If you're still in high school, it may seem weird to have someone point out this particular topic. If you or your parents are paying such a high price tag to put you through college, why wouldn't you go to every class? However, once you're in the depths of your college coursework, there are plenty of excuses that come to mind.
It's early. You don't feel too well. There are 100 students in the class and attendance isn't required. I could go on and on. However, there is an equally long list of reasons why you should make every effort to go to class.
YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT
This is the most obvious. If you're paying for any type of service, you would want to utilize that service to the fullest extent. In college, that "service" is an education. My parents are supporting me through college, and I would hate the idea of telling them that I was struggling because I didn't go to class. If nothing else, go to class because it's such a waste of money if you don't go.
Attendance/Participation Matters
Even in large classes, many professors have ways of taking attendance and giving you a grade for it. In one class, my professor took attendance online in the middle of class. You needed the code given by the professor to be marked present. In another class, we had pop quizzes and assignments. By submitting these assignments, the professor would know who was present.
Even if attendance is only 5-10% of your overall grade, I personally would want to have that extra boost at the end of the semester. Don't you agree?
One last point on this matter: in my first Business Math class, the professor added a few extra points to your grade if you attended every class for the semester. If that isn't an incentive, I don't know what is.
Building a Rapport With The Professor
I can personally attest to this point in more than one case.
In my fall semester, I was enrolled in one particular class with 120 students. It was a General Education type of class, and so few students needed it for their actual degree program. Therefore, students would only stick around for attendance. If there was a quiz, they'd stay for as long as it took to finish it, and then leave. Even from the vast majority that did stay, so few tried to connect to the professor. However, I would chat with the professor before class started, and my name and face stuck out to her. Remember, these people are professionals that have dedicated their entire careers to a particular subject. Making a connection with their students is the ultimate payoff for many professors.
In the spring, I was enrolled in an early morning class. So many students dropped the class due to the early start time. Even out of those who stayed, only half the students showed up on a regular basis. This came back to help me when I was struggling on my final project. Professors tend to be more willing to help students who regularly attend class. This wasn't my strongest subject, so it was nice to have the extra support from the professor.
Creating Friendships
As with any new experience, you'll want to establish connections in college. In large lecture halls, the people seated around you will be your lifeline. You'll share notes after class, study for finals together, and create friendships along the way. The two girls I sat with in my Intro to Sociology class made the 75 minute lecture bearable; in the end, I grew as much socially in that class as I did academically.
At the end of the day, you'll make many tough choices in college. Don't let class attendance become a choice.