I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of this. It is interesting to read all the points of view. I might be a bit biased because I feel my college experience was negative .
I doubt any of my friends have the regrets that I do, but it is a matter of values and life goals. Most of my friends would laugh at my criticism of college for women.
I didn't have a strong desire to go away to school, but I wasn't given much of an option.
I was interested in learning many things (interior design, for example) that could have been achieved at a two year community college, at a much lower cost and without living on campus. It would not have required all the liberal arts courses either. My parents talked me into going away by making a 4 year degree seem like the minimal standard for life success.
Both my parents hold Master's degrees and my mother in particular felt that a 4 year (no matter how generic) was an essential back up even if I learned a trade later.
The main reason young women go to college is to "have fun" and because they're told to do it, and shamed into not doing it. The sad reality is that even the most ostensibly traditional girls end up being drunken party girls - and don't even try to kid us into believing most of them are chaste. The career aspect is clearly secondary for most of them. Indeed, those that intend to marry, but have a career first, are typically going into jobs and displacing would be bread earners when they're at the height of their fertility.
I think this illustrates some real understanding on your part, Telesphorus, as to just vulnerable young women are. Now, I personally was far from traditional when I entered college and was raised with relatively horrible values, however I was clearly way more innocent and naive than most of my college peers. I didn't manage very well and obviously made terrible mistakes. It is my fault, but a feminist society didn't help me much.
To have married at 18-19 would have been healthier for me, but would have unacceptable to family and friends so it is pointless to regret what I never knew was an option.
I will know better for my daughter. Hopefully I can find her a good father to reinforce the values I have for her.