Duke It Out: Super-Seniors?
March 19, 2010 Posted in Reality
[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like sexting!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]
I know what you’re thinking – no, I’m not talking about really active senior citizens, I think they’re great (go Betty White!) - I’m talking about those people who hang around undergrad for 6 or 7 or 10 years “finding themselves” without ever actually bothering to get a degree. Well now, with the budgets for higher education getting slashed left and right, some states have decided it’s time for these super-seniors to get moving.
On one side of the coin, this seems like a good idea. I’m all for finding yourself and making sure that your degree is right for you. I’m also all about living the dream (read: college life) for as long as humanly possible. But some people, like that 25-year-old guy everyone on my campus knew, start using these ideas as a way to avoid going out into the real world and growing up.
I admit, it’s scary out there (what do you mean they’re going to turn off my power?), but it’s just one of those things we all have to face and if I have to live out here in the great-big-scary, then I think it’s only fair that they join me. And the states have it right on one point – these people are sucking up resources that others could be using to get an education. Not only are they skipping out on adulthood, they’re actually making life harder for others just by taking up space and money. Buck up, make a decision and get your diploma already!
But, there’s also an element to this idea that just rubs me the wrong way – should schools or the state be able to tell you how long you can take for your education? Many of these super-seniors are paying part or all of their own tuition, and if you’re willing to pay, shouldn’t you be able to hang out as long as you want? Also, you run into the problem of people who change or do double-majors. These things can take more time and it’s not really the state or school’s place to tell you that you can’t change what you want from your future or explore your options. As long as you’re willing to deal with the consequences of being that creepy old chick at the frat parties (or, you know, spending a long time on your education, whatever) then who are they to tell you that you need to hurry up?
So what do you think? Is it time for super-seniors to get a move on and stop hogging all the funding? Or should they be allowed to pull a Van Wilder and do things at their own pace, how ever long that takes? Duke it out!
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Kenz says:
Fri, 19th Mar 20104:19 am
I think as long as you pay…you have a right to be there. Though movies like Van Wilder have made it seem like older college kids are just avoiding life, some people just really value education and want as much of it as possible, and some people really just do need the extra time to figure out what they want from their lives. I think it'd be a huge mistake to start booting these people.
suzy says:
Fri, 19th Mar 20107:54 am
I think it depends on each individual. I don't believe that booting people out is the right choice. If students are having a hard time making decisions regarding their future, then the colleges and universities should help them out as much as they can.
kirsten says:
Fri, 19th Mar 20107:57 am
By the time I graduate in Dec 2011, I will have been in school for 5.5 years… I was not lazy, I just chose the wrong major twice. One major I had, you had to take so many classes (they were all dance classes) and you only had room in your schedule for one maybe two core classes. When I switched to psychology (which i am here to stay) nothing transfered. I know many people who this happened to. It could boil down to the simple matter of credits not transferring. I agree with Kenz, if you pay then who cares!
Jennifer says:
Fri, 19th Mar 20109:42 am
It's our right as citizens of the US to pay for an education. If we choose to take 30 years doing it? then so be it. The State has no right to take that away from Americans.
Kayla says:
Fri, 19th Mar 20109:22 pm
I'm a super senior. I wish I had been able to get done with my undergrad in four years like planned but it hasn't panned out like that. But I am paying for my education so I have every right to be there just like any other undergrad.
Why should I have to be booted out of school just because something in my life didn't go right? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. As long as I end up where I want to be, happy with a degree in my hands, then there's no problem.
I'm not using up resources that belong to someone else! I'm paying for my education, those resources are there for me! I am a student just like any one else walking through campus.
If anyone thinks that I'm just being Van Wilder and hiding from the real world, please, spare me. That's just ignorance talking. Sure, there are some people like that, but most of the super seniors out there have had something happen that has set them back. Just because you knew exactly what you wanted to do right out of highschool doesn't mean everyone else did. College is supposed to help you find your way and prepare you for your life after. Part of that is discovering what you want to do after, and for some people that takes time.
Brooke says:
Fri, 19th Mar 201011:44 pm
I think it depends on your major. At my school they typically make you graduate as soon as you have 120 credits which would force me to graduate a semester early, but since I'm double majoring I won't have all of my requirements satisfied until the end of 4 years. My roommate is going into her 4th year in the fall and will have enough credits to graduate by december but she wants to stay for her super senior year and will be allowed to by the school because she's an engineering major and they are allotted 5 years.
Megan says:
Sat, 20th Mar 20103:15 am
I transfered to a university out of state because of my family moving. The new school I am at requires a ton of different GEC courses which are putting me behind. I will be 23 when I graduate. But you know what.. who cares? You will be working the rest of your life, if you can afford college why rush it?
logic says:
Sun, 21st Mar 20103:40 pm
are they paying for their education? yes? ok they can stay, the end.
RIKO says:
Sun, 21st Mar 20107:33 pm
I think people should be able to stay as long as they want. BUT, the school can cut off financial aid after 4 years. If you can't finish your requirements within that time frame, i'm sorry but it becomes a personal problem.
barbiepinkmustang says:
Mon, 22nd Mar 201012:12 pm
I probably will be a Super Senior. Due to illness and family stress (I know, get over your self), I am on my 3rd year of Jr. college and will be there another year. I'm waiting for my health to improve so I can finally transfer.
tannis says:
Thu, 25th Mar 20101:37 pm
I'm probably going to have to take 5 years to complete a 4yr degree… Sometimes things like academic exchanges to foreign countries or research co-ops take up a good chunk of the delay you a bit, but it's all good!
Joni says:
Thu, 25th Mar 20107:14 pm
Super seniors do not take up funding, this notion is silly. Each state has a cap on how many semesters a student can receive state grant funding. In PA that is 8 semesters. Once that dries up students then need to supplement their education with loans. I am a 5th year senior and have already exhausted my state grant money…so undergrads who have been working on their undergrad degree much longer than me would also not receive those grants.