work through it. I think the combination of the written materials, an explanation (lecture or just another more casually written piece) and most importantly application of the knowledge is how one learns (or how I best learn). You can do that outside of a schooling setting. Assuming your goal is not to be an academic, I think formal schooling is good for (a) the formal degree (b) access to resources you may not have access to normally and perhaps (c) access to a real human who knows their stuff -- assuming they are interested in talking with you -- which is not a forgone conclusion in a lot of schools. I don't think it is or was ever necessary to learn a topic you want to learn, however -- it even become and expert in it.