Imagine this: You’re getting ready to register for your college classes, and you’re met with the mountain of required — but unrelated to your major — general education courses. This is the reality for college students. Extensive gen-ed courses take up a lot of time, increasing costs and possibly delaying graduation.
According to Best Colleges, only 49% of undergraduate students nationwide actually finish their degree in just four years, and I believe these unnecessary courses are to blame. At Central Connecticut State University, undergraduates must complete 41 to 46 credits of gen-ed classes — 40% of the credits needed for a bachelor’s degree. This system makes students spend extra time and money on classes that often have little to do with their intended careers.
Supporters argue that gen-eds create well-rounded students. Schools like UConn, for example, defend their own gen-ed programs by claiming they help students navigate future challenges through broad learning. UConn’s system requires 40 credits.
At CCSU and UConn, students must take multiple courses in written and oral communication, world languages, arts and humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and even “Thriving in College” lectures. Some subjects range from three to four classes each.
Many students feel swamped with coursework and stuck paying for classes that don’t align with their professional goals. As a student myself, I see how these unnecessary courses affect my college life. Instead of building skills for our intended careers, many of us are wasting time sitting through classes that have little to no impact on our education and are almost a review of high school classes.
Cutting down on CCSU’s gen-ed load — or allowing it to be optional for students who might need the review — would save money, reduce dropout rates and get students into their fields faster.
If universities truly want to set their students up for success, they need to rethink the congested gen-ed system. Right now, students are paying too much and waiting too long to earn degrees that should empower them — not exhaust them.
Allyson Hickey, of Colchester, is a sophomore majoring in communication at Central Connecticut State University.