I plan on working full time while taking classes at community college?
Has anyone done this before? Is this reasonable?
I’ve taken college classes while working full time but it was usually only one class at a time. When I took two classes at a time it was only because I knew the second class would be very easy. I found one or two classes doable in those circumstances. I never considered trying to take a full class load while working full time.
I enjoyed taking classes. It was a nice mental break from work even though many of the classes were in my field.
I currently work full time while going to school, and I think it really depends on your commitment and how heavy of a course load you are wanting to take on. I recommend taking just one class at first and see how you do with it. If you are able to do it without a problem maybe trying taking more than one. If physical classes don’t work with your work schedule give online learning a try because you are able to do it on your own time. Getting an education is important and for many of us it is necessary to have a full time job while doing it. I think you will probably regret it if you don’t at least try taking a class.
I wouldn’t recommend full time employment alongside full time student status (12+ credits) - a full time course load is in and of itself a full time job in terms of homework, reading, test prep and so on. Between the time you’ll spend sitting in class and the time you’ll spend at work, you won’t have any time left that isn’t dedicated to sleeping (which will make tackling schoolwork very, very challenging.)
I understand the financial impetus to work and study full time but you’re only setting yourself up for disaster in the long run - if you can’t keep up decent grades, you forego internship opportunities that are crucial to post-graduate employment. If you can barely pass your classes (or you fail to do so) you risk having financial aid pulled from you or even academic suspension/dismissal.
I’d say to start off with 3-6 credit hours alongside full time work; if you find that entirely manageable, you can up the credits gradually, but don’t jump head first into 15 credit hours while also working 40 hours a week.
If possible, utilize winter and summer sessions to complete additional coursework.
I went to school full time while working full time.
It can be doable but I don’t recommend it.
If you have to work full time, I would go only part time to school.
It depends on the job. I got a night masters degree while working full time, and two classes at a time wiped me out. I can’t imagine taking more. BUT, if your FT job is one where you have down time and it is okay to read during that down time (say you are working at a reception desk or something), then it might be workable. But otherwise I would say not. Be either part time at your job or school – trying to be full time at both is nuts.
There is a very high proportion of students who work at least half-time while taking a full load of classes (defined here as 12 credits or more) at the open-access institution I teach at; a good number of those work full-time.
It’s certainly doable in short bursts; unless you have pretty incredible support from parents or a spouse or somesuch at home, though, it’s pretty much never sustainable in the medium or long term—and even then it’s not likely to really work out.