Graduating On Time: Dilemma of the students

It was found in a recent survey by the New York Times that not even 20% of students from public institutions pass in the stipulated 4 years of a bachelor course. It has reached such a level of normalcy that education experts and the general populace expect six years for students to graduate. It wasn’t like this earlier; the percentages rose up as time passed by. Experts blame it on different assumptions and reasons. There hasn’t been any extensive research conducted into it yet. Though, they do share a common thought about most of it happening because of too many options provided to the student. Yes, it is a reality; a student not being able to complete the course on time because of too many subjects on offer. It is just like the saying, ‘too many cooks spoil a broth’.

It might be true, but there are also other aspects to consider. Almost 60 percent of students take the transfer to other colleges halfway their course and end up losing their credits. It is also been found out that those students who extenuate their course often find themselves in more debt than they had started with. There are multiple problems when it comes to college students; most notably how the demand for a minimum bachelor’s degree when it comes to employment opportunities has pushed up the numbers of students. Most students nowadays know that their employment opportunities will increase massively if they undertake a bachelor’s course. Employers get the most blame here, they are asking for qualifications not necessary for a job position; only to get the ‘best’ candidates out there.

These students know they are living in animal kingdom right from the moment they realize that they have to work to survive. They realize the competition that is out there and the things they have to do to make it all work for them. These students have to take out a loan, work part-time, and take as many classes as they can manage to gather up credits. It is as hard as one can imagine. Students know they have put it all out there for a few years, so they can reap the benefits later. But, the conditions are stressful and full of pressure. A high number of students complain of lacking the motivation to do anything; leading to a depressive state of mind. Eventually, these students have to take a year off to recuperate.

There are a number of reasons a student take years off from a college; some of those points to them trying to become self-sufficient. It is the generation of millennials and Gen Z; a generation known for their entrepreneurial abilities. At some time in their life, they try to be initiative and take care of their debts by going for different options. It only makes sense they look for opportunities.

These drops cost a lot to the students too. They have to pay up an additional fee and cannot even be present for the course. Some even go for the online courses that are the new rage. These courses allow them to take up a course sitting-at-home and save time on commuting. These courses also allow them to study by their convenience; students can focus more on monetary initiatives and work towards completing a course too. Though, online courses aren’t easy to complete. A student has to put at least 15-20 hours per week if they want to achieve a higher grade in such a course. Most of these students tend to outsource their assignments and quizzes to companies like BestOnlineAssignmentHelp and work towards their employability skills; their main motive when it comes to getting enrolled in a course.

We know the fees are exorbitant when it comes to enrolling in colleges. There is a growing percentage of students taking out a loan for studies than ever. Many people completed their credentials as far as 10 years back and are still paying their student loans. In a documentary by Michael Moore, a pilot confessed to donating his plasma cells frequently in order to pay for the student loan; that is the situation we are living in at the moment. These students know they are entering a life of compromise and worsening situations when they take out a loan; it takes them many years to completely repay it. We are seeing an increasing number of debates on the accessibility of education; it should be firstly accessible to everyone before proceeding to focus on the completion of it.

There are many teachers and experts who defend the numbers of students dropping a few years for their college degree. They claim it to be a factor in providing an education of the highest quality and level. It takes time to provide a quality education; anybody can cram up textbooks and complete their examinations. It takes time to focus on the research and in-depth studies of the subjects to be able to complete it. Maybe the experts are right in their claim; maybe we are looking at the situation as glass half-empty, but we are not completely wrong about it.

As a society, we need to focus on the accessibility of our education and also oversee that the students complete the whole course. Governments should provide oversight into it; we have to see education as more than a tool for employability and path to a great job. Monica from PaperDoers opines, “Most of the students who come to us for help with their term papers are students who have not studied the whole year. When asked about it, they blame it on the number of hours they have to put in to pay for expenses and their loan. Some students just take it as a tool that would kick-start their career”

The drop rates are extending to as much as 50% when it comes to public institutions and around 80% when it comes to research-based intensive courses. The situation will keep on worsening if we do not have a look into it. As responsible citizens of the country, it is high time we push for an oversight.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.