Higher education isn’t all about “job skills”. It is also strongly related to producing a “whole man”. (OK, OK, whole woman too.) Isn’t it better for society in general to have an educated population? Isn’t a good education better than a blank stare at a party?
I know more people who didn’t go to college that I would consider “whole men” than those who did. You can get a very good “real life” education in the real world.
Is college necessary for some careers, yes. It sure isn’t necessary to be an intelligent person.
Ha! You're as old-fashioned as I am! :) We still remember when there was a recognized difference between education (as in "the life of the mind") and vocational training!