Quote from rcanfiel:
I have had both college graduates and high school graduates work for me. There is little in what you say that is true.
The HS grads mostly thought in black and white, and struggled with grey areas. They were much more convinced their ideas were right, and had much less ability to think outside the box. They tended to be more superstitious and unwilling to change their viewpoint based on the available evidence.
What you call structured learning is the primary means over the centuries for people to become more knowledgeable, critical thinkers, aware of the world around them, build mathematics and communication skills, and a host of other mental and interpersonal abilities.