Ijtihad is not a goal that a student should have from the beginning. A believer should aim to fulfill the religious responsibilities of upholding the orders of the Sharia; one of them is learning the Islamic laws and teaching them. This could be achieved by learning more about the religion – and not necessarily reaching the level of Ijtihad – by which a believer could serve the Right Path. One could serve the religion and be a role model amongst his society, family and friends by being obedient to the Islamic laws and by spreading the religious teachings in the areas where he resides.
Ijtihad is a talent that can be achieved by studying with the guidance of Almighty Allah. A religious student should study hard and make use of his time as much as possible. If he achieves this, then he can thank Almighty Allah for this bounty. If he does not, he can still serve the religion.
