@clacke @feld
As a uni student I have to say, that unless 1) it is ILLEGAL to do your job without it or 2) It is a hypercompetetive field with a serious pay, you really don't.
I got offered a programming job right after high school, and I went to uni knowing, that I can get a job ANY TIME I WANT. So of course, when the time arrived, I jumped the ship and went to work the moment, first GREAT opportunity arrived.
Uni was just a tool for me to slightly increase the potencial roof of my entry level job. Nothing more.