As I look back at my time in college, a lot of mixed feelings come to mind. Let me explain.
As you may know, I studied mechanical engineering and as almost all courses, I got to learn a variety of subjects. From hard science to safety management, the course is designed so that students get the bigger picture of what an engineer might do. In theory, I understand why this is done but it's quite different in practice.
Classes are usually devoided of practical examples and physical applications. Teachers need measurable results and therefore students have to learn in the context of the upcoming exam. This turns learning into a stream of exercises, math, and reward systems. Good to evaluate, poor for long-term learning.
The student's average becomes the measurable metric and in my opinion, the connection to the industry is lost. Students become good at passing exams instead of being prepared for the cool streets of the marketplace. We only learn the technical side of the job and if you worked before, you know that it gets much more complicated then knowing math formulas by heart.
There's no mention of how to communicate with customers; how to present ourselves and our work; the social dynamics within an organization or how to prioritize and work effectively. I think that's why most of us feel lost once we leave college. We spend 4 years learning how to be a ________ and quickly realize how little we actually know.