Hi Solveig,
Hard for me to answer about myself, but if I look around me at friends of mine which haven't gone to graduate school, I can see a big difference between us. They did other things and advanced in them, but a certain depth of thought one gets from graduate school, from trying to lift things you really can't and the aches which come with it until at last you, hopefully, manage to lift them, creates of yourself a different person. The daily strugles of trying to understand, and as Emily says, create something new, builds something out of you.
I want to immediately add that I don't think graduate school is the only way, and to each their own way, but a kind of graduate school, in whatever you are interested in, whether it is martial arts where people studied for many many years, whether it is playing an instrument, or maybe simply becomming very good at what you like to do, all are good options. But, the effect of constantly pushing yourself to do something you really can't at the moment, and little by little improving until you manage to do it, and again as Emily says create something new, is extremely important. The difference between people who take this route and the ones who don't is very significant.
As for college education, well I don't have friends who didn't go to college and so it is hard for me to answer, but I can only imagine it being somewhat similar, though I think Graduate school is much more rewarding. Again, I don't think college is at all a must, as long as in what interests you you push yourself to the fullest. If you want to be a mountain climber then go for it. I think you can get on your own a similar experiance, with regards self creation, but it is harder as you are much more on your own. If you like to paint, perhaps college is not what interests you and that's fine, as long one works constantly and seriously. Sadly, this is so much harder for people without a structure, and universities create very good structure and support.
And the people who don't push themselves to the fullest, nothing bad with that. They choose a different kind of life, but then there is a big difference in what you create of yourself. For instance getting a job is very rarely as fulfilling and as advancing personally as education, but then sometimes there is no choice, or people's preferance, and also work can be a different kind of education. Again, mostly, I think universities really make it easy on you by providing a lot of support and guidance for self development, where outside of them you are pretty much on your own, with maybe some help of your friends.
