Extremely difficult and doesn’t sound like they planned their schooling out the best. But the exact reason it is difficult is the reason why Americans have been more desirable to be hired internationally until very recently. Because Americans have been given such a broad array of knowledge we are jacks of all trades and masters of some. Most countries teach such a narrow field that there is no overlap and companies would rather hire someone who can do half a dozen things. It’s unfortunate that we are starting to be more narrow in our schools, it is such an advantage to be well rounded!Sounds a lot like me. In order to get to the botany classes for my degree, I had to take Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry AND Physics (as well as a full slate of English, Language, History and other Liberal Arts classes every year. My school was big on the "Renaissance Man who has Mastered Everything School of Thought" . Moreover you had to take most of these in your first year AT THE SAME TIME if you wanted enough time to take all of the courses in your actual major. And ALL of them were weeding out classes. I did so badly the first year I got put on suspension for a year. And even when I got back (after having taken enough classes at the local much easier college to more or less make up the difference. The Physics (which has almost Kept me out of graduating High School before) almost sunk me again immediately ( I only squeaked by because it was such a killer nearly EVERYONE failed and the teacher graded on a curve and took pity on me*)
After that, I had ZERO interest in trying for Organic Chemistry there (which was rumored to be the greatest killer of them all) I took it over the summer at the local college and they accepted the credits.
*Sort of, The teacher had had bad experiences with a brother with mental problems, and noted the signs of them in me. The problem was he was TERRIBLE about how to approach that with someone who was scared like me (Note if you are trying to get someone help, do not 1. Ask the medical staff if they can prescribe mood altering drugs WITHOUT ever seeing the person. and 2. Do NOT talk about how much you want to see them undergo electroshock.)