What is the point of school?

[irnbru]

What say you? What do you hope to gain from college that you couldn't gain otherwise, beyond just a degree? Would you be doing the same thing even if the degree served no purpose in your life?

Primary objective is to get a tick in a box because other organisations and people require it. A reasonably close second, is because I want to.

The tick in the box opens doors and gets a foot in the door in both respects; with a BA/BS I can give the quick nod and answer "yes" work-wise, it also allows me access to postgrad courses.

To be honest, that about covers it.

edit: Regarding the other thread with respect to education/learning/qualification/etc; I tend to agree with that momofmany's position in that earning a degree is what you make of it. Plenty traditional students choose a cheeky Liberal Arts/'easy' Business degree route to maximise sport/party/extra-curricular activities. Then you have the likes of NAP here, who's smashing out some of the tougher CLEPs with an eye on the Maths GRE Subject test. Swings and roundabouts and I think as soon as someone becomes overly concerned about something which is neither the process, goal or pragmatic ethic then it gets a little bit fairy-land. There are always plenty of critics, naysayers and would-be contenders End of the day, what do -you- want?