Students in different major studies clash in several different areas; Art, English, and Philosophy majors probably disagree with Mathematics and Biology majors in a lot of areas. One thing every student in college can agree on is that our basic courses are unnecessary and wasteful, and here's why.
1. High school covered what our basic courses cover, and more in depth.
What's the point of spending four years perfecting the common core if we have to start over in college? I took algebra in eighth grade. My math experience in high school was one that stressed me out and often left me in tears, feeling stupid. All my teachers said "It'll help you in college." As a Speech and Hearing Science major, I have not used mathematics one time. Except my first semester as a College Algebra student. I did not get an answer on why I had to spend valuable time and scholarship money on a class that I skipped twice a week and made a 105 at the end of the semester, and it did not benefit me in any way. I wish I could say it was the only required course like that, but I would be lying. Even now, two years later, I still hear complaints every day about the "stupid basics" students are forced to take.
2. Basics add time to your degree plan.
I could have my degree in two years if it weren't for all the general, unrelated courses I have to take. Instead, it will take me four years. I would understand having to take the courses if it would help me in my career or in my upper level classes, but Composition, College Algebra, a second Government class, and Literature have taken four semesters to work into my schedule, and not one class has helped me accomplish anything. I entered college knowing how to write papers, how to do more complex math than what has ever been required of me, and ready to get started working towards my degree in Speech and Hearing Science. The extra classes only annoyed me and made that walk across the stage feel like it would never happen.
3. Basics mess up your GPA.
Professors who teach the basics like to make sure you know their class is important (even when you know it isn't.) They often make non-major students work just as hard and cover just as much as the students pursuing a degree in their field. My GPA in my major-related classes is a 4.0, but overall I have a 3.8 despite the hours put into studying. I have to spend so much time studying for all my basics that my major often gets put on the back burner. I am two years into my degree plan, and I just now have a working knowledge of what my major courses will entail. I am also afraid of grad school applications after just two years into my undergrad degree because I do not have a 4.0 even though all of my major courses have ended with As. Nothing is worse than knowing your GPA is blown over a non-major course you have to take for virtually no reason.
4. Basics waste money.
College is expensive. People can barely afford classes that pertain to their major, but they are forced to pay for tons of basic courses that do not even deal with their chosen area of study. It's discouraging and silly when people have to work so hard to pay for classes they do not even need.
5. Basics make people tired.
It's easy to get burnt out on school when you finally get to college and get to pick what you study, only to find out that you don't really get to pick because you have to take your basics before you can do anything pertaining to your degree. People who hate math often choose degrees that don't require it, and they still have to take basic math classes before they can start studying other things. People who hate writing have to take Composition and Literature classes before they can move on. By the time we get to our major courses, we are tired of school and have used all our excitement and energy on our basics.
Common core is bad enough in high school. Why hold college students with very different degrees to the same cookie-cutter standard, too?
