So, in this scenario 'student' is a proxy for broke and young and impressionable. These guys want to give a discount to impressionable youngsters who will learn their tool and take it with them into their careers. It has nothing to do with actually learning things in school, and everything to do with where you are in your lifespan.
I'm sure you feel very good about being self-taught, but the fact of the matter is that if you didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars for a prolonged adolescence with some vaguely educational overtones, you're in the minority. You can hardly expect them to have a 'idealist' package for people who are 'particularly nifty' or ambitious. 'Student' is a convenient way to filter out a demographic.
I'm sure you feel very good about being self-taught, but the fact of the matter is that if you didn't pay tens of thousands of dollars for a prolonged adolescence with some vaguely educational overtones, you're in the minority. You can hardly expect them to have a 'idealist' package for people who are 'particularly nifty' or ambitious. 'Student' is a convenient way to filter out a demographic.