Dear Maddi: Taking longer than expected to finish a degree

Dear Maddi,

I’m a mature student working on my first undergraduate degree and I’m in my 6th year. My grades are mediocre. I’ve had severe and debilitating mental health problems throughout my time in university that I am now finally taking care of. One thing that bothers me is this idea that people need to graduate within 4 years not long after high school. I’ve lived my life, travelled, challenged myself deeply, worked, and more. I personally feel this is more important than fitting some arbitrary standard. I’d like to know where this standard comes from and why so many people feel they have to fit this societal expectation.

Signed, Rebellious

Dear Rebellious,

I’m glad you reached out. I think your story is a valuable example of why a “one-size-fits-all” timeline doesn’t work for anyone. You are far from alone. Did you know that, according to Statistics Canada, only 40 per cent of students who start their undergraduate degree programs will graduate within four years? For anyone facing pressure to complete their degree quickly, it is important to remember that less than half of all university students will finish in 4 years, and in fact, 26 per cent of students will take longer than six years after first enrolment to complete an undergraduate degree.

Also, although 75 per cent of Canadian undergraduate university students fall between the ages of 17 to 27 years old, a Statistics Canada survey from 2006 showed that 10 per cent of undergraduate students were over the age of 40, and that the oldest age of a university student that year was 98 years old! I think this speaks to the fact that the accumulation of knowledge can be valuable at any point along the lifespan. 

You asked an interesting question about why society seems to expect people to complete their undergraduate degree quickly. Maybe it’s because some people see life as a race, where the person who finishes everything first wins a gold medal.

And yet, there are truly no prizes for finishing university as quickly as possible. In fact, for some people, keeping a breakneck pace can be destructive. 

You shared that you suffered from significant mental illness during your years in university. Taking longer to complete a degree may be extremely beneficial. Having a slightly lighter course load may mean that you can still meet academic obligations when your energy and concentration are low. Having fewer courses in a semester may leave more time for eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep — all of which are the building blocks of physical and mental health. People struggling with their mental health sometimes have to withdraw from classes or take time off in order to get better. Rather than becoming overwhelmed and leaving school altogether, it sounds like you have allowed yourself to work at your own speed, which is an excellent strategy for success. Of course, there are many other reasons to complete a degree at a slower pace, such as family and childcare obligations, the need to work multiple hours outside of school, switching majors, or personal preference for those who really want to savour their learning without rushing. In many cases, giving yourself more time makes it easier to actually finish your degree and can even allow for better health and satisfaction along the way. Upon graduation, the added years of maturity are often a draw for employers.

Rebellious, I love that you mentioned how travelling, working, and challenging yourself have had value in your life. Too often, students can suffer from tunnel vision where university starts to seem like the only thing that matters. And this simply isn’t true. The life experiences you mentioned will contribute to your depth and wisdom as a human being. They may give you a better “big-picture” perspective when it comes to integrating what you learn. Important knowledge can be learned in many places, and not just in a university lecture hall. Visiting new places, gaining work experience, learning by “doing” and being exposed to a variety of people and situations will not only help give you context for what you learn in university, they will also provide an additional layer of richness and meaning to your life.

Maybe instead of viewing life as a race with prizes for those who are the fastest, we could use the metaphor of life as a painting, with each of us being a painter. We have the opportunity to create the picture we want for ourselves, and we can continue to create beautiful new elements for as long as we live. Rebellious, there will always be critics in our lives who judge our choices and our timing, but you strike me as someone who is creating a life that you want to live. And that type of wisdom can’t be learned in any textbook.