user=> (time (reduce1 + (range 100000)))
Elapsed time: 903.011083603 msecs
4999950000
user=> (time (reduce1 + (range 1000000)))
Elapsed time: 777.748823166 msecs
499999500000
user=> (time (reduce1 + (range 10000000)))
Elapsed time: 8764.57095146 msecs
49999995000000
user=>
Clojure via hotspot:
user=> (time (reduce + (range 100000)))
"Elapsed time: 174.768593 msecs"
4999950000
user=> (time (reduce + (range 1000000)))
"Elapsed time: 267.60421 msecs"
499999500000
user=> (time (reduce + (range 10000000)))
"Elapsed time: 1131.77367 msecs"
49999995000000
user=>
To be honest, I've found that my degree carrying co-workers fall way short in the basics. Perhaps it's just me, but my background in languages went something like this: GW-BASIC -> QBASIC -> ASM -> C -> C++ -> PHP -> JS --> Python -> Erlang -> Ruby -> C# -> Clojure. So for me, programming in C meant that I had to understand linked lists and sort algorithms.
I've sat in in interviews before and asked candidates (with degrees and experience) the difference between a dictionary, a hash-set and a list, and I just get blank stares.
So no, I think it's more about the desire to learn. If you have a true interest in Software Engineering, you'll teach these basics to yourself. If not, then not even college will help you.