The value of CORE classes? (by anon)

This is a noteworthy comment left on an earlier post.  It came just recently, but it's worth opening up the debate again...

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The CORE classes do have some value. As much as I do actually dislike having to sit through these classes that I may be uninterested in, most teachers start out by addressing that these courses are primarily for teaching students to think critically and teach essential skills like reading apprehension. Despite the fact that it is true that each professor will emphasize different elements in each subject, most of the critical skills will still be worked. I think the biggest reason students don't take these classes seriously is because they are labeled as "required" and "general" and this immediately turns most students attention away. A lot of students don't realize that school ended in high school and this is actually our job, and even those who do realize this still just want to try and slack and have fun with their friends during these four years that they have been told are "the best four years" of their lives. So it isn't just the courses themselves but the mindsets of the students coming in that have been shaped by previous causes or conditions. I, personally, would rather not take these courses and focus on what my major is, but I still value the learning I receive from them.