Wouldn't you like this course to have been a requirement for your degree?

Question

On the Clark Howard show, he recently mentioned that 10% of universities are currently instituting a "life studies" course as a REQUIREMENT for all their degrees. In this course it teaches students how to properly maintain their debt, how to balance a checkbook, how to build credit and maintain it, how to rebuild credit after it becomes bad, the best ways to look for a new career, etc. Basically all the best information a college graduate would need before going out there into the real world. On top of that, a requirement within the class is to prepare a will.

Now doesn't that class sound like one of the most important classes any student can take. Wouldn't you rather have that as a required class for your degree instead of "English Composition II" or "Sociology"? I'm surprised it's currently only offered at around 10% of the universities out there.

Seahawk you bring up a good point. I too learned some of this info during college, (my Financial Banking class for one), but they were all inconveniently sparsed throughout several classes. Having one class for this has a much better impact upon the student, and I particularly like your idea of offering it within high school. Talk about rightfully preparing the student well ahead of time.

Oh and David S, I saw how you had originally misspelled "dis", currently have "Sociaology" and "Engineerng" mispelled, and have a capital letter placed within the middle of a sentence. Hmm...I suppose your "ignorance" claim can be applied to all.

Answer 1

As a student, I would love to have that class, but I imagine the credit cards and loan agencies that make money off of the interest accrued when people who don't know better let a couple of monthly payments slide aren't quite as happy for the general public to become more financially savvy.

With the net and even Yahoo! answers, it's getting harder for the for-profits to make a quick buck. Spam, phone, and internet scams are finding fewer helpless targets as people are warned when to and not to give away their sensitive account information. So I imagine there's someone out there lobbying for some people NOT to be informed of these important tidbits of life, lest they loose their prey of unsuspecting victims...

I can't say I agree with the money-hungry corporate jungle, I think it is imperative today's youth be taught these life lessons: its a part of the socialization to become a functioning part of modern American society.

I just wonder if it shouldn't be taught earlier. There was no "Life 101" class at my college, but I did learn interest management and good credit management information in my Survey of Math class. Interest, credit cards, and even taxes were also covered in my Economics class. And I learned important facts about how all areas of the government and how we as citizens interact with various government agencies in both my American Government class and my sociology class. One of the most valuable classes I took was Sociology of Organizations, which talked about everything from schools, to churches, to businesses, to corporations, to the state, federal and local governments. So I think I received a lot of this good information over my four years at University - what I worry about is those young people who choose not to go to college, which is a perfectly acceptable choice, but they may miss out on this information, whether it comes from various classes or this one "life studies" class. Actually, it's often people who go off on their own young before their parents can really sit down and teach them this stuff that often end up with debt and those other problems.

I think this course should be taught at the High School level, so all the adolescents that will be our future can have that experience.

Answer 2

Sad but true, a lot of people are entering college now who actually NEED a course like this.

As for English composition, after reading some of the semi-literate stuff posted here, how can you diss it?

Same for Sociaology, Look at how many of the biases expressed here are based on ignorance.

Answer 3

I took a course similar to this. It was called personal finance, though. Our professor made it more of a how to make money, manage it, build credit, etc. instead of math based. I loved it and really learned a lot!

Answer 4

yes but i think engish 2 is very important especially with all the papers that are required but adding a class like that would be helpful to all students.

Answer 5

That's a wonderful idea, especially for those who would not have those skills otherwise. I'd take the course even if it weren't required.