Sorry for the grammar, I'm not a native English speaker.
I left university shortly before getting a bachelor degree in Computer Science. This happened some years ago; I did it because I was very busy with my own startup and I decided focusing on the startup was a better idea. Also, I noticed that I learned much faster by myself than on the university (though that university wasn't a very good one, so maybe it was worth dropping it anyway).
This is how things continue now: as I'm passionate about cs and maths, I keep buying undergraduate and graduate level books which I read cover to cover. Since I cannot spend too much doing this because I have other obligations now -I'm not a full time student-, depending on the book, it can be one to four months per book. I'm not focusing on exercises much so far, but rather on learning the concepts and general tools of the trade, which I try to apply whenever possible. So it's possible that a big part of what I read, even if I understand it, will be forgotten in some time, unless I find a way to apply it or to set it in my memory in a better way. I'm using spaced repetition for memorizing important equations and concepts that I don't want to forget though.
In the last two years I think I have learned a lot, at a pace slightly slower than that of university (though with a wider variety and more advanced texts maybe). I think I can keep learning this way, progressing to more and more advanced concepts.
I'm posting here because I don't know about any other person doing this kind of disciplined self teaching. I'm sure there has to be a lot of people doing this. Any advice from such people? Also, any advice or comments from people not doing this? Actually, all comments are welcome.
Reading is great, but it's a means to an end. Pick a project, work on it. When you get stuck, read to figure out how to proceed.
But doing is worth a lot more than reading.