Classical Argument Structure

Intro ● Hook- Insert statistics/info about how expensive and/or time-consuming gen ed courses

are Colleges should require students to take general education classes if the number of required classes and the cost is reduced. The number of required general education classes could be reduced by only requiring classes that directly relate to a student's major.

Body Reason 1: By reducing the amount of required general education classes, students can work towards their degrees and complete their education faster while still gaining the same skills they would be taking an excessive amount of classes that don’t directly relate to a major. Students could learn even more skills due to taking classes that they’re more likely to enjoy because it relates to their major. This could promote academic improvement and overall student engagement in these classes.

● Insert statistics and info about exactly how many unnecessary credits take up students time in college

● Possibly opinions from students who agree with this reason Reason 2: college education would become affordable and student debt would decrease. By making college affordable, students may feel inclined to further their education and would have less of a financial burden.

● Insert statistics on how expensive college is ● Insert student opinion on how the cost of unnecessary classes affects students

financially Reason 3: Students can enter their desired workforce sooner and can invest more money into their careers rather than wasting it on unnecessary classes. By finishing education earlier, students can save more money and by entering the workforce they can start earning money sooner. Some students may already know exactly what they want and might want to get a jump start in their desired career.

Opposition: Colleges should not reduce the number of required gen ed classes and the cost. Acknowledge: Skeptics may argue that by reducing the required number of gen ed classes, students miss out on gaining broader education and knowledge. Accommodate: I do agree that expanding student knowledge is always beneficial, but broader education has always been taught in education prior to college. Why should students spend immense amounts of money, paying for multiple of the same classes that basically teach the same knowledge in different ways? Money used to pay for these classes could be used to invest in career-based education or their careers in general instead. Most of this knowledge will never even be used in their future careers. Instead, general ed classes could be incorporated into classes that directly relate to a student’s major. This would lower tuition costs and overall reduce the amount of time that would be spent on finishing college education.

Conclusion: By reducing the amount of required gen ed classes and the cost, students can finish their college education sooner while still gaining the same skills, they could enter their desired workforce sooner, and make college affordable, which would reduce student debt.