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The Rise of the "Super Senior"

Super Senior Hazel Soares
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In August of 2010, a student was told not to return to the campus he had been attending for the past nine years. This is a true story that illustrates a new phenomenon at many college campuses today: the rise of the "Super Senior" ... a student who is in their fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or even ninth year of undergraduate education. The student in this story was a very gregarious one, who reminded a lot of people of the comedian Drew Carey only not as funny. Perhaps that was why he was asked not to come back. He changed majors many times on a campus with only about 20 majors and probably racked up loans well into six figures. But he wasn't alone in his status of "Super Senior" ... he was just the "Primus inter Pares" ...

I personally interviewed several "Super Seniors" on this same campus and one of the biggest discoveries was confounding: they were all rather proud of their status. In my ancient era long ago, not graduating in four years would raise questions of retardation or mental disease. Today, it's a badge of honor.

I spoke with one particular student in her fifth year who was planning on going to med school after she finally graduates. "Which one?" I asked. She hadn't thought that far ahead. But she was planning on taking her first biology classes this next year, her sixth. Nothing like finally finding your calling after about $100,000 in courses.

I asked another Super Senior how he planned on paying back his six figure loan he accrued while in school. He said it wouldn't be that bad, maybe six or seven hundred a month. I told him he must have gotten one with no interest to get monthly payments that low. He knitted his brow back, looking confused but didn't argue and didn't seem concerned.

As you would expect, these Super Seniors have multiple "minors" but not enough credits in any one subject to garner a "major" declaration. We used to call these "professional students" 30 years ago, but today it's a whole industry catered to by almost every campus. The big difference today versus the disco era is the himalayan debt that is built up during multiple years in undergraduate education and these Super Seniors don't seem to be concerned about anything that far ahead, like paying $1,000 a month for their bachelor's degree starting six months after they graduate.

We can also parallel the rise of the Super Senior with the persistence of candy consumption during the college years. Back in the disco era, most college students stopped eating brightly colored "kid candy" like twizlers, gummies, skittles, etc. by the time they hit campuses. Today, the consumption of these puerile confections at colleges is likely at an all time high. Speaking of which, kid candy with energy drinks to wash them down probably does make for an all time high. Enough to wash away any adult feelings of overwhelming debt.

-Tim Corwin
Sept. 2010

09/05/2010