No matter how good your ideas are, they are meaningless if you cannot convey them in writing. Good writing is clear and concise. It makes points obviously and early in every essay. It takes very hard work for most of us. It integrates your own words and the arguments and data of others with skill.
Good writing is absolutely crucial in almost any career.
A fourth and final skill is time management . I appreciate that you are very busy, even overburdened. For these reasons, I try to be as clear about course requirements, expectations and grading at the very beginning about class. There are a variety of ways to do well in this class, but you still need to have a realistic plan at the beginning of the semester for being involved in class and scheduling required work. I expect a pretty consistent level of involvement with the course.