Help! My daughter wants to take a Beatles class?

Question

She wants us to pay for a class that analyzes the music and lyrics of The Beatles! She goes to an expensive private university and this 1 course is going to cost a lot of money. What do you think I should do? Do you think the class is worth the money?

Sorry I should have included that she has her 120 credits she needs to graduate. SHe's just taking extra courses now, so no more electives needed.

Answer 1

Most parents don't have a clue to what their sons and daughters do in college so it sounds like you have well positioned yourself. I went through my undergraduate education with barely any assistance from my parents and I am funding every cent of my graduate studies so if your daughter is taking classes for fun, she should do it on her own time and money. She has an option of going to a JC or a publicly funded university in the evenings after her work if she wants to take classes out of self-interest. I think if she is taking extra classes, they should be in more useful subjects or even perhaps improving her GPA, if she has to, for a graduate school if she ever decides to go in the future. What is she doing taking a freshman class now?

Answer 2

If she is done with her requirements, then what's the big deal? There is nothing wrong with more education - would you rather her not take anything? Or would you rather her take a course analyzing British poetry or something? Same sort of deal. Some of the Beatles stuff is great for reflecting upon the times it was written. Anything that teaches your child to anaylze and makes her write is something that will help her later in life, whether for reports at work, cover letters, etc. If this is how she can get practice, then I don't see what the problem is.

You could always make her pay for it if you either can't really afford it (which she should understand) or if it is bothering you that much. But really, she is pursuing what makes her happy and you should support her in what she likes, you mean mister mustard.

Answer 3

I'd say it should be fine if she has good grades and it is something she is interested in. Ha ha, right now on my computer I am listening to "Let It Be". The Beatles have influenced more bands and artists than probably anyone except Elvis. I think it's important to take a fun class every now and then, to give yourself something to look forward to and enjoy a little bit. Most college classes don't teach you anything that you will ever use, and she'll hear Beatles songs on the radio way more often than she'll use most of the other college classes she'll take. Music is the most important thing in the world to me, and I talk about songs with people all the time. Besides, if you can afford to send her to an expensive private school, then you can afford to let her take a class she is interested in.

Answer 4

Music is such a huge part of my life. I paid extra $ in college to take a Rock & Roll History course. It was worth it - I feel like I became exposed to music that my parents appreciated, to origins of hip hop ideas, and to messages of political importance that a lot of musicians were going for.

There's a lot of...well...let's be fair. What's on the radio now is garbage. There's no message, there's no love, there's no honor of women or families. While I am a hip hop head, what I learned in my Rock & Roll History course was where these political / radical messages came from. What music is SUPPOSED to be about.

Knowing that the Beatles were all about a message of love and humanity and peace? Where else is your daughter going to find that now? Certainly not on MtV, VH1, or BET. I say it's worth the money.

Answer 5

As "impactful" as the Beatles were to American rock music, and I know because I was there, I would say to my daughter if that were to be the case, "If you've got the money, rock on. If not, forget it!!" I hope I have been of help. I have a daughter, age 21, and a son, age 22, so I know what you're going through. God Bless you.

Answer 6

I took a rock and roll music class that was similar to this when i was in college. This course fulfilled one of our general requirements for art. If it can be used to fulfill a requirement like that, then I think it should be ok.

Answer 7

It's an elective. She needs those to graduate.

Answer 8

if it's something she really wants to do tell her to pay for it! What she needs to do is focus on graduating and if she has finished all her requirements then let her do what she wants.... but if it bothers you tell her this one is on her not on you.