“Why do I have to take this class? When am I going to use this in real life?” Many students ask themselves these questions as they look through their graduation requirements, planning their schedules accordingly. These graduation requirements are a set of criteria we must meet in order to graduate, and they include categories of classes and how many years we have to take them. We are required to have eight credits in English, six credits in math, four in science, six in social studies, two in applied science & technology/fine arts, one in consumer education, one in health, and nine in electives (and one credit in public speaking for freshmen.)

The issue, however, goes beyond these numbers.

To some, these requirements are too restrictive and do not allow enough enough flexibility. For example, some might ask, “Why would a student who is a very talented and interested engineer have to study Shakespeare every year? Why would a budding musician with recognized talent in band or orchestra have to take three years of social studies? Isn’t it just a waste of time?”

Junior Danny Thompson agrees.

“All students have different needs and ambitions, so they shouldn’t have to take the same classes,” he said.

I agree. To me, it’s silly that, beyond the basics, a student would have to study more than his or her interests. Being a math-minded student, I would like to be able to take more math classes than just one per year. I could be taking an extra class such as AP Statistics or Math Modeling, but my schedule is too constrained by the nine-period schedule and classes I have to take, such as Spanish. As a result, I think that I’m missing opportunities to expand on what I enjoy most: math.

Some other students feel the same way with subjects that they enjoy.

“From junior year you should start focusing on what you would like to do for your career,” senior Dyonesis Ayala said, who wants to be a veterinary technician. “Your counselor should help you decide those classes with you instead of placing you in classes that you are required to take.”

On the other hand, some agree with the requirements and argue these classes teach skills necessary for the rest of our lives, even if they have little to do with our professions. Among them is sophomore English teacher Jody Weatherington, who believes that required classes like English teach important life skills.

“English teaches more than just literature. It teaches how to think, communicate, and how to read at more than just the literal level,” she said.

Additionally, it’s difficult to just blame the graduation requirements. Highly-selective colleges and universities often require certain numbers of credits in certain subjects, such as four years of math or a foreign language. Even if the constraints at West were lessened, there’s still the factor of colleges preventing us from taking classes that we want.

This is a problem. Looking for a well-rounded student, in my opinion, isn’t always the right approach. Sure, it sounds great to say that someone is pretty good at everything, but that often means that he or she is not as talented in one field as he or she could be. After all, the great geniuses of history are known for their skill in one field, not many. No one says that Einstein or Van Gogh were well-rounded. They are known for their fields of expertise. They paved the way in the subjects that they mastered. Einstein pursued science, which he probably enjoyed the most, and ended up succeeding, which would probably not have happened if he decided to pursue many subjects instead of just one.

The bottom line is that everyone should learn and practice what they enjoy most, not just whatever they are told to. In this way, students can develop their abilities in the field that they want to pursue.

So no matter whether you’d like more freedom in your schedule or believe in learning important life skills, we’d like to hear your opinion. Just how important are required classes?