"I follow several economists who have taken to discussing incentives for going to college.  They seem to agree that there are both "human capital" and "signaling" components, though which is more important is a matter of debate. I see this quote as reflecting the "signaling" aspect of higher education: students don't want the content of the classes, especially those that seem unrelated or tangential to their career or life goals, but they want the achievement of completing a degree in order to get better jobs. I hope that higher education becomes more modular. I think the classical university model is not suited to most people, even though demand among employers for college-degreed workers is rising. As long as finishing college is in and of itself a desired trait, students will view uninteresting classes as chores." - Kevin L