Composition courses tend to be on underclassman “back-burner,” but why? The content covered in most composition courses will be useful now and in the future. Here’s some of the reasons why comp classes rock:
1. Your professor wants you to thrive.
“I love it when my students fail” – said no professor ever. Your composition instructor wants to inspire, help, and support you, so let them! A majority of comp instructors are graduate students or adjunct professors. This group of higher education instructors loves teaching so much that they do it while taking courses, teaching at multiple universities, or both!
2. Composition teaches you how to be an amazing communicator.
Regardless of profession, communication is a must! Many employers look for individuals who are able to communicate and work in a team-based setting. Composition teaches you how to interact in a professional, effective way.
3. It’s going to better your analytical, organization, and research skills.
Composition may be one of the first courses of your college career. This allows you to improve your academic writing before moving on to higher level classes. You are learning to write so that you can write to learn. Solidifying the basics of academic writing early makes your major-required courses easier.
4. Writing is required in nearly every profession.
In one way or another writing is used in almost every profession. The gritty details of academic writing may become lost eventually, but the fundamentals will stay with you. Everyone should know how to craft a tasteful email or report without grammatical error.
5. Composition courses teach you how to cite properly.
Plagiarism is no joke in the world of academia. The consequences are wide ranging, but typically result in expulsion. Whether or not plagiarism is intended or accidental rarely matters to an academic disciplinarian. Composition courses drill MLA, APA, and other formats into your brain. This will be useful at any point in your life. For example, First Lady Melania Trump could have used a composition class before her 2016 RNC speech where she plagiarized Michelle Obama’s 2008 DNC speech.