General education courses consume approximately $14,000 of in-state tuition, or three semesters of students’ collegiate career. Students, what would you do with that money and time instead? Explore the world? Invest in a business? Give back to the community? Pay for alternative learning programs or classes that actually aligned with your career desires? Imagine how students could maximize their time and spending without the current general education requirements. West Chester University must change their general education requirements to better equip students for the world before them before it’s too late.
General education requirements are in place to fulfill a well-rounded education experience for all students. Upon graduation, students depart from West Chester University equipped for the real world and as a current West Chester University student, I will leave this university wiser than I came. However, I am certain that confidence is not owed to my memorization of rocks for Geology 101 or the countless hours spent studying the history of Romeo and Juliet for acting class (for reference, my major is business marketing).
I appreciate the effort all West Chester University instructors invest into general education, but I can’t help but consider how students’ time and money can be put to better use in fulfilling their Bachelor’s degrees. I also believe I am not the only student to come to this realization. Studies show that admission rates for Bachelor degree programs are experiencing a significant decline. College enrollment was already on the decline before COVID-19’s impact on the economy put college out of reach for many, and/or spurred many to consider the cost versus benefit of a traditional four-year program.
According to National Public Radio reporter Elissa Nadworny, college student enrollment rate has decreased by 11% since 2011. Nadworny expressed the biggest factor in the decline was, prior to COVID-19, the strong economy. The stronger the economy, the lower the percentage of unemployment, attesting to the theory of students discovering alternative routes in entering the workforce.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) writer Ashley Wallis explains the importance of general education courses. Wallis argues that they reshape student’s outlook on learning, develop interpersonal skills and introduce all to a variety of disciplines. The first goal, “reshape outlook on learning,” is difficult to consider. Sitting in an 8 a.m. lecture, learning about the stages of mitosis and cell division while pursuing my degree in business felt counteractive and shaped a negative outlook on learning.
While I have considered the argument by SNHU, I stand behind my beliefs and research on the benefits students gain from real-world experience. An additional alternative option to general education courses should include a form of real-world experience required for all students. As stated in “The Chronicle of Higher Education” by George D. Kuh, “research suggests that working during college is related to acquiring such employer-preferred skills as teamwork and time management.” Working in the real world during a student’s collegiate career, no matter the job, provides students with practical views of the world before them and overall builds character set for success.
As I approach graduation, my abundant curiosity prompts me to think how my transition into the workforce could have better aligned myself both financially and professionally, had I chosen an alternative route. The statistics are evident, and it is out of utmost respect that I bring them to the attention of my university. A call to action must be made in order for the security and increase of future admission rates into West Chester University.
Tiffany Daskivich is a fourth-year Business Marketing major with a minor in Media & Culture. TD884375@wcupa.edu