<p>Does the “overeducation” cause the distress, or vice versa?</p>
<p>It’s not unheard of for people with poor “real-world” coping skills to stay in full-time education for a long time. It’s usually because school is their comfort zone; they know its rules and customs, and they are afraid to go out and submit to the unknown demands of employment and the market. Of course, these are also the same people who are the least likely to have successful academic careers as well. </p>
<p>I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say, “I don’t know what to do with myself so I guess I’ll just go to grad school.” As if that’s a blanket solution to their problems.</p>