Thanks for posting Rebecca. I wrote this article. Anyone got questions or feedback? Also, does anyone know if people are doing systems-level modeling on this at the moment?
You make very good points. The simple fact is that claiming you can transition from being uneducated to educated in any field or in general in a few months watching youtube videos is absurd. People who claim such a thing is possible are claiming something on the scale of an educational space elevator.
There are however alternatives to traditional college that are effective. One example is EDeeU Education (https://edeeu.education). There you can study with people like Clemens Ley (https://edeeu.education/director/clemensley) an Oxford PhD in theoretical computer science and now blockchain entrepreneur. You work through a detailed curriculum over a number of years. It's not the same as traditional college, but for people who are working or have a family and might want more flexibility of schedule, it's a good thing to look at.