2. By the time Ryan graduates, he will have spent four years in college and a total of sixteen years of his life in school. Like many students, Ryan believes that the time and money spent on his education will pay off : he will eventually be able to get a good job and do well in the field he has chosen. And yet, in spite of all of the years spent in school preparing to enter the workplace, many recent graduates say that they struggle with the transition from classroom to career world and have difficulty adjusting to life on the job.