The 2006-07 Creighton University Fact Book estimates that a mere 60.7 percent of Creighton undergrads complete their college education within four years. As tuition approaches $30,000, and scholarships and financial aid generally don’t cover coursework past four years, it is important to learn why.

Creighton requires at least 60 credits of core classes. That’s almost half of the 128 credits necessary to graduate.

By comparison, Loyola University Chicago, a Jesuit college of comparable prestige to Creighton, has its students take only 45 credits of required coursework. Standard classes at Loyola are worth three credits, as is the case at Creighton.

An example closer to home is that of Creighton’s honors program, which requires 46 core credits.

Most l8-year-old college freshmen are confused about their futures and are prone to frequently change their minds. Many, if not most, students change majors at least once in their college careers.

Often, these changes are radical. Everyone knows a pre-med bio major who discovered that his true passion is studying ancient Greek philosophy.

Changing majors and graduating within four years without taking summer classes or taking an unhealthy number of courses each semester is very difficult given the core curriculum.

Creighton must realize that its students are young people who are just beginning to grasp what their passions are and that they should be given more freedom to experiment and take classes outside the core that help them learn about themselves.

It is unfair for students to accumulate even more debt than they already have just because they didn’t know they wanted to be humanities majors or prepared for dental school as freshmen.

Eighteen credits of “Theology, Philosophy and Ethics” are too much. Yes, students should learn about the Catholic theology and Jesuit spirituality that is crucial to the university’s identity. However, Creighton is not a Jesuit seminary. Many of these courses should be fused and their focus should be broadened.

Meanwhile, the modern Western world and non-Western history requirements could be fused to become a more comprehensive world history, while World Literature I and II could become one course. These are just a few suggestions about how to make the core less constraining.

All American college students should experience a liberal arts education and gain knowledge in various subjects. Yet, the focus of their studies should above all be their chosen major.