Judging by the number of people who don't show up to class or otherwise just "get by", it's absolutely true. People "go to college" because they're told it's their meal ticket into the middle class. This is the point of the article.
Ask the average person if they'd rather pay to have the paper degree and not have to attend any classes, or get the education for free but not receive any paper credentials. You'll have your answer.
This is an interesting thought, however I don't think it is a good test for whether someone wants to be in college/uni or not. It is reasonable to enjoy the education and be realistic about the value of the paper certificate at the same time.
The overall point about social pressures etc. is well taken though.
I mean, I've heard of this happening a lot in community college, but in my private university I didn't regularly see this behavior, and certainly not in the upper level classes.
If anything, I'd say the rate of people attending college despite not wanting to can only have increased since then. The assumption that college is an absolute necessity for a comfortable middle-class life has only in the last few years come into serious question, and still has yet to face anything like the inquisition it deserves.
Yes, we tend to pay a lot to go to college, and yes, a lot of us feel like we must do it. A lot of choices factor into how much you pay - community college can reduce this, going to a lesser known school, etc. However, it’s an investment in yourself. For some of us, that investment works out really well. Others may struggle to get that awesome job after college.
A lot of people enjoy the social aspect of college (from parties to having a cohort that is interested in the same things they are).
The money issue roughly fell into three buckets: 1) students not worrying about money because they have rich parents, 2) students not worrying about money because they have student loans, and 3) students worrying a lot about money because they have student loans.
From my experience going to undergrad at a state university in the midwest, a lot of students would prefer to have a well paying job immediately after high school and not go to college. However, a lot of those same students would rather go to college than stay in their small hometown where job prospects are bleak.