As I'm planning my college schedule, I'd like to know: what classes do the majority of college students take? Any standard, must-have courses I should be aware of?
The specific classes that college students take can vary quite a bit depending on their chosen major, school, and personal interests. However, generally, most students take a combination of general education/requisite courses and courses for their major.
General education requirements are classes that every student is required to take, regardless of their major. These often include:
- English Composition: This is a fundamental course that helps students develop writing skills, often with a focus on research-based writing.
- Humanities: This usually includes courses like history, philosophy, or literature to develop students' critical thinking skills.
- Mathematics: Depending on your school and your major, this could be anything from college algebra to calculus or statistics.
- Natural Sciences: This usually encompasses biology, chemistry, physics, or earth sciences. Some schools require lab work as well.
- Social Sciences: Classes might include psychology, sociology, or economics.
Another category of typical college courses are core courses required by your major. For example, if you're an economics major, you might have to take Introduction to Microeconomics and Macroeconomics, Calculus, and Econometrics.
Finally, there are electives, which are courses that may not directly link to your major or general education requirements, but allow you to explore personal interests or broaden your skills.
I'd recommend speaking with an academic advisor at your school, who can provide you with a comprehensive list of required and elective courses for your degree plan. They can also walk you through the process of planning your schedule in a way that distributes your workload reasonably over your college career.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.