3 Reasons Why Gen Ed Classes Aren't a Waste of Time

General education courses aren't just "fluff" classes. Here are three reasons why gen eds are worth your time and effort as you work toward your college degree.

It used to be standard that a student could expect to finish their bachelor’s degree in four years. But many factors, including changing majors and holding down a job while studying, have contributed to many students finishing in five or even six years. At first glance, it may seem as if general education courses only exacerbate the problem. Why should you have to take a bunch of “fluff” classes when you’re having a hard enough time finishing school? But general education courses offer a lot of benefits. Here, we'll take a look at scenarios in which they can actually help you.

1. They let you explore your many interests

Imagine that you enter college your freshman year knowing exactly what you’d like to study. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you’re determined to earn your degree in Business Administration. You know you’ll be working hard in the classes toward your major, but you also excelled in choir in high school and would like to continue to pursue singing. There may be a general education course in vocal arts, and if not, there’s bound to be a musical elective at your university. This is an important point: Don’t be so focused on earning your degree that you feel obligated to participate in courses only if they're required. By all means, if you have other passions, pursue them. This is what college is for!

Related: College Options for Students With Multiple Major Interests 

2. They can help you discover your major

This is where gen eds are particularly useful. Say, for example, you excelled at math and history in high school, but you’re not exactly sold on committing four years to either subject. General education courses will expose you to a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Geology to Anthropology to Drama. In college, you’ll find that the variety of courses you can take is much broader in scope than what you experienced in high school. While you’re still mulling over the possibilities for your major, you can take a year or more of general education courses, which may introduce you to an area you’re passionate about that you didn’t even know existed.

3. They help you become a well-rounded student

This is another important way in which gen eds can enrich your life. For example, if you’re majoring in Marine Biology, it doesn’t hurt to take a course or two in journalism. Although not directly related to your major, developing writing skills may help you in your career down the road. If you’re called upon to write a grant or a professional paper, you’ll have acquired the tools you need to excel at these tasks.

Related: 4 Things to Consider When Choosing Electives in College

Before you start grumbling about your general education courses, consider the factors outlined above. Universities don’t require these classes in order to make graduating more difficult. They truly want you to succeed and come through your college education a stronger student and person.

Learn how to pick the right courses that fit your major, your interests, and your schedule with these 5 Smart Tips for Choosing Your College Classes

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Lorena Bacallao

Lorena Bacallao

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress was the foundation of my college search process. Because of CollegeXpress, I was able to make a more informed and confident decision as to where it was best to pursue my higher education. I have recommended this website to fellow peers and for first-generation students like me. It’s a website I will continue to promote because of how simple it was to use and how many opportunities were offered to me at my fingertips!

Fernando Ponce

Fernando Ponce

High School Junior

College is a way of life that helps us find out who we are as a person, and CollegeXpress is a great way to stay connected with our future, even for students with little time on their hands due to the challenges of high school we face.

Kyla McClain

Kyla McClain

High School Class of 2024

I found CollegeXpress when you partnered with Bold.org for a scholarship. I found your website, put my information in, and got connected. I only wanted to stay in North Carolina [for college] and not move far from home, but you all opened a door up for me. I started researching colleges you suggested for me. On your social media platforms, you also give really good test-taking tips that I used and suggested others to do the same. It helped me a lot on my exams, so thank you.

Casey Kammeyer

Casey Kammeyer

$500 Refer-A-Friend Scholarship Winner

I love the site CollegeXpress; it has been very helpful finding colleges and getting them to send me information. It has also been very, very helpful with finding tons of scholarships. Also, I told many of my friends about it and they love it as well!

Sonny Harris

Sonny Harris

College Student

For the entire year before college, I spent a lot of time deeply considering what major I wanted to go into and how to fund my higher education. After a lot of research, I came across CollegeXpress, which helped me ultimately find a ton of scholarships for which I could apply—and some of which I received! If it weren’t for CollegeXpress, I may not have found those scholarships as they didn't appear on any other scholarship search forum. Additionally, I learned more about the options I had been considering for my major through CollegeXpress’s resources. In the end, I chose to major in Computer Science, as it seemed best suited to me and the careers in the field seemed enjoyable, and I've never been more excited to move into my future! Ultimately, I want to thank CollegeXpress for offering their services. I received enough financial aid in scholarships to fund my entire freshman year of college and even got some money refunded which I used to purchase a new laptop, and I bought all of the books I needed for the semester!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Ohio University

Athens, OH

Texas Wesleyan University

Fort Worth, TX

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso, IN