<p>Notice the word required…it means you need it to graduate. </p>
<p>Most colleges do it now because kids, especially at large schools and away from home tend to pull poor grades in the 1st semester. DS didn’t have to take it, but our friends daughter at another school is required, most of the class is really about how to write term papers. In some univ. the course is a full yr. Fail it 1st semester, and you have to re-take it all over again next yr as a soph. Why? Because it is required! Look at it like Econ or Psych or any other class that is required, you can’t skip it, you need it to grad.</p>