I'm currently on my 3rd year of Business Administration. Infact, I think I've learnt much more in the way of having to put myself into the world (commute, move, interact with people, etc) than I do in many courses.
At least I've picked up an undergrad that is very versatile, but I still have to put up with another year of courses I might not be that interested in.
With the sole exception of those two learned professions (medicine and law), a college degree in any field is essentialy an admission ticket. It proves that, for four or five years, the holder could take crap. And, therefore, is qualified to take crap in any work position that might be offered. Same as always.
Infact, in 3 or 4 courses I've had about Human Resources and Business in general classify college education as that.
Still many courses to me are just putting up with stuff I find little usefulness to.
I never liked college. Students who learned from books (not doing). Teachers that were taught by teachers that learned from books, and on and on. To me, these days, college is for people getting a skill to go into the old work force. There's little to no emphasis on turning out a more ethical, smart, caring, compassionate person that can actually think for themselves. That's why things are the way they are in this world. With nothing more than an 11th grade education I managed to become the marketing director of one of the oldest ballet companies in America, worked for presidential candidates, and a lot of other neat stuff. Probably the only valid degrees are those in law and medicine because you have the potential to help others in those fields.
Again, what university did to me was to move away from the microclimate of my town; explore, meet new people, interact with the world, and so on. Sadly I cannot get credits for all the thoughts, observations, and learning I do in my time moving from and to campus every day. It is how I attain some self improvement in these areas, and I found a feeling of humanity. Otherwise, this humane aspect of thought isn't very emphasised.
I attend a good university where most of us students have quite a high academic level. Infact, one of the major goals of many are just grades. I have found an interest in interacting and learning about people, and being rather humanist. (And ASAP I'll be taking these type of courses)
I worked as an assistant on my High school administration office, when I was 16 in 2011.
Now, a friend, 20 years old and 3/4ths of a degree completed, has found a job very similar to the one I did.
I found amusing that I used to do that job perfectly as a High Schooler and for sure didn't need any amount of degree. Just some finesse learnt on the field.
In short, nowadays (as Ralph Says), one is expected to have a kind of superior education in the form of a degree. People are shoved into it. I entered university fitting perfectly the profile of student, but nowadays don't feel that well adjusted to this system. Thankfully our universities are private and don't strain personal and family finances.
