For many, entering college without a major is not something that is an option. Most students will already have a preferred major declared or, at the very least, have one in mind that interests them. For those who don't, there is nothing wrong with being undeclared. Being undeclared gives you the opportunity to take an array of courses to find what interests you the most. Unfortunately, this is not for the undeclared students. This is for the already declared students who are forced to take courses that are completely unrelated to their desired major.
In preparation for this, I created a poll to see how many of my peers are in agreement with me. The results of the poll are down below, and as you can see, most are in agreement.
Of the 27 votes, three voted that yes, you should be forced to take courses that have nothing to do with your major. Of the three, two are currently college students themselves, which surprised me. The other 24 were in agreement, and most of those who voted no are declared at their chosen colleges.
Now, I understand that some general education courses are absolutely necessary. Having to take a public speaking course is essential for all majors, no matter what. Having the skills to speak with others in a comfortable manner is something that employers look for in their employees. It is when you have to take a physical education course in college when you're not studying sports medicine or physical studies at all. This can be said for most general education courses offered in colleges today.
Personally, as someone who is studying Communication and Media Arts, having to take a math or life science class seems ridiculous. I can see how some people can say that it is important for everyone to take the courses, but looking forward, once I graduate, I will most likely never use math ever again. Same with life sciences, physical education, and my language class. There are a few that could essentially be helpful, though. History is essential no matter what you do, solely because you need to understand all forms of history so that you don't repeat it. Also, for every major, there are different forms of history, For me, I am studying the history of the digital age. It may seem like overkill, but it's worth it in the end.
To students, it sucks how we are forced to take certain courses, and one of the sole reasons is so that colleges get more money from their students, which is ridiculous. Robbing students for your own profit is not only rude but unfair to the families who are struggling to pay for college. There are students who are putting every penny they have into their education, and for them to pay extra for specific classes is not a practice that should exist. Colleges will cover this up to say that they are teaching you life skills for a better experience later in life, but it's all about the money for certain institutions.
Basically, I find it just ridiculous that myself and my fellow students are being forced to take classes that have nothing to do with our majors. How about instead of teaching us astrology, you teach us useful material to help us find a job later in life? Isn't that the whole point of furthering your education?
