(conventional classrooms are starting to drive me crazy. No Child Left Behind, move only as fast as the slowest kid, ect.)
Am I to assume from your post then, that I'll have more time to further my education on a carrier as opposed to a sub?
I am no authority, so consider my statement hearsay, but I have heard some large surface vessels (carriers) sometimes go so far as to bring Professors on board to teach courses, in addition to online courses potentially available. Libraries should be more widely available too, but I have no personal experience, only rumour.
One major caveat: You actually have to have spare time to take advantage of these potentials. If you're important, you probably won't.
As to conventional classrooms... While I cannot speak for the quality of non-technical degrees, I spent three years attending Penn State University's campuses working towards a Chemical Engineering degree. For various technical courses (Calculus I, II, Chemistry, Physics, , but mainly calculus)there is a sieve effect. Around 1/2 drop the course within the first few weeks, then 1/2 of those remaining drop as the course progresses. Granted, some science courses may use a sliding scale when it comes to grading to affix to a bell curve, but if the professor, students, and course was worth anything, usually there'd be a few high scorers. Also at Penn State University, Math courses had no sliding curve for grading. Flukes not withstanding, you passed or failed on your own merit, and no one else's when all the math questions were answerable*.
Trying to achieve that degree was one of the most grueling experiences of my life, but every moment of effort put in had marked pay-off. Students that didn't, left.
*I do not say all problems have a solution, for you are primarily graded for correct work towards an answer, and sometimes that answer is there is no solution--with your work showing that.