# Is it better to work part time and go to school or be a full time student?



## Count Dusseldorf

The reason I'm asking is because I'm planning on going to college soon but I'm trying to decide if I should be a full time student or work part time while going to school. To most people this would be a no brainer but the reason I'm asking is because someone I work with goes to college while working and he says he gets almost no time to himself what so ever (also lack of sleep) and it also seems like it would be hard to get time in to do homework if you have to work all the time but what other alternatives are there?

Any advice would be helpful.


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## εmptε

*Who says you can't be both? :dry:

Answers: Coffee and Energy drinks for life.
*


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## Happy

It depends on what you want to do with your life and career. Education is a little overrated right now, especially with the many people going to it. A lot of companies that are hiring now require at least some form of work experience.


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## εmptε

Lance said:


> It depends on what you want to do with your life and career. Education is a little overrated right now, especially with the many people going to it. A lot of companies that are hiring now require at least some form of work experience.


*I've worked for places that require the 'experience' when I had none. All it takes is a good talker, and a charming smile plus being semi intelligent & serious helps.*


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## gOpheR

If I had the choice I'd be part-time student without a job =)


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## mcgooglian

I like the way I have it now: I'm a full-time student and I don't work. I have time to do all my work while being able to hang out with friends, do judo, and have me-time. I'd definitely recommend being a full-time student since there's less stress involved.


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## addle1618

work part time go to school fulltime don't hang out with people much.


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## snail

I'd recommend the full-time student thing, since I can't imagine having enough time to study, do homework, go to class, recover from having to be around people, eat, sleep, and develop your creativity through private pursuits all while also maintaining a job.


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## εmptε

*You have to recover from being around people. I have to recover from being around idiots and having to hold by my Critique & Comments (C&C)*.


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## Count Dusseldorf

Thanks for the advice everyone, This definatly helps. I'll probably have to work for a while longer until I can save up enough for the local community college, after that I'll aim for a grant or a loan at UofL.


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## slightlybatty

i work full time and school part time. dont take that route.
i would go with full time student.
it helps you build relationships, sense of self, you actually learn what your studying and its a time you really dont get back...


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## Count Dusseldorf

The thing is though, is it possible to be a full time student these days when you consider food costs, gas, etc...
I don't have any rent or anything to pay at the moment since I'm living with a relative but is there any way to get around the other costs? or do you just have to rely on a grant or loan for food, gas and car insurance.


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## mcgooglian

it's possible, especially if you find someone who's willing to contribute towards your education


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## Count Dusseldorf

I guess thats the real challenge. :wink:


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## Warriorqueen

I say it completely depends on your course of study.......The brain Power you have.....And the discipline you are able to exercise......

The truth is, you can't learn if you are starving )

I should probably read the previous posts befor I say anything else


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## Chris Suyeda

I work 45+ hours a week and go to school full time. 

And like someone previously said, it just depends on what you plan on majoring in or what classes you plan on taking. If you're classes have a heavier workload or demand more time for at-home studying, then you might want to consider not working (if you can afford it) or just work the minimal hours your employer will allow. 

I think it's a bit ridiculous for someone to say education is a little overrated right now. Yes, it's true, that there are employer out there who will hire you with no degree at all, but when someone else comes along and has that degree and work experience, who do you think they are going to hire? There are so many over qualified people "stepping down," in a sense, and applying for jobs they would not normally not apply for.

For example, my girlfriend works in Early Childhood Education (also known as child development in some areas), she has plenty of work experience and her associates degree. She went to apply for a teacher's assistant position, but ran into one of her friends (who has a BA in ECE) apply for the same position, when she is capable of teaching her own class.


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## Ankit Dabda

This is true if you are going to work while studying then you will have a tight schedule but not necessary and i will suggest you that you will get your answer yourself in starting days if you have plenty time then dont waste it go for a job.


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## Rourk

*Options*

I think you should look more into resources/grants/long range plans, etc. google fastweb (I need 10 posts to post the actual site) Federal student aid/loans, etc. 

I work two flexible jobs right now that allow me time for school(work about 20 hours a week or more). One actually pays 150 a class for a B or higher so long as I can prove to the company it is related. 

It really depends on your situation. Not working literally makes me go insane. I feel useless when I am not working. Other people find working while in school monstrous. 

You could also long range plan in this way. If you can make a 3.0 in your undergrad classes or higher there are part time teaching/substitute positions that pay well for a college kid which are really flexible. 

Also, if you are a math/engineer/hard science major right now, there are "smart grants" and even scholarships for performing well in your precalc/calc courses. I saw one the other day that looked great. It offered over 1500 a semester. 

There is also online schools which you can enroll in and take courses while dual enrolled at another university to finish quicker which offer a lot of flexibility. 

Like I said, you have a ton of options right now. Beyond whether to work or not why not find ways to get creative with the free money being offered to you. It's still out there.


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## piece in quite

Happy said:


> It depends on what you want to do with your life and career. Education is a little overrated right now, especially with the many people going to it. A lot of companies that are hiring now require at least some form of work experience.


+1 this

unless you're going into a field where the qualification is a necessity, then in my personal opinion, it's not really worth it, though it really does depend on your learning style, motivation, and knowledge.

I am currently in my first year of studying Music Technology at degree level, and 95% of what they're teaching are things I already know from experience, intuition, and self-teaching. I literally only go in to collect my assignments, and drop in on the occasional lesson just to keep my attendance above 30% so they don't cancel my loan.

There was a networking event a few months ago with some bands playing, and some third year music tech students setting up gear and live engineering the sound, and I saw them making mistakes. I mentioned it to them, and there were some things which to me are fundamental in this field that they simply had no knowledge of whatsoever. 

I debate to myself quitting university every day ever since my first month here, I'm literally just doing it for the qualification at this point, though I am currently unemployed which is why I haven't left yet, and I have problems with staying motivated+focussed which is why I don't already have a job (working on your mental health is a bitch!). Half the marking scheme is based on your grammar which is frustrating to me as I know what I'm doing and what I'm talking about, but my grades suffer on the basis that writing/speaking Queen's English isn't natural to me (I come from a working-class background, slang galore!).

I honestly have no idea of the actual value of a degree to employers at this point, but my parents complain everyday about how their superiors are idiots, and are only where they are and paid what they are paid because they did a degree, despite still being clueless in those fields (basically they're 'successful' because they have good grammar). I see this in my classmates also; many are only doing well because they are naturally linguistically formal, so they don't have to force it.

It's frustrating, and I can't directly answer your question, but I'll summarise it like this;

Going down the higher education road may help you with job prospects, but to learn actual skills and substantial knowledge to be ACTUALLY GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO requires intuition and (work) experience.

Sorry I'm not much help


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## Drecon

Speaking as a teacher I'd say it varies depending on the situation. If you want to get a specific job, sometimes they require an education. If you want time to figure out what you want to do it can pay to work for a while until you know what degree is best for you. 
Maybe you can find a job where they offer a part-time education as part of the deal. 

I think the times are gone where getting a degree because it's generally useful are leaving us. Sure, you can't really do without basic education, but after high school the world is your oyster. There aren't any things that are true for everyone. 

Of course there are even more factors like age for example. For a lot of people college is a good place to discover yourself, your talents and what you want from life. I know in my life it has made me better at basically everything that matters. There are many, many skills that you can use that you just acquire through going through life and doing stuff. Making mistakes and getting small successes. I would honestly recommend that to everyone who is under 21 at least. 

Hedging between a job and student life can be problematic too. A lot of courses need you to put a lot of effort in and even a part-time education can put some high demands on students so be sure to inquire what kind of a commitment they actually ask from you. 

One final thing that could matter is possible student debt. There are a lot of countries where not getting your degree after studying for a few years can leave you in a very difficult spot. 

Otherwise we don't really know anything about your situation so it's all just speculation.


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