Mateo, a 20-year-old computer science junior, assumed that completing his degree would prepare him to compete for an IT job. Increasingly, he feels as though the real list of requirements extends well beyond his coursework.

Mateo’s degree already keeps him busy, but employers seem to want more. Certifications can strengthen an application. So can hackathons, independent projects, online courses, internships, and experience with technologies his program does not cover. The deeper Mateo gets into IT, the more he realizes how many different directions the field contains—from cybersecurity and systems management to web development, AI, business, and government work.

He wants to explore those opportunities, but each one costs something. Certifications require money. Projects and online courses require time. An unpaid or low-paid opportunity may be manageable for a classmate whose family can support them but impossible for someone working twenty hours a week.

How much learning outside college is reasonable to expect from someone earning a college credential? When employers reward extra certifications and projects, who has the easiest access to those opportunities? And when does “showing initiative” become another hidden cost of entering a profession?