answer:As one who is very introverted, and in my school years was burdened with total lack of self-esteem from childhood abuse, I can tell you that social skills can be useful but are not absolutely necessary. In hindsight, I realize that being able to approach teachers and professors with my questions or concerns would have helped me advocate for myself in the classroom, and to network to help with career placement after graduation. Being better able to socialize with my peers could have improved my studies, because I learned late in my schooling that it was helpful to interact with others – whether hearing how they perceived a concept, or expressing my understanding of a lesson – by looking at the subject from different angles and hearing myself apply language to abstract concepts.