High school graduates won't be structured, because they're not supposed to sit in a school bench at that stage of life. They've been there for ten years already. Continuing studies without even tasting real life stunts your development.
Here are some purposes of academia, besides education:
– Research
– Privilege laundering for the rich
– Hiding youth unemployment
– Brain washing youths (Not in your country or university, where it's merely influencing them in the right direction)
– Continue to instill a leader-follower mindset into the population
– A nice and leisurely lifestyle without having to work
– Getting connections with rich and influential families
– Finding young people for romantic adventures
– Impressing older generations, who value degrees religiously
* In-person access to professors who can competently discuss topics that go beyond the syllabus.
* Fairly realistic appraisal of what it's like to continue on to graduate studies.
* Being immersed in an environment of self-driven learning.
* Building independence in a safe space away from home.
* Very wide range of sports clubs, societies, hobby groups etc... and the time to pursue several of them.
* Opportunity to demonstrate excellence. The degree class and academic prizes still count for something at many universities.
> Opportunity to demonstrate excellence.
This is the best point, and probably the top reason why young people who are excellent workers find themselves quitting after some years and going back to school.
Fair - to be honest I'm holding in mind a fairly idealised version of university where the professors excel in both teaching and research and are open to discussing all reasonable viewpoints. Possibly because I was in the sciences I don't have much familiarity with struggles with closed-minded lecturers. Also I was thinking about the environment outside of studies - students have financial loans and grants to ease their transition, opportunities to socialise and avoid loneliness, and easy access to free advice and therapy etc... .