<But six years ?
Some of the long time frame is the result of kids fooling around, but more of it is due to 1) kids working while in school and taking longer to get through the program and 2)required courses that aren’t offered regularly so the student has to hang around or take a term off and then come back. That shouldn’t happen, but it does. Most people who go to school for 5-6 years are not going full time during that whole period.
Many of us worked thru school : at least one full time job every summer and during school breaks with as much overtime as possible or a second job.
Then a series of part time jobs during the school months.