Had I undergone the severe nursery and kindergarten schools, with their obliteration of personal responsibility, their indifference, their enforced adherence to the principle of 'do as everyone else does', their adherence to a culture of kitsch and cliche, and the struggle for everything - for a toy or a place in the clique, for praise from the teacher or attention from the group - had I experienced this, I'm convinced I would have turned out differently, more conforming and less independent, and I never would have achieved what I have. - Anatoly Karpov
There is no better place for learning to work independently and to extend your horizon than in higher school. - Mikhail Botvinnik
I would never suggest to anyone that they drop school for chess. First of all even if you can make it in chess, your social skills need to be developed there. - Viswanathan Anand