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A bachelor's degree is supposed to be a mark of well roundedness, not specialization. What is "well-roundedness" and why is it a good thing? I went to a good s

A bachelor's degree is supposed to be a mark of well roundedness, not specialization. What is "well-roundedness" and why is it a good thing? I went to a good school, and I was forced to take all of the worthless general requirements that had nothing to do with anything I cared about. The only thing I still have from those classes is debt. Most people I know tell me that they've had the same experience I did.

gammarator 16y ago
What is "well-roundedness" and why is it a good thing? A serious question: Have you ever, since you graduated, wished you knew more about a topic outside the field you got your degree in? Why? Ever wish you had more background in economics, history, politics, or science so you could have more informed opinions on the news or make better choices in your life or at the voting booth? Now, imagine you could go back and take a good intro course in some of those fields of interest, instead of the "worthless" ones you had. Would that kind of "well-rounded" be more satisfying?
- maxharris 16y ago
  I was a science major. Yet every topic I wish I had spent more time studying turned out to be technical. For example, I never took linear algebra, or a course on polymers. Why not let people be "well-rounded" in a field of their own choosing? We don't insist that every college applicant learn Greek and Latin anymore. Following this further, I can't think of a justification for insisting on any particular requirement at the university, other than to ensure that every graduate should complete a certain number of credit hours with some minimum average course difficulty level. If someone wants to study nothing but chemistry, physics and math, why get in their way? Who is anyone to get in the way of someone who knows what he wants? For those that don't know, how is telling them what they want a legitimate answer?
cparedes 16y ago
I ask myself that a lot, too. I usually refer to David Foster Wallace's graduation speech (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html) given to the class of 2005 at Kenyon College.
bphogan 16y ago
I graduated ten years ago. I am just now starting to regret not paying enough attention to those general education classes that I thought were wastes of my time. I wasn't mature enough to realize how important economics, marketing, political science, and sociology would be to me in 2011.

gammarator 16y ago

What is "well-roundedness" and why is it a good thing? A serious question: Have you ever, since you graduated, wished you knew more about a topic outside the field you got your degree in? Why? Ever wish you had more background in economics, history, politics, or science so you could have more informed opinions on the news or make better choices in your life or at the voting booth? Now, imagine you could go back and take a good intro course in some of those fields of interest, instead of the "worthless" ones you had. Would that kind of "well-rounded" be more satisfying?

maxharris 16y ago
I was a science major. Yet every topic I wish I had spent more time studying turned out to be technical. For example, I never took linear algebra, or a course on polymers. Why not let people be "well-rounded" in a field of their own choosing? We don't insist that every college applicant learn Greek and Latin anymore. Following this further, I can't think of a justification for insisting on any particular requirement at the university, other than to ensure that every graduate should complete a certain number of credit hours with some minimum average course difficulty level. If someone wants to study nothing but chemistry, physics and math, why get in their way? Who is anyone to get in the way of someone who knows what he wants? For those that don't know, how is telling them what they want a legitimate answer?

cparedes 16y ago

I ask myself that a lot, too. I usually refer to David Foster Wallace's graduation speech (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178211966454607.html) given to the class of 2005 at Kenyon College.

bphogan 16y ago

I graduated ten years ago. I am just now starting to regret not paying enough attention to those general education classes that I thought were wastes of my time. I wasn't mature enough to realize how important economics, marketing, political science, and sociology would be to me in 2011.