The question is not about whether or not to go to university, but to realise that a degree will not magically equip you with all that is necessary to start a great career. Both paths - university and self-taught - will require a lot of mental strength and discipline to succeed and to get the most out of it.
You're mentally strong and disciplined? Congratulations, you'll likely find your way, no matter what. ;D
Everyone should ask themselves why they want to pursue a degree. If the answer is "I'm insecure about my abilities" or "I don't know what else to do" then it's almost guaranteed to be not of much value.
You can drag yourself to uni every day, are demotivated, do only as much as strictly necessary, and in hindsight it will appear like a waste of time. Rightfully so! You can put in everything you can, find yourself a mentor, build a network, actively compare the formal education to the software ecosystem in the "real" world (internships, part-time work, etc.), and leave uni with a strong understanding of your abilities and how to develop them further. (Two simplified extremes; it's a spectrum, granted.)
If someone is already a self-taught programmer, then I agree with your advice 100%. The main take-away here is that nobody should ever feel pressured to spend 3-4 years of their life just to tick a box on a hiring checklist.
However, if I may suggest an improvement to your article, I'd put the "The purpose of this article" paragraph to the very top.
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The question is not about whether or not to go to university, but to realise that a degree will not magically equip you with all that is necessary to start a great career. Both paths - university and self-taught - will require a lot of mental strength and discipline to succeed and to get the most out of it.
You're mentally strong and disciplined? Congratulations, you'll likely find your way, no matter what. ;D
Everyone should ask themselves why they want to pursue a degree. If the answer is "I'm insecure about my abilities" or "I don't know what else to do" then it's almost guaranteed to be not of much value.
You can drag yourself to uni every day, are demotivated, do only as much as strictly necessary, and in hindsight it will appear like a waste of time. Rightfully so! You can put in everything you can, find yourself a mentor, build a network, actively compare the formal education to the software ecosystem in the "real" world (internships, part-time work, etc.), and leave uni with a strong understanding of your abilities and how to develop them further. (Two simplified extremes; it's a spectrum, granted.)
If someone is already a self-taught programmer, then I agree with your advice 100%. The main take-away here is that nobody should ever feel pressured to spend 3-4 years of their life just to tick a box on a hiring checklist.
However, if I may suggest an improvement to your article, I'd put the "The purpose of this article" paragraph to the very top.