9 College Courses That Will Pay off ...

1. Psychology

It is so interesting to learn about how people think and why people do certain things. And if you’re the kind of person who prefers something more on the side of the hard sciences, Neuropsychology is the class for you! When I took my Neuropsychology course at Stanford, my mind was blown away (pun intended)! We studied the connections between the brain and the body. We learned so much about memory, theories and experiments, and parts of the brain and how it works. Psychology is definitely one of the college courses that will pay off: it equipped me with knowledge that will be useful in the work field because I learned how to understand people and basic brain functions.

2. Statistics or Economics

Before you cringe because you abhor math, hear me out!
Economics isn’t math! It’s actually a social science, and it’s really cool because you learn about how people choose to use resources. Statistics is a basic course for research, and it’s really great if you can follow research proposals. Imagine how smart you’ll feel when you understand how data was gathered, what methods were used, and the interpretation of the results!

3. Philosophy

I’m not going to lie: philosophy is hard! In fact, of all the courses on this list, I would say that philosophy was the most difficult class for me. It is a very deep subject that involves historical readings, debates, and questioning. I was introduced to more prominent philosophers, and the discussions in class took me well beyond my expected scope of understanding. My other philosophy class, Justifying Justice at Home and Abroad, was a social and political philosophy class. This class was equally as enjoyable, and I was exposed to more of the basics of philosophy, which was incredibly useful. Philosophy will pay off in the sense that you will learn to not just question (which isn’t all philosophers do, I promise!), but you will learn to weigh your options and then ask deeper questions.

4. Sociology

If you love learning about society and societal issues, then you will love sociology! Sociology, like many other fields, has very different focuses, many of which are incredibly sensitive topics. In an introduction class, the main topics include race, gender, and class. The discussions in class are really engaging, and it’s so good to learn and be aware of issues that are currently affecting societal progress.

5. English Composition

Regardless of your (future) job, you will very likely have to write something. English composition helped sharpen my writing skills and taught me the importance of details. It might be painful to get though, but it will help you become a more active writer. Trust me, this will be a class that you won’t regret!

6. Government or American Studies

Even if you don’t enjoy the news now, you will inevitably start reading it more and more because knowing about current events is really important. It’s also important to know what the news is talking about, which is why taking an Introduction to Government or American Studies class is crucial. These classes taught me about more about the history of our country and how our government works.

7. Foreign Language

I strongly believe that language barriers are so unfortunate. That’s why I think that learning more languages is always a good thing! It makes traveling all the more enjoyable, too! And foreign language courses usually involve a lot of culture and literature, so not only are you becoming more fluent in another language, but you’re gaining cultural capital! For example, Spanish courses teach you the language and applications. Additionally, there is usually literature, art, and media that aid the learning.

8. Literature

To me, literature is a completely different world from English composition. In literature, you learn to analyze English composition. You learn about the methods of literary study and try to break down meanings. I find literature class incredibly satisfying because the analysis that is done in class always makes me feel like I’m uncovering something really important! A literature class will teach you to break down meanings and analyze the text within a reasonable sphere of speculation.

9. Computer Science

In a world that is booming with technology, knowing basic computer coding will only help you. Computer Science I or any intro Computer Science course might seem like such a different world, especially if it’s completely new to you. But ever since I learned how to code, it’s made me feel and seem more well rounded, and I’m able to understand the inner workings of webpages, which we all use every day!

So that’s it, ladies! These classes prepped me for so much, and I have a wider range of knowledge in more topics that I could’ve ever imagined. Have you taken any of these classes? Did you like them? What other classes do you think helped you prepare for ‘the real word’?