College classes are vastly different from high school classes, especially when it comes to attendance. In college, attendance isn’t always mandatory, depending on the professor. Attendance should be mandatory in all college classes so students get the most out of college and what they are paying for.
Attendance in classes is extremely important because showing up is how students learn the material. Although there are classes offered online asynchronously, studies show students learn better when they are in the classroom. NIU even recommends students show up to classes.
Attendance also teaches discipline and prepares students for life after college. Once students graduate and enter the workforce, they will have to learn to show up for their job. If they don’t show up for their job, they will get fired. Mandatory attendance could force students to adapt to a schedule of showing up and building their time management skills, which could help them in the long run.
Students also may tend to fall behind in their classes when they don’t attend them. Students, on average, tend to skip eight to 10 classes per semester. If they attended these, students would have the professor as a resource, whereas if they don’t attend class, they may not be able to receive help during class and may also miss important information.
College professors also – quite frankly – deserve better. When students don’t show up to class, it may be discouraging for the professor to teach in a half-empty room. Although professors still get paid regardless of whether students show up or not, it’s disrespectful to the professor if students don’t show up. Not showing up to class sends a message that you don’t appreciate the professor enough to show up to their class. Some classes may also be discussion-based, and if you don’t show up, the discussion aspect flops.
Although attendance should be mandatory, there are obvious exceptions to this. For example, if you get sick or have an emergency come up, then a good attendance policy would allow for exceptions like this. However, there is a difference between sickness or emergencies being legit, compared to using them as excuses.
Students against mandatory attendance may argue that since they are paying for the class, they don’t need to show up if they don’t want to. While that is true, students are also paying to learn. If students are spending money for a class and then do not show up, it’s a waste of money.
Required attendance in college classes is pivotal, not just for learning better, but also for preparing students for life after college.
