So, do you bother or not bother to for a course you are taking now or soon? Many students have missed out on a few pointers or some important information within the required reading, but this instructor had a simple "reward" for any one of their students, the prize was unclaimed! Link: A professor hid a cash prize on campus. All students had to do was read the syllabus - CNN
Different answers in different circumstances. Nowadays - I ALWAYS read them. Because I only take courses I have a real interest in. And how do I know they'll be really interesting to me unless I know in detail what's in 'em. And it's also a good way to be prepared. You might spot things you need to know already, before class starts. Back in the day (my 40s) when I had to deal with requirements, some course syllabi were better left unread - or I'd KNOW I wasn't going to like them. If that had happened I COULD be psychologically beat from the start! Better to go to a couple of classes, find out I didn't like it and just keep going. I'd say "Heck. I'll just learn the crap, write the tests, get the credits and forget it." And I always did. If I'd have read the syllabus and gone into the first class thinking there would be problems - there likely would have been. Reading syllabi? Depends on the situation - but yeah, if they're giving cash prizes... that's a game-changer. We never had that.
I always read them start to finish ASAP. I wanted to know exactly what I had to do, and by when. And starting up again this September, I'll do the same thing.