Comment by softwaredoug

I find this stage is more important for social development than intellectual development. An early adult stage where you go some place away from home in a relatively easy, same aged social experience, with people of diverse backgrounds is a net social good.

There are other ways of getting the same thing. Like if your country has some kind of compulsory service.

But maybe let’s stop pretending college is just about the intellectual stuff and see it as a social good.