@woodlandsmom - Great post, my thoughts EXACTLY!
Off the top of my head: the point of college is to explore new ideas and different viewpoints (especially opposing viewpoints to your own), learn to tolerate different ideas (tolerance does not equal acceptance or agreement), explore new knowledge, and, in short, grow as a person.
I feel like the decision between the two is usually dependent on one’s economic background. I think it’s a fact that most students at LACs are either full pay or they come from a higher income family. They can major in political science or women studies, because money isn’t the first thing on their mind. They can enjoy the “experience” without worrying how to pay it off. Most Students from low income families want to know they’re getting a return on their investment. They don’t have money to sit on so they make sure their major has some kind of practical value. My mom would probably have a heart attack of I majored in African American studies rather than mechanical engineering (i like engineering though, but the point still remains). That’s why I find it baffling when some posters say parents are selfish for not investing in their kid’s expensive college. Can you really blame them?
Of course having a bit of both would be ideal. We also have to consider that these students may not just stop at a bachelor’s.
I take back my last post. You can learn those things without college.
There are exceptions to every rule and in this case, as with research universities, it’s generally found among the elite LACs. Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona, Williams etc all have a good number of low income kids who attend for very little $. Similar to or exceeding the number at Ivies in some cases.
…and many of those LAC students major in Chemistry or Biology or Physics or Biochemistry or Math, while at large research unis it is also possible to major in African American or Gender Studies or Philosophy or whatever. Some LACs even have engineering (Mudd, Smith, etc).
I agree that it is different for different people. At 49, it means something different than it did at 18. But I don’t get a do-over!
Hmm, maybe if you want to be a professional scholar (academic) then utopia U is utility U?