I havn't done any animating yet but I've learned quite a bit about Maya and 3d modeling from this forum and from searching the internet for tutorials. There's lots of information available. I don't plan on going to any schools (would love to though) but I still think I can learn enough from the web and from the people on this forum to get a 3d job within a couple of years. My focus is on modeling so I guess it could be different for animating.
If it's animating you're specifically interested in, do alot of searching for animating tutorials, animating books, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if you find lots of useful stuff on the internet. People here at Simply Maya will help you too. There's also some animating tutorials here as well.
Best wishes!
Don't be satisfied with what you can do but rather strive to do the things you can't do!
Exceed Expectations!