Musings on Red Mages...

[Juubi]

So, I've been thinking. Red Mages are a lot like students, right?
You have to start out with a good foundation, low level spells of many varieties, or basic classes,
then, in the higher grades/levels, you can focus more on specific areas, like specific spells or Majoring in subjects.
But most Red Mages can use more than just one type of spell well, right? I can't find anything there.
(This is all based off of my interpretation of them, so it won't be perfectly sensible.)

[Geary]

The Red Mages rack up lots of debt in loans and can't find a job because they majored in Communication Telepathy?

[EccentricOrbit]

Red Mages couldn't decide on a major. They can sort of fake any branch of magic, but they're five years in and nowhere close to graduating. 

When their advisors finally start making noises about final exams, they decide to run off with a band of adventurers to escape.

[Geary]

Predictably, the band never gets anything other than really small gigs spaced very far apart, and they all resign and become farm hands.