An elegant word for "relating to knowledge?"

You might consider completely omitting the contemplated adjective. So the sentence would be:

"My college years represent a journey through which I hope to attain plentiful wisdom about the world."

The attaining of knowledge is implicit in your sentence, so not in obvious need of a modifier. Just a thought.

Intellectual fits the sentence but not exactly the question

Based on your use of “wisdom” in the sentence, you view these years for the attainment of knowledge and how to use it.

Intellectual:

appealing to or engaging the intellect: intellectual pursuits.

Intellect:

the power or faculty of the mind by which one knows or understands, as distinguished from that by which one feels and that by which one wills; the understanding; the faculty of thinking and acquiring knowledge.