ANTH 202: Archeology: Our Human Past ranks among the favorite GE-C options for fulfilling one of the two Social Analysis requirements to graduate. This likely comes down to the beloved professor at the helm of it, Tracy Mayfield.

We have all complained about the GE system at USC. Whether it’s having to read tons of books as a STEM student or remembering how to do math as a musician, GEs often put us in uncomfortable spots, take up a lot of time, and feel entirely unrelated to both our current work and our future careers. There’s no denying that there are many flaws in USC’s general education system from just how many of these credits you have to take and the money you pour into them, the lack of options with pages worth of WebReg dedicated to classes only open to certain majors, and the amount of work and expertise that can be expected in a field you have no background with. Trust me, I’ve done my fair share of complaining. But as a senior this year, I’m learning to embrace the GEs and make the best of the situation.

By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25

One of the most nail-biting GEs is GE-E: Physical Science. With one mention, you’re transported back into your high school biology class. Can I guarantee an easy A? No. But I can guarantee that you’ll learn theory and hard skills that are extremely valuable in the tech industry with LING 285: Language and Technology.

By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25

LING 115 is one of the most popular GE-C’s for a reason. It covers topics like what is classified as a language (spoiler: it’s more complicated than you think), multilingualism, psychology, and slang words just to name a few of the many topics. Regardless of your major, if you like to learn how humans speak (without having to learn *gasp* IPA), give LING 115 a try.

By: Kelsey Cheng ‘25

This class shreds what you think you know about the scientific world and then builds it back up again. It opened my eyes to questions I never even thought to wonder, and then it gave me the framework for answering them for myself.

By: Dara Udobong ‘23

So I’ve been around the block (if I I do say so myself), and after almost 3 years of higher education and only 2 more GE’s to go, I’d say I have an above average grasp on some of the best GE’s to take in select categories. Getting your class schedule together is one thing, but picking just the right GE that fits in with your core classes is a whole different ballgame. With the breadth of choice afforded to us with our general education classes, who wouldn’t want to pick the right one? And I know, I know—sometimes, it all comes down to the professor. That’s why in this article, I’ll be including some of my best GE’s to date with an aweso