But you did teach yourself the fundamentals to do your job. So this isn't a good argument against the practicalities of applying CS knowledge in software engineering?

Everything you've listed - communication, organization, and self-management - are qualities of a strong student. These are skills from college that last. I don't know a single successful student who got by on his own or did so without being extremely disciplined. Outside of the homework/exam grind, college was far more social than work life ever was.