Each student should have greater authority in how they experience their time as a college student because of the fact that they are the ones who are paying for it. College students are investing in their own education. As such, they should have a greater authority and how they choose to use their time during that process.
Still, there are those who may still not have the level of responsibility needed in order to make such crucial decisions about their education. Many students might not have the discipline to study on their own, and thus mandatory attendance actually makes the benefit from forcing them to study in a more fruitful educational environment, with the added advantage of knowledgeable professor guidance. However, this is still not enough of a reason for college professors to instill mandatory attendance policies. In fact, students who do not have the level of responsibility needed it for a college education will have to learn the discipline to get through their
They must learn on their own importance of attending class and the level of independent work that would need to increase when they miss classes. For those who do not learn the lesson, it is the harsh reality that they may not be able to deal with the strenuous life of a college student. As such, attendance policies only keep students in college who might have otherwise made the decision to drop out or leave to find something more suited to their lifestyle and mindset.
It is clear that college students should be able to decide on their own attendance behavior based on their level of maturity and discipline, but also their own internal knowledge of how they learn. With each college student having to find a way to fund their own education, they know the stakes of their education better than any high school student. College professors should respect their student and treat them as responsible adults and as such, not rely on mandatory attendance policies in order to pass students.
