The idea of being in school for longer than four years sounds like torture for most college students. Most of us are ready to get out and explore the world. However, we find ourselves back in a classroom setting more often than not. Why is that? Are we really pursuing further education for its benefits, or are we just not ready to face the real world? Are we using school as a safety net?
The National Center for Education Statistics said only 59 percent of first-time college students complete their field of degree at a four year college in less than six years. The majority of students are not completing their degrees in four years.
Of those 59 percent, 55 percent are pursuing master’s degrees. The rest of us are just taking our time to finish college. We take the minimum amount of hours to make sure we do the best we can in our classes.
Those statistics seem like positive ones until you think about why students are pursuing these degrees. If most of us are still in school, who is receiving the career positions?
Society teaches us education is most important in this century. A bachelor’s degree is now equivalent to an associate’s degree. An associate’s degree is equivalent to a high school diploma. A high school diploma means absolutely nothing to most employers now. Society expects us to stay in school for as long as it takes to get the degree we need. However, some  college students may be using this as a crutch.
College is hard and stressful. It is difficult balancing schoolwork, a social life, sleep and for many of us, a part-time job. Because of this, we take the minimum amount of hours to cut down on our stress. Is it really as stressful as we make it seem? Is that elective we are taking so hard to spend just an hour studying for it? Are we just enjoying our time here a little too much? College is where we have nothing to worry about but our grades. That sounds better than bills, right?
Are we attending graduate school because it is truly beneficial for us, or because we know that once we walk across that stage the real world begins? This is the thing we have feared. It is time to find a job and figure out if we failed at success or not. The thought of failing at being successful could send the bravest of students running back to a classroom.
Furthering your education is necessary, but we cannot rely on a classroom setting as a safety net. When it is time to move on, we cannot find more excuses to go back to school. Whether you like it or not, your time to face reality will come. Do not be in a rush to leave, but do not drag your feet to get out.
One of the hardest things we will do is say goodbye to our days that seem more fun. For most people, college is the best time of your life, and we do not want to see that go. We do not want to trade partying with friends for a daily routine of waking up early and punching the clock. But isn’t that what we worked so hard for, to have the career of our dreams?
Take your time and enjoy your college years, but if you see that after six consecutive years you are still an undergraduate at school, it is time to get the ball rolling. Graduate school is a smart choice and everyone should at least consider attending. If you decide to go and you find yourself wondering what you can attend school for next because you are afraid to try your hand at the real world, it’s time to jump out of the safety net.