These days, with governors and others using ‘metrics’ such as how quickly they can push students out the door, a college that allows someone to hang around for 9 years would be ineligible for any federally or state funded scholarships, never mind outright governmental support…
Nowadays, they try to get the undergrads out in 5 years, more or less, but it’s not unusual for a grad student to hang around for 7 or more, especially in the Humanities where it’s getting harder to find an exit strategy (i.e., a job that doesn’t involve asking if you want fries with that).
When the gang were in college, most undergrads graduated in 4 years. Now, 5 is the norm, partly because of the growing percentage of people graduating high school needing remedial classes (in many colleges it’s >50%, and they don’t count as credits toward graduation), and partly because of slacking. Also, some schools figured out they can collect more tuition if almost everyone takes remedial courses and make it hard to avoid them.
I’d have liked have been a professional student, but couldn’t afford it. Back in the early 60’s, the $1,200 a year tuition for college, was a lot of money !
BE THIS GUY about 7 years ago
“I only left after the school took out a restraining order.”
Argythree about 7 years ago
These days, with governors and others using ‘metrics’ such as how quickly they can push students out the door, a college that allows someone to hang around for 9 years would be ineligible for any federally or state funded scholarships, never mind outright governmental support…
Yngvar Følling about 7 years ago
They make fun of Zonk for spending all those years in college, but ignore the fact that they all did.
Yngvar Følling about 7 years ago
Reference to Zonk being forced to graduate:
http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/1982/9/20
The actual graduation was skipped in the strip, but I understand that it happened in a stage play when the strip was on hiatus.
jeffiekins about 7 years ago
Nowadays, they try to get the undergrads out in 5 years, more or less, but it’s not unusual for a grad student to hang around for 7 or more, especially in the Humanities where it’s getting harder to find an exit strategy (i.e., a job that doesn’t involve asking if you want fries with that).
When the gang were in college, most undergrads graduated in 4 years. Now, 5 is the norm, partly because of the growing percentage of people graduating high school needing remedial classes (in many colleges it’s >50%, and they don’t count as credits toward graduation), and partly because of slacking. Also, some schools figured out they can collect more tuition if almost everyone takes remedial courses and make it hard to avoid them.
jeffiekins about 7 years ago
In case you were wondering, that’s 7 years post-grad.
There are a lot of strips about it in http://phdcomics.com
Linguist about 7 years ago
I’d have liked have been a professional student, but couldn’t afford it. Back in the early 60’s, the $1,200 a year tuition for college, was a lot of money !