What is the "purpose" of higher education?

This is a helluva good question. Once upon a time, I thought I knew. I'm not so sure anymore. Our institutions of higher education have been perverted into indoctrination centers and I can't see any downside except that people who attend them come away with a complete lack of ability to think for themselves. They possess no common sense. Now, before you dismiss me as some old crackpot, let me assure you that I am. I've seen too much to avoid being old or a crackpot. I lived in Colorado at a time when the state considered allowing people who had studied law in a legal practice under the tutelage of a practicing lawyer, to take the bar exam and become licensed attorneys. The law schools made sure that went away. I've seen doctors fresh out of medical school who need nurses to teach them the ropes of practicing medicine. The truth is, that people learn professions by practicing them. That's why they're called medical practices and legal practices. Meanwhile, engineering students are taught engineering on the job. Their degrees seem to prepare them for that profession as practiced in another age, long ago, when their professors might have been engineers. Shall I go on? Naw. That's enough for now. In all my years, I hoped for much from college grads and learned to expect little. Hopefully they could read. Many couldn't. Better yet, read for understanding. That was really rare. Research. Debate. Cipher (you know, basic math) The scientific method? Good luck finding that. History? Civics? Not one iota.

Being a BA or MA is usually the key to get a job in a corporate setting. A PHD is normally of value, if seriously applied. The ability to research subjects and evaluate them is what separates them from other which results in advancing in a corporate structure. There are exceptions. I have hired all sorts of education levels, the PHD is the only one that was able to pass me up, on occasion. Most of them were arrogant self centered A-holes.

Depends on who you ask. The parents think the purpose of higher education is to ensure their kid has all the education needed to enjoy a successful and lucrative life. Ask the kids these days and they'll tell you it's a 4 year delay in having to face up to life ... maybe 5-6 if they have trouble finding their classrooms and get failed on absenteeism.

I read recently that some 50% of college entrants don't complete ... and out of the remaining 50%, only 50% or less complete in 4 years. The rest take 5-6. IMV, a large percentage of kids that go to college go with (1) no idea of what they want to come out as; (2) poor preparation in high school for college; (3) insufficient self-discipline to capitalize on their time in college or university. For those that emerge at the end of the tunnel with a college degree, many find that their degree isn't worth the paper it is printed on in terms of getting them a well-paying job.

I'd really like to hear the assessments of some of our veterans that are currently attending colleges and universities on their non-veteran classmates.