Americans spend too much to learn nothing, duh.

[Suu]

http://theweek.com/article/index/211202/are-college-students-learning-anything

In a bombshell finding that's unnerving the staffs of America's universities, a new study concludes that 45 percent of college students made "no significant gains in learning" in their first two years on campus. While professors have become more focused on their research than teaching, students have become increasingly fixated on their social lives. In fact, the report (based on the book Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses) reveals that students are spending 50 percent less time studying than their 1970s and 1980s counterparts. How can colleges justify rising tuition costs?

[Suu]

I should also point out that typically the 1st 2 years are 75% gen-ed requirements that can be no better than high school 2.0 classes. That doesn't help either.

[Richter]

I should also point out that typically the 1st 2 years are 75% gen-ed requirements that can be no better than high school 2.0 classes. That doesn't help either.

THIS. 

Some were good background, and very useful in handling later courses, others were there basically to take up time and get you charged for extra credits. 

Then there was the spectacular "University 101".  Twice weekly meetings telling you how to suceed at college and mandatory communtiy service.  (If the college could boast so many student - hours of community service, then a local philanthropist would keep donating.)