Topic 14 Should university students be required to attend classes?

Should university students be required to attend classes? There are two different opinions. Some people claim that attending classes is a must to students. Other people, however, argue that it should be up to the students to decide whether they need to go or not. As far as I am concerned, no matter whether students like it or not, they must attend classes.

Students who do not like to go to classes have their reasons. The main one is, they can learn knowledge by themselves. If they were asked to attend the class in which the professor teaches something they already have known, it would be a pain. By not attending class, students can control their time more freely and are likely not to waste time.

Although I agree that there are maybe one or two advantages of not attending classes, I insist that the advantages of attending classes far overweigh that of not attending. In the first place, professors can teach students a lot of things that are not written in the books, such as the way of thinking. In the dictionary, a university is defined to be a place where teachers lecture what they know to students. Books normally offer just concentrated knowledge. How the authors developed their ideas and reached their conclusions is usually not written in the books. How to answer these questions? Go to the classes. The professors will not only teach you knowledge, but also teach you methodologies and answer your questions, face to face.

In the second place, students will benefit from seminars and group discussions with their classmates when they attend classes. It is a society that emphasizes on the importance of communication and listening to other people's opinions and ideas. It is very important to share your ideas and knowledge with other people. In a class, the professor often gives some topics for students to discuss. In the discussions, a student will be surprised that he/she can get so many fresh thoughts and ideas from his/her fellow students.

In conclusion, I believe that students should attend classes not only because professors can teach you knowledge and methods, but also because students can learn from each other in the classes. In short, one must attend classes if one chooses to attend university.