While there is certainly inherent value in learning, and tacking alphabet soup after your name doesn't really mean anything compared to what you actually know, it seems there are tangible benefits to having formal degrees.
Has anyone experienced or know of a more or less "autodidactic" degree program? I've sampled some distance education courses, and while they seem fine enough, I still seem to be learning mostly on my own, but within the constraints (some helpful, some not) of a formal class.
Basically, the ideal here would be to be given a syllabus of things to learn, recommended books to read, and whenever I feel ready, take an exam to pass (or fail) the course, enabling me to get done as quickly (or slowly) as my personal schedule allows. Complete N courses, and I get a degree.
That might be asking too much, but is there anything at all along these lines?
Another idea is to attend a local university. You can even start with a community college program that has guaranteed transfer of all credits to a four-year computer science degree--another advantage is that if you leave for another school before the Associate degree, you know the classes will count and be of some level of decency.
However, a big university far from where you live could be ideal for you. The bigger it is, the more courses it might offer, giving you more options of all types--professors, homework requirements, distance learning options, professor's own web site, audio lectures, attendance policies, scheduling, etc.
With the internet on your side, you could e-mail any professor and ask them if they require attendance in the classes you're interested in, and if they do, say that you live an hour away, or work full-time, or whatever the case might be, and you will take the responsibility for your own grade, as long as there are no specific grading penalties for missing class.
Many professors at colleges of all types do not require attendance, so you should not be afraid to enroll. Then, you can simply study on your own, or come in when necessary.