How do online resources compare to resources obtained from extension programs from top ranking universities? I am a self learner because quite frankly I like it better and my brain seems to absorb material more efficiently that way . MIT, Harvard, Stanford and many other schools offer free online courses, which I have been taking for the past few years. Schools such as Harvard and MIT however, offer extension programs where you can pay a fee(usually around 2-4k) to obtain current courses. My question is, how viable do these extension programs hold against the older resources obtained for free? Although older, I do find the material to be consistent and hold over time. so as someone studying computer science, what exactly am I being deprived of by not buying these extension programs, or attending the actual school itself?
You're being deprived of everything traditional paid schooling is supposed to provide, other than the material itself.


Contact with faculty
Collaboration with peers
Formal evaluation and recognition (i.e. a diploma or certificate)


Material that is two years old is not going to be out-of-date. Even in a field like computer science, classroom instruction just does not move that fast. Even when things do change, it's more likely that the contemporary technologies are going to change than the essential course material (e.g. switching a class from Java to Python).

Note that online-course technology and methods is evolving rapidly, so newer paid courses might be better organized for online learning. A lot of the free online course material is essentially videotaped lectures. Newer systems use a self-guided learning approach with autonomous evaluation and feedback.