The student population attending college today is very different from those who attended college in the past. Decades ago, those who were privileged were the only individuals who had access to higher education. Today, students of all socioeconomic backgrounds attend for multiple reasons. Some students want to provide more than their parents had, others think they will earn more with a college degree; some have an occupation that they are passionate about, they want to go to university as quickly as possible to find a job and have an income. With today's economy, many students spend thousands of dollars to attend college and earn a degree. Gutting (2011) suggests that in a survey, 74% of graduates of four-year colleges said their education was “very helpful in helping them grow intellectually.” Additionally, sixty-nine percent said it “was very helpful in helping them grow and mature as people” and fifty-five said “it was very helpful in helping them prepare for a job or career.” Finally, he noted that eighty-six of these graduates thought “college was a good investment for them personally.” Is it the role of institutions to teach the skills that students should already have at their age? Do college graduates really have more career options, a better chance of getting a job, and a better chance of advancing in their chosen career? Why do people attend college and what do they expect to accomplish once they graduate? What is the purpose of higher education in today's society? This article will examine many of these questions. Chan, Brown, Ludlow (2013) explain that past research on what drives students to college, such as instrumental motivations (e.g. att...... middle of paper... ... what are the expectations of students who they enroll in college. What are their goals and expectations for attending a particular college. I would also take a deeper look at the institutional goals and expectations. If the student and the institution have different goals, then the student will does not benefit from getting a degree at that college or university Also, I would like data on the students who are graduating and see what they felt was helpful, a waste of time, whether they thought it was worth it, and what they would get out of it from college It would be interesting to see how many would say they gained skills that would help them in their chosen career or what experiences influenced them. Additionally, I think it would be helpful to see if students think they grew professionally or personally over the course of freshman to senior.