Working full time and going to school

How to go to work and school at the same time? It's a question many students ask themselves, especially those that have full time jobs and cannot afford to quit. What about those adults who have been in the workforce for a couple of years and are now deciding to go back to school? Here are a few tips to help those that have to do both.

1 Set Expectations! - You know if will be difficult to go to school and work 30-40 hours or more a week. Know your limits and make the best decisions on your overall well being. If taking 3 courses
instead of 4 is the best thing to do then do it! Don't over work yourself. Better to do it right than come up short.

2 Stay organized and on schedule - Probably the most important thing you can do is being organized. Going to school and working full time is like having two full time jobs. Plan your work schedule around your school schedule and vice-versa. Know when to complete assignments and study for exams in case other things come up or if you know work will get in the way. Make sure to balance your classes leaving enough time to complete assignments for each class.

3 Consider taking night school - Many students with a full time job have to work between 9am and 5pm. The counter to this problems is attending night school. Most colleges and universities offer night programs because of this reason. The advantage of night classes is you sometimes only meet once or twice a week, allowing you to keep your job and still go to school.
http://www.helium.com/items/1973764-benefits-of-taking-a-night-course-at-college

4 Consider taking online courses - When available online classes could be your best shot at obtaining a degree while you are employed. Their are many advantages to taking online classes mostly because you are able to create your own schedule. This can work wonders for anyone working a full time job because it allows you to work at your own pace. Only you know how to simplify your own schedule and taking online courses could possibly be your best option.
http://oedb.org/library/distance-vs-local/10-advantages-to-taking-online-classes

5 Consider starting out as a part time student then moving to full time - The main reason people work and go to school is to make money for living expenses while being a student. Many students work so that they can have money to pay for school. One tip to consider is starting out as a part time student and then working your way to a full time student after saving enough money. You may find after a couple years of saving money you may want to try to finish off the last year or two by becoming a full time student. Remember the important thing is to save your money!

6 Stay ahead! - If you choose to juggle both work and school you must manage your time wisely. Know when assignments are due, especially in an online course, and stay ahead. I have found that it is easier to manage my time wisely with a full time job and school. Because of the stress on time it leaves less time to mess around. I have learned that schoolwork has to get done at a certain time or it will not be done at all.

Remember
As an adult and student, you may have the option to work and study at the same time. The key is to find a program and job that are compatible. This may take some dedication and even some compromise. But the reward is that you can get your education without going broke!

http://www.wikihow.com/Balance-School-and-Work-as-an-Adult

http://mis213fall2012.wikidot.com/wiki:nontradional-student-and-worker

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