by Cody Hodge

Created on: March 15, 2009

Your college education is a very important thing, and you should take it very seriously. A lot goes into maximizing your college education, and getting the best possible result from that education. If you want to get out of school with good job opportunities, and a bright future, it all depends on what you put into the four years you spend as an undergraduate. You need to pick a good school, one that will fit your needs, and find a major that you like. What about the elective courses? What should you look for in those classes?

The elective classes are classes that fill out your transcript, and give you a well rounded education. The elective classes are typically up to the student to choose, and typically cover a wider range of topics than you might see in a course designed for a major. For example, I had to take three science courses, and I took two courses in Biology, and one in Physics. Not being a math major, and not very good at science, I was a little nervous.

However, I ended up taking Astronomy 101, Biology in Society, and Environmental Issues. These were not your standard science classes in the least, and I never had to go to a lab, or do any experiments. The classes dealt more with issues that I would actually have some knowledge of, and concepts that I actually wanted to learn about. Some of the areas covered were global warming, death in society, evolution vs creationism, and other topics that wouldn't be covered in a typical science class.

I also took an elective course called Word Up!, which was a class that explored the different mindsets of various cultures. Although the class was technically an English class, most of the discussions were about race relations. I learned to open to my mind to different viewpoints, and was forced to confront issues about race in America that I had never even thought of before. We discussed topics like inter-racial marriage, slavery, and affirmative action.

These classes taught me a lot about the world around me, and forced me to change some of my viewpoints on life. I saw the world as a much different place after going through those courses, and actually found them to be very interesting. What made them so interesting was that I was actually finding myself researching these topics more in-depth, and voluntarily learning more about the things I was learning in class.

I would say that the best elective courses are the ones that will force you to confront the world, and your mindset. You never really live until you see the world for what it is. Nothing is black and white, and that really hits home when you enter the working world after college, and the world of being an adult. Expand your mind, and choose courses that force you to learn things that might be outside of the box.

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