> step directly into their major field of study
These need not be mutually exclusive! My (US) alma mater required a specific number of unspecific non-major classes, the only stipulation being that a certain number come from the broad categories of STEM, social science, and the humanities. Unlike other colleges, we could take them whenever we wanted to and could pick from basically the entire college's catalog. Some freshmen jumped into their first term with onky major classes (although they later regretted that).
> The classes add to the cost of the education but amount to little more than memorization for tests, and students forget most of it afterwards. I question their value.
They sound poorly designed and/or poorly aught. My non-major classes were some of the most fun and interesting ones I ever took!
As a CS major, I got to write and produce an EP, and research & write a report on the safety of campus nightlife, both for credit. I'm really glad I wasn't able to just fast-track myself through only CS classes and get out of there without any creative work or serious writing experience.