The curriculum of general education classes is crucial in a well-rounded education. A well-rounded individual should at least be slightly knowledgeable about a lot of things.

As students go through their lives after college, they will come into contact with thousands of other people.

In such a diverse world, it is inevitable that some of these people will be from various races, backgrounds, economic situations, religions and more. This knowledge will equip them to foster and sustain meaningful relationships and interactions with the different people they meet.

General education courses introduce students to diverse curriculum that ultimately aims to expand the student’s worldview.  

The skills learned in college are more important and useful to students than the actual content they learn. Critical and analytic thinking skills are two of those. Once a student learns to think critically, they can conquer a wide variety of coursework.

A well-cultivated thinker raises critical questions, gathers and assesses relevant information, makes reasonable conclusions and communicates effectively with others.

Critical thinking skills are invaluable. A person that cultivates the ability to take charge of their own mind can take charge of their own life.

Another vital role that general education classes play is introducing students to something they may be interested in pursuing in college.

Many college students enter college without being particularly sure of what they expect to get out of it. General education classes are a chance for students to explore their options while still taking courses that count toward their degree.

There may be students who feel that they know exactly what they want out of college or know exactly what major they want. These students may feel that general education classes are a waste of time and would rather spend their time taking classes that will make them more knowledgeable about their major.

Their reasoning may be compelling, yet the truth is that many of them only think that they know.

According to research done by Pennsylvania State University and other institutions, 50 percent of college students change their major at least once before graduation. Some of these students change their majors multiple times.  

In addition, up to 80 percent of students entering college admit they are not certain what they should major in.

My freshman year, I thought that I had it all figured out. I knew what degree I wanted and exactly what classes I would need to get it. Then, something strange occurred.

I started to find myself interested in topics that I had never otherwise thought of. General education courses exposed me to those subjects.

Something else interesting began to happen. I started discovering links between diverse coursework. Those links revealed the interdisciplinary tracks of thought in the academic system.

In other words, I was finally able to recognize the overlapping ideologies and concepts in different subjects. This was crucial for me, not only because it expanded the realm of possibilities for me, but also because it allowed me to see my future in a new light.

General education courses do indeed have a purpose in academic institutions. That purpose is to mold students into well-rounded individuals with the ability to think critically and adapt to new environments.