Venting Why the hell does college make you take a bunch of random classes?

[Arrow]

Seriously why? How do they all just get away with making us take random as hell classes that may or may not even be related to our chosen major? It's actually the most bullshit thing in the world. Why don't more people talk about this? I mean it's literally a scam. Why can't I just focus entirely on whatever my major is. That should be my only class.
Obviously this is done because they're trying to squeeze money out of us (and they're doing it quite effectively) but I'm surprised by how everyone just goes along with it and I have pretty much never personally heard of people complaining about it.
This shit is making me want to tear my eyes out honestly. They're wasting my fucking time and money these cunts.
What's worse is I am starting not to give a shit about what I'm majoring in and I don't even know if I genuinely wanted to go into it in the first place. Maybe I did at first but now I'm making myself do it, and I see that I very clearly should've gone with something else. I wanna change but that means more b.s. random classes I don't want so more wasted time and money.
Jesus.

 

[WoAiGou]

$

 

[waitingforrest]

I feel exactly the same way. Not only do they bloat your schedule with useless classes, but they all kill all motivation. Not to mention that getting a degree doesn't guarantee a job. And also the debt.

(btw love your petscop profile pic)

 

[Arrow]

I feel exactly the same way. Not only do they bloat your schedule with useless classes, but they all kill all motivation.

Yeah it's pretty crushing especially since the only thing that makes me not want to die are my hobbies like writing and making music (probably not very good at either but it's fun) and having a schedule get filled with LITERALLY useless shit takes away from that.

(btw love your petscop profile pic)

thanks i'm obsessed with it

 

[WhiteRabbit]

To make you a well rounded person.

j/k it's $$$$.

 

[TheHatedOne]

In my first year PE was mandatory as a subject and you had to choose a sport for it. Guess what I was studying actually? Foreign languages !!!
I mean yes, sure, it makes sense in middle school and high school to have such a subject, but in higher education, when you already took a path, why tf would you add something unrelated like this?

Then, in the second year, I had an "optional" course where I was studying a very, very outdated alphabet, and when I say outdated I mean from around the first couple of centuries. And there was even an exam for this shit. Where the fuck would you use such a thing even?

The education system in general doesn't make sense and it's as if it wants to drain all the good that you have. It all starts from an early stage and unfortunately continues even in higher education, where, you'd think it would be better.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

Imma Devil's Advocate for a moment here:

Imagine if some random guy who majored in Mathematics and graduated as such by only taking classes in that major was put on the spot for some reason. Let's say he became a distinguished scholar in his field but one day on his published Math paper he made a critical error in History while trying to craft a math equation. Gee that sure would be embarrassing but why should anyone care? He majored in Math, not History!

Unfortunately society at large wouldn't see it that way. He'd be mocked for not knowing something so basic. The shame might even cause the university itself to look bad. And this hypothetical nightmare scenario is how General Education was born!

Sure it's an unnecessary cash grab but at least with those kinds of classes, they tend to be the easiest to pass with the most minimal amount of effort precisely because they're only there to make sure you know at least some info that was arbitrarily designated as common knowledge any educated person should know.

 

[Arrow]

Imma Devil's Advocate for a moment here:

Imagine if some random guy who majored in Mathematics and graduated as such by only taking classes in that major was put on the spot for some reason. Let's say he became a distinguished scholar in his field but one day on his published Math paper he made a critical error in History while trying to craft a math equation. Gee that sure would be embarrassing but why should anyone care? He majored in Math, not History!

Unfortunately society at large wouldn't see it that way. He'd be mocked for not knowing something so basic. The shame might even cause the university itself to look bad. And this hypothetical nightmare scenario is how General Education was born!

Sure it's an unnecessary cash grab but at least with those kinds of classes, they tend to be the easiest to pass with the most minimal amount of effort precisely because they're only there to make sure you know at least some info that was arbitrarily designated as common knowledge any educated person should know.

OK I can find some middle ground with this: if we are going to be made to take random classes that have nothing to do with our major then they need to be like 50% shorter and easier than they currently are. Like side classes/activities. Of course, if a Math guy has to do something history related for his paper, he should just do whatever research necessary for his paper, or get a History guy help him out a bit or something. But beyond your example I understand what you're getting at. I guess my issue is just how much space those extra classes take up in my schedule.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

OK I can find some middle ground with this: if we are going to be made to take random classes that have nothing to do with our major then they need to be like 50% shorter and easier than they currently are. Like side classes/activities. Of course, if a Math guy has to do something history related for his paper, he should just do whatever research necessary for his paper, or get a History guy help him out a bit or something. But beyond your example I understand what you're getting at. I guess my issue is just how much space those extra classes take up in my schedule.

Yeah, they can also seem unnecessary when the material they're covering can just as easily be learned in high school. The rest of the reasoning is as you said before and it's 100% just because they want to squeeze more classes and thus more money out of each student.

 

[Cameron Diazepam]

From my understanding: historically, college was not intended for job training, it was "self-betterment" among the economically advantaged. Employers seeking more ways to filter candidates made it a requirement for job seekers (the idea being that your commitment to four years of education even in unrelated courses means you will be a committed worker). It also keeps people employed in sectors that have low demand, like the humanities and philosophy. It's basically funding teachers and colleges while upholding an expensive tradition.

Vocational trades (blue collar) are becoming a smarter move for some people because they can finish with less debt and enter careers with a more defined path to advancement under apprenticeship programs and unions. YMMV.

 

[OrcWitch]

I liked my humanities and social science electives. I disliked my science electives, mostly because of the lab. I just want to be lectured at by a professor while I chill in my seat, not look at things with a microscope and have to actually interact with things. I hate hands on learning.

 

[wljourney]

I personally learned more from my electives (philosophy/sociology) for life than I could have ever learned (and used in my jobs) from my business/economic classes.

However, I understand how you would assume it's all about $$ and a scam.

My 4 yr uni degree cost $50/semester. Books free from the uni library. Subsidized meals at the Mensa.

It's extremely beneficial for a young person to possibly find a few more topics that may interest them.

But it's completely counterproductive to put $300k loans on your back and expect you to succeed under that pressure. It's inhumane.

 

[Siterfau]

I have mixed views to be honest.

On one hand, I can somewhat understand the need for a diversified curriculum. Especially for writing classes.

On the other hand though, not only do you pay for classes that you might not remotely care about, but your grades can also be tainted by subjects that will most likely never matter in your career.

Like I get needing to learn how to write effective papers, but why on earth do I need to take literature classes for an engineering degree? Why do I need to study history at all when the curriculum for elementary and high school had me take history classes for more than half a decade?

Looking back, I don't have mixed views. I think I know which side I agree with most.