It’s possible to be pretty well educated on very little money. Anyone with a little self discipline could have learned a lot at MIT. “Massachusetts Institute of Technology MOOCs. Browse free online courses in a variety of subjects. Massachusetts Institute of Technology courses found below can be audited free or students can choose to receive a verified certificate for a small fee.”
“You don’t need college to learn stuff, everything is available basically for free. You can learn anything you want for free, it is not a question of learning … I think colleges are basically for fun & to prove you could do your chores but they’re not for learning” — @elonmusk
What’s necessary for learning then? Schools largely serve to socialize students, to impart world views and attitudes as much as subject matter content. When students, some of them perhaps loners, can get the best part of a technical education what will the result be?