As students, we graduate either up to our eyeballs in debt or we are just lucky – and very few of us are that fortunate.

College tuitions are out of this world these days and we all suffer the price. We are told college is necessary, which I do agree, but our world does not place the same value on it as we are led to believe.

A bachelor’s degree is no longer as powerful as it used to be and many of us sign up for graduate school praying even more debt will hurtle us into the job market. I know this reality. I have seen this reality and, sometimes, the jobs just do not come.

My question, now, is why we have to jump through hundreds of hurdles to even graduate.

I am an English Major, with an emphasis on writing, which may not sound like much. But, it isn’t an easy degree. It is common misconception that an English degree is a piece of cake.

Those who say that couldn’t be more wrong.

To even graduate, we have to pass English Comprehensive Exams, otherwise known as Comps. If we do not pass, we have to take it continually until we do. I’ve heard of several students who have switched their majors because of Comps.

I was almost one of those students. When I heard of English Comprehensive Exams, after being accepted into Park University, I was miffed. I was dishing out money to this university to gain an education and my graduation depends on Comps? My graduation should depend on my grades.

Comps, to me, seem to be an unnecessary evil. We are told to read dozens upon dozens of articles, essays and stories. Then, we have to talk and write about them.

What is the point? I haven’t found a point to this yet. Don’t we do this in class anyway?

What makes this any different, other than the load itself, which are a heavy burden.

I know I am not alone in thinking so, and I know other degrees carry a similar burden. I don’t think these exams are necessary. I don’t think we take much from them or they are helpful to students individually.

I simply think Comprehensive Exams are just an added stress and not an addition to our education.