Member-only story
The Plight of the Perpetual College Student
I applaud anyone who finished their degree in four years (or whatever timeframe your program requests), got an internship and/or entry-level job, and managed to rinse the stink of “student” off themselves. Bravo.
I’m serious. It’s tough these days. In an age of rising costs (especially for tuition) combined with wage growth that doesn’t keep pace, more students are finding that they have to work their way through school, which detracts from their studies. In many cases, this makes the degree-getting a long game. Indeed, only 19 to 36 percent of students graduate “on time,” and while some blame a flawed academic plan or lack of skills, 40 percent of undergraduate students and 76 percent of graduate students work at least 30 hours a week. That’s 30 hours not spent studying or recharging, and can even prevent some students from being full-time students, which is the only way you’ll graduate on time.
That was my life. I was in college off and on for 14 years. I struggled to finish on time due to my mental health issues, having to work through college (and still, despite winning scholarships, I racked up debt), an abusive relationship, and bureaucratic nonsense. When I went back for grad school, I experienced all that again, tripled. Throughout the process, I was taken less seriously at work because I was a “student” — even when I wasn’t.
