But that isn't how it works in reality, at least in the US. In reality, outside of their major (and sometimes inside it too), students usually pick the absolute easiest classes that satisfy the requirements. The ones that are known that the teacher doesn't take attendance are heavily desired. And the university is happy to oblige. Departments are funded based on a formula of how many students are in their classes, and they know that if they gain a reputation for being hard, students won't take their classes for GE requirements. It's a race to the bottom. So most departments offer enormous 1 level classes with 200 students taught with minimal rigor, and where you really only have to study a few days before the final to collect your A. And on top of that the frats all keep collections of graded tests from every class for years past, so basically anyone who wants to cheat is able to do so easily. This isn't education. This isn't worth six figures.

> In reality, outside of their major (and sometimes inside it too), students usually pick the absolute easiest classes that satisfy the requirements.

In reality, no one eats healthy food, everyone eats fast food hamburgers all day. Just look at the sales numbers of fast food / junk food VS organic lunch salad bars!

Except, that isn't true. Some people eat junk food all day, and some people choose to eat healthy. Obviously in America we have a bit of a bias, but just looking at averages doesn't give a complete picture.

> The ones that are known that the teacher doesn't take attendance are heavily desired.

Almost none of my university classes took attendance. Why would they? We were paying to be there, if we wanted to waste our money, it wasn't the university's problem.

> So most departments offer enormous 1 level classes with 200 students taught with minimal rigor

Reading books and writing essay's doesn't require rigor, the learning is in the doing. I put in honest work to learn and I got honest feedback from my 100 and 200 level professors, which was all I expected.

> And on top of that the frats all keep collections of graded tests from every class for years past

Almost none of my GE classes used multiple choice tests. They were typically essay tests, written in class.

I should note I did my GE requirements at a local community college, where class sizes averaged ~20-30 students, professors had office hours, and I think I only saw a TA once.

> This isn't education. This isn't worth six figures.

The price is too high yes, but a university is place to go where you can dedicate yourself fully to learning, hopefully w/o other outside worries (sky high tuition ruins that...). What a person chooses to do with that time is up to them.

Now one can argue that the worth of a degree is lessened by students who didn't actually learn all that much also being in possession of one. That is a closely related, but separate topic.

That said, the poster I was originally replying to was indirectly advocating for not caring about one's GE classes, and I was replying that one should indeed care, because those classes are incredibly important!