Emily Bingham's column "Required classes bog down schedule, not needed for good education" (SN 10/23) really struck a chord with me.

I was in the midst of recovering from the news that I have to retake a biology lab that I've already completed and passed. During a study abroad in Australia last semester, I took a biology class that included three lectures a week and a three-hour lab every week. Despite the documentation of the work I completed, I've been denied the lab credit.

Up until this point, I have managed to work my own way through school without having to go into debt and will just barely graduate in four years. Now, I will be graduating late and incurring debt that will delay my departure to teach English in Japan next year.

As a journalism student, I've had to take three math classes and two science classes. I struggled through each of these as I'm not gifted in science and math, but knowing that I would have to pay for them again if I did not pass, I put forth a lot of extra effort in help rooms and office hours. Remembering all those hours working toward a goal of graduating on time without debt was what made me feel as though I'd been slapped in the face that morning when I discovered it was going to happen anyway.

I can't wait to pay this university another $440 (nearly my monthly income) to dissect a rat again.

Lucia Novara
journalism senior