The Benefits Of General Education

1035 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Benefits of education to the general public

The process of obtaining a college degree is not an easy task, it requires a large amount of time invested. In order to graduate, colleges and universities require a certain amount of credits. These credits achieved by taking courses referred to as general education classes. Colleges set these courses to enable the students to “Explore, Discover, and Transform.” The general education courses prepare students to acquire knowledge and skills to become well educated people, that are then ready to interact with the outside world in a responsible manner (“Degrees: General”). The general education courses include English, History, Science, and Mathematics. In order to receive credit for the specific section students are required to take one or two classes that fall under each section. In addition, specific majors require …show more content…

Having to take these general education classes evidently serve a purpose for the students attending colleges or universities that require the courses however, it is questioned if these classes are really necessary? Debates pertaining to whether college education is worth the trouble dates back to when the colonist returned from Europe in 1636, and founded the “New College” (“College Education”). In order for college students to obtain their college degrees in a timely manner there should be some accommodations made to the requirements necessary to graduate including the general education courses. Chris Hedges quotes, “We should not forget that the true purpose of education is to make minds not careers” (Quotes about). General education is often perceived as a waste of time and money however; Hedges reminds one that the purpose of attending college is to get an education not just to get

Show More
Related

  • Is College Worth It? By John Green

    1018 Words  | 3 Pages

    In recent discussions of "Is College Worth It?" by John Green, a controversial issue has been weather-attending college worth it or not? On the one hand, some argue that colleges are not worth attending because it is too expensive and they do not need a degree to get a good job. From this perspective, many people do not apply to a college. On the other hand, however, others insist that college is worth attending because it is expanding the knowledge and give more opportunity to find jobs. In the words of John Green one of this view 's proponents, " Education gave me perspective and context." According to this view, college is worth to apply for because it enlarges the information that people have and expands their knowledge. In sum, then, the

    Read More

  • Three Reasons College Still Matters By Andrew Delbanco

    821 Words  | 2 Pages

    In recent years, many have debated whether or not a college education is a necessary requirement to succeed in the field of a persons’ choice and become an outstanding person in society. On one hand, some say college is very important because one must contribute to society. The essay Three Reasons College Still Matters by Andrew Delbanco shows three main reasons that students should receive their bachelor’s degree. On the other hand, many question the point of wasting millions of dollars on four years or maybe more to fight for highly competitive jobs that one might not get. Louis Menand wrote an article based on education titled Re-Imagining Liberal Education. This article challenges the main thought many americans have after receiving a secondary education. Louis Menand better illustrates the reasons why a student should rethink receiving a post secondary education better than Andrew Delbanco’s three reasons to continue a person’s education.

    Read More

  • 2005 Kenyon Commencement Speech: This Is Water By David Wallace

    705 Words  | 2 Pages

    A degree is just a material payoff for the hard work and effort put in overtime at college. The true payoff is this idea to learn to think, to be able to control what we see and how we feel and what we derive from it. We must stay aware of our daily surroundings and not just focus on the ME, ME, ME but also consider other people and how we may be effecting them. Wallace reminds us that it is a struggle to stay conscious and alive, but if we do so we are exercising our freedom of knowledge. That is the true meaning of an education, simply being aware.

    Read More

  • Vocation Or Exploration By Alina Tugend

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    As a young girl in school, I always believed that I would one day would be successful and had the hope that a college education would assist me in being successful. I exceled in school even with circumstances such as hurricane Katrina and September 11 and had a thirst for knowledge. At the same time, the teachers that influenced me in life convinced me to attend college for the betterment of knowledge and a potential for a job or a career. However, those same teachers were teaching me textbook methods and no real on hand training that is essential in an education especially a college education. In "Vocation or Exploration? Pondering the Purpose of College”, Alina Tugend ponders the idea of college being either Vocation—job training— or Exploration learning. She starts off by referring to her oldest son is about to graduate high school, but quickly goes straight to the point of her essay with “What exactly is a university education for?” She provides answers such as college is a way to automatically receive a job if one majors in science, technology or a major that can be applied to a changing world that we live

    Read More

  • What is the Purpose of College?

    1352 Words  | 3 Pages

    A college education gives a person the opportunity to be successful in life, either financially or morally dependent on the goals that they set for their life. They will choose a college that offer programs for the major of their choice, where they will specialize and receive a degree. The decision to pursue a higher education will give the opportunity to earn a better income over someone who does not have a degree. College is more of life preparation course that will help make sure a successful career. If a person pursues a career in engineering, physics or mathematics their curriculum would include more liberal art preparation courses, in order for them to earn their degree, so someone pursuing a degree in these types of careers are attending college for job preparation. On December 10, 2009 at Hamilton University in Clinton, New York, college professors debated current college curriculum (Liew). They talked about how their college could make a leap from being good to being great. At the 22nd American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges conference held in Long Beach California on November 14, 1996 the topic of changing curriculum was discussed (“Mich”). The University of Louisiana, Lafayette, is eliminating its philosophy major, while Michigan State University is doing away with American studies and classics, after years of decline in enrollments in those majors (Zernike). The purpose of a college education is to meet the student's liberal art’s needs so that they can compete and understand the connection between a degree and a job that will enable them to compete with other world economies, give them a well-rounded education that will enable them to earn a higher income, and retain a lifetime full of knowledge.

    Read More

  • What Are Louis Menand's Live And Learn: Why We Have College?

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    General education classes are focused on expanding the intellectual horizon of students. Many of the classes for general education don’t have anything to do with specific career choices but are required regardless. While this seems to be nice and good on the surface, it has problems. If colleges only cared about letting students expand their horizons instead of helping people graduate in a timely manner, there would be many more “college surfers”. Those people go to college aimlessly in order to pass the time. They do not have a definite goal and are not able to get a degree in order to graduate and contribute as a member of society. This would mean that taxpayers are wasting millions of dollars for nothing. Although it is important to keep learning as you grow older, there also needs to be a bigger purpose to life than just class cruising. Also, as stated before, if college was for everyone to learn and grow and there wasn’t a focus on grades then the college degree would have no

    Read More

  • College Education: The Benefits Of College Students

    915 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many students struggle with college for various reasons, whether it is financial, academics, or personal. We may not fully understand why college students struggle the way they do; however, it does not mean help is unavailable. “Clearly, many of the benefits that accrue from a college education are explained by the knowledge, skills, and contacts that students gain from their time on campus and in the classroom (Brock 2)”. A certain degree of success in life can be related to the amount and quality of education which can also relate to income.

    Read More

  • Live and Learn: Why we have college by Louis Menand

    1106 Words  | 3 Pages

    Louis Menand, a professor of English and American literature at Harvard University presented three different theories for higher education in an article for The New Yorker named, Live and Learn: Why We Have College. Menand (2011) claims that the reasons for college are meritocratic, democratic, and vocational. These theories are great models for the purpose of higher education in our culture, at different points in our history. As a nation, there are definite intentions behind the way that instruction is conducted in our colleges and universities. The techniques adopted by institutions of higher education are no mistake and they are designed to serve a purpose. These methods evolve with time and shape the way that generations think and reason. In our generation, the purpose of higher education in our culture is to sustain the nation atop of the worldwide economy.

    Read More

  • General Education Courses Are A Waste of Time and Money

    1573 Words  | 4 Pages

    Students go to college in search of knowledge, a new lifestyle, and the hope of a job after graduation. For many young adults, college is a rite of passage into an independent, mature new lifestyle. Not only is higher education a rite of passage, for some, it is also an opportunity to have a better life. Overall, college is a wonderful part of many people’s lives, yet the way the college education system is conducted wastes students time and money. College is basically composed of two parts: general education classes and major specific classes. General education courses are the source of wasted time and money, and should not be required of students. A few of the problems associated with general education classes are that they are basically a repeat of high school, unfortunately they can be the demise of students, they are costly, and they waste time.

    Read More

  • College Is A Waste Of Time And Money By Caroline Bird

    1193 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “College Is a Waste of Time and Money,” Caroline Bird, a college lecturer makes very good and valid points that college is wasting time and money. She describes how society has pushed students into getting higher education right out of high school. Leaving us with the question, are students getting a higher degree of education to better their future or to keep them busy and paying an institution.

    Read More

  • General Education Classes Should Not Be Required

    1104 Words  | 3 Pages

    Within recent decades, college has become a more easily available path than it has been for the past generations. In a current news release, The Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that, “Of the 2.9 million youth age 16 to 24 who graduated from high school between January and October 2014, about 68.4 percent were enrolled in college in October” (BLS Economic News Release from April 2015). When a student graduates high school, most of them intend to continue on to college. They have the idea that, while there, they can break away from all the general classes and just focus on what they want to learn. However, for almost all students, they find that this is not the reality. Just like high school, they find that they have to take approximately two years in general studies in order to attend and graduate with the major of their choice. General education classes should not be required because a majority of the information learned has already been covered in past years. Most of the courses do not benefit a student 's major, and the total amount of required hours for these classes can become a big waste of time and money.

    Read More

  • The Goal Of Education Rhetorical Analysis

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    I believe that the purpose of education is to produce the next generation of leaders who are intelligent and have great character. This idea is supported in the article “The Purpose of Education” by Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist who fought for black and white people to have equal rights in America. He writes about the true purpose, and meaning of education in the article by saying, “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction (MLK1).” This quote from the article explains that being academically educated is very important. It will help people stand up, be a leader, and take charge to make the world a better place for everyone. That gallant leader will argue against the fallacy, lies,

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Attending College and Receiving an Education`

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    People have very different reasons on why going to college and getting an education is important for them. Some people go to college because that is what is expected of them, and others go because they have nothing else better to do. However, I am interested in going to college and obtaining a good education because it will benefit my family, my country, and me.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Education in Our Society

    1635 Words  | 4 Pages

    The idea of education has been a big part of each and every culture on earth. However, as we all know, there are many questions on what it means to be educated in the form of higher education: questions we, as students, must face sooner or later. Here I am, my junior year in college. In a couple of years, I will be either prolonging my education or out in the real world trying to make a living. I must ask myself these questions: What is the purpose of my higher education? What exactly am I learning? Is the education I am receiving here at the University of Arkansas going to be good enough for a future employer? If I am educated does that mean I am trained to do only one thing? Am I one-dimensional?

    Read More

  • The Benefits of Education

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    Education is as important as the air we breathe. It is the most important possession a person must have. Education is beneficial in many aspect of life especially, personal and social it is the only possession that cannot be taken away from you. Education is important because it will open up the windows of opportunities. In this competitive world having a good education is as important as the air we breathe because it is our weapon to conquer the world.

    Read More

More about The Benefits Of General Education

Open Document