> Went to UC Berkeley and literally did not show up to class except for finals. I assume you did well in your courses, hence you're the exception with the nece

> Went to UC Berkeley and literally did not show up to class except for finals. I assume you did well in your courses, hence you're the exception with the necessary self discipline. What you did won't work for most people. Even though no one takes attendance at Berkeley, the classrooms weren't empty, were they? So some kind of subtle pressure is being exerted for all those students to still show up. They're thinking about all the money they paid, parents will ask, "How was class?", friends will say, "I didn't see you in class today". Some students learn better by being hearing the lecture rather than (in addition to) reading the textbook. But having the lecture imposes an obligation and schedule as well. Here's a thought experiment: Suppose Berkeley eliminated all classroom lectures but had videos or transcripts of all the lectures, and still had all the same assignments and exams, do you think the pass/fail rate would stay the same? Not for you, but in general.