I have several comments. I doubt I can make them fluid/flow, but here they are.

1st and foremost:
SP does not = fun and it does not = experience.

I believe the game has an 'evolution process' built into its design.
The idea is that you do your free trial account and figure out if you like EVE and want to commit.
You can see that it is a huge game with endless paths and careers. They all take a long time. This is actually apealing to many, many players.
So then, you start in small ships. Learn about skills, ships, weapons, careers, corporations, etc. First thing you learn is: I need ISK for this, that, and the other. Small amounts of ISK for small skills and small ships. There are actually several intertwined evolutions all going on at the same time.

Most people don't have a clue what they want at this point. They enjoy the graphics, they like a complex game, they see potential.
They will be influenced by each human contact they make. This point is critical. If some dude advises them they will suck for the next 5 months... They might believe him. Or if some other dude coaches them, gives them achievable goals, they will probably move right on up.
I seriously believe that it comes down to personalities. People with a 'glass half full' or 'glass half empty' point of view.

Fact is, you can get past the first month of "I dunno what to do, I nead advice" and sit in a T2 BC at the end of your second month.

It's not a skill point "Wall". It is personality traits that make people quit. For most EVE subscribers, All they need to know is, The wall CAN be climbed and I am going to climb it.

I'd like to add, You could give that 2 month old player all the skill points in eve and give him a T2 fit BS just like mine, but chances are he would never beat me. Giving newbs bigger better ships will just insure that they take harsher losses early on.
But on the off chance that he could, is that the future you want for EVE? That 2 month old characters can just kick ass on 5 year veterans? At some point it would devalue your own character.

Of course veterans have a strong opposition. They have the most time and money invested . (Aside from CCP themselves)
The 2 month old newb? Not much invested.