How practical is self study?
Actually, it is quite practical, assuming that you are sufficiently motivated and have good study habits. This is because of the availability of many excellent books and other materials that are well suited for self study. Self study can have some important advantages over taking classes including (1) you can learn at your own pace, (2) there is no expensive tuition or fees and (3) it is not necessary to travel long distances to get to classes.
