I was trying to do this as a poll, but I don't know how to....
So, I'm currently a full time worker. M-F, 8-5pm. And, I'm also, either a part-time or full-time student. Varies from semester to semester as it's really difficult to synch between school and work and the free time that I have.
It's really difficult and I imagine it's only going to get worse as I move up to my junior and senior years. When it comes time for graduate school, I don't know what I'm going to do.
If you don't mind, for those of you that are full time workers and still going to school, what do you do for a living?
I'm pretty much a salesman. I sell parts for generators. Doesn't pay very well, but, it's the best I can get right now....
AhmedEzz
Jun30-08, 12:03 PM
where do you live/study?
loseyourname
Jun30-08, 12:10 PM
Not quite full-time, but I teach math about 30 hours a week right now, and also teach GRE and GMAT courses for Kaplan every now and then, but usually never more than 3 hours a week. I'll probably scale that back a bit when my classes start up in the fall and try not to work any more than 25 hours a week.
I'm in a professional program, though, so it's designed for people to be able to work. No classes start any earlier than 4 PM.
lisab
Jun30-08, 12:11 PM
I worked all through college and yes, it was really tough. I've long since graduated now but I remember very well what a grind it was. I was a part-time student and it took me 9 1/2 years to get my BS!
thakid87
Jun30-08, 12:22 PM
where do you live/study?
Miami, Fl. I'm currently attending a MDC, a very "prestigious" CC. Supposedly the best in the nation...
AhmedEzz
Jun30-08, 01:29 PM
I hold all respect for you. I am also in college but in the ME its different. I am still living in my parent's house, I work only in the summer and my parents pay my tuition fees.
EDIT : ME stands for Middle-East
BobG
Jun30-08, 01:38 PM
Up until just now, I've been a full-time worker and a part-time student for a few years.
If the workload at school were contstant, taking 3 courses would definitely be doable. Since the workload never is, taking two courses can be challenging if the work for both peak at the same time (and the work for all your classes almost always have a peak towards the end of a course.)
For the folks taking just two courses, the toughest part is having late night classes and still having to be at work early.
thakid87
Jun30-08, 01:44 PM
For the folks taking just two courses, the toughest part is having late night classes and still having to be at work early.
I completely agree with this. Sometimes I get home at 11:00. Only to have to wake up at 6:00 to get ready for work. And that's without including any of the time we spend studying. Hmm. What can we do but keep on persevering?
rootX
Jun30-08, 01:49 PM
I'm in engineering co-op program.
4 months study - 4 months job
If I get lucky I can make more than all of my 4 years life cost and get opportunity of working in other countries. I am mainly focused about working abroad in a different cultures even if I end up in big debt.
LordofDirT
Jun30-08, 02:27 PM
Work and school.
Since its summer I'm only working 30 hours / week and taking an accellerated 8 week trigonometry course. Last semester I was working 30 hours / week and took 7 credits.
0zyzzyz0
Jul4-08, 12:52 PM
It took me twelve years to get through an undergraduate in history and then a masters in library science [i know... not a 'real' science]. I studied on and off full time or part time, went through two marriages, got distracted a lot being a single dad, finally hooked up with a supportive, smart[er than me] woman who keeps me on track,... and somehow managed not to lose the farm. I worked in libraries part time and farming has some seasonal flexibility i was able to work around. The real key though, was that before taking over the farm, i bought a 'fixer upper' house and lived cheap while renovating and renting to other students. Its capital equity helped to support me and my domestic messing up. It was better to have the capital equity working for me than to be dividing my time and energy between work and study.
Another guy i know built a small cottage and then rented it out. For both of us the preparations for a few years before going back to school paid off.
Oh ya... Also, having the real estate equity made for a good line of credit. It took me 20 years to finally clear the debts.
Fearless
Jul4-08, 05:41 PM
I wouldn't recommend science and a fulltime job at the same time.
It's probably though good to work some parttime over the years, to get a boost on the old CV.
loseyourname
Jul4-08, 06:03 PM
I would think it's definitely harder for a lab science major because of the added time requirements.
It's hard for me to imagine not taking at least a course or two at all times, though. I'm probably going to end up dying with ten masters degrees just for the hell of it. That time is probably better allocated to writing a novel or having a kid or adding on to a house or something like that, but oh well. I can't stand being entirely away from an academic setting, either as a teacher or a student.
Danger
Jul4-08, 06:12 PM
I work Mon-Wed 10:00-6:00, Thur-Fri 10:00-8:00, & Sat 11:00-4:00. Never went to school.
JasonRox
Jul5-08, 12:05 PM
I'm in engineering co-op program.
4 months study - 4 months job
If I get lucky I can make more than all of my 4 years life cost and get opportunity of working in other countries. I am mainly focused about working abroad in a different cultures even if I end up in big debt.
No offense, but accumulating large debt is not worth it.
Keep the debt under $10,000. Trust me on this one.
Danger
Jul5-08, 12:24 PM
Thakid, I just realized that I was in error when responding to this thread. I misinterpreted the title. I am not, therefore, eligible to answer.