<p>Hello, I've just applied for the MS in Computer Science program at a state school since I don't have a BS in CS but in communication studies I have to take prerequisite courses. I was just offered a full-time job for a company that is open 24/7. The thing is these prereq courses are mostly offered during the day across four days a week so it would be difficult to take them. I was thinking working the grave yard shift than going to school afterwards or if the classes were in the morning I could also ask for the 2nd shift. I'm so scared and nervous because it would be hell working 40 hours a while attending the university =(. Maybe I shouldn't accept the job and just focus on school? or just forget attending the university and just work? I really want to go to the university. I'm 28 years old so it won't get any easier. I have a weak work history. If I don't attend the university now than it probably won't ever happen due to age and other responsibilities. I just don't know what to do and my time is running out. </p>
<p>Any suggestions or help would be grateful. </p>
<p>How do you plan to support yourself and pay for your master’s? </p>
<p>In general, engineering is considered a very rigorous course of study, and working full-time while getting a masters in it with no engineering background sounds very challenging. </p>
<p>Do you have any outstanding debt? How will that be handled? I’d suggest you speak with whomever is helping support you now and/or when you are planning to get your masters to find out their thoughts.</p>
<p>I was planning on using student loans, aid, and job. Maybe not working full-time but finding another job that is only part-time like on-campus job or retail.<br>
I agree it is going to be challenging. I could attend the university part-time and work full-time for the time being. </p>
<p>I have some past student-loans; I’m not sure yet. For the time being I’m living with my folks and they say will support me but they also want me to go to work. This masters is going to take me 4-6 years so I have to make its the right decision. Thanks for the reply.</p>
<p>4-6 years? Why, what all do you have to take? Is that going 1/2 time? I went back to get a Masters in IE (From a BA in psych) and it is taking me 3 years total. You may want to look at this from the opportunity cost perspective to see your best options. Working retail and living with your parents for 6 years while taking out loans may set you back, in a couple aspects of your life.</p>
<p>I worked full-time while going to school part-time for a year of my bachelors and all of my masters. It can be done, as long as you don’t take more than one or two classes at a time. It just takes longer.</p>
<p>There are also some on-line CS programs that look pretty respectable. Here are a couple examples, but there are a lot more out there -</p>
<p>An MS in CS isn’t really a shortcut to a computer science degree, especially if your didn’t major in a related field as an undergrad (e.g. math, electrical engineering). What did you major in? If you earned a degree in a completely unrelated major, it may be easier to earn a second bachelor’s degree in CS. I’m aware that some schools don’t accept students seeking second bachelor’s degrees, but other schools don’t care.</p>
<p>Many engineers earn graduate degrees while working full-time. Often, their employers offer tuition reimbursement programs that cover all or part of their tuition. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem like an option for you. Many full-time graduate students, on the other hand, have their tuitions paid for by working as TAs. Perhaps this is a more viable option.</p>
<p>Before you sign up for a brick-and-mortar graduate program, I urge you to check out all of the new online options available now. Most of these programs weren’t around when I was applying to master’s programs, but if they were, I would have seriously considered them. I have several coworkers who have gone through the online masters program at USC and from what they’ve told me, it’s a legit, rigorous program. Recently, there’s been a lot of press coverage about Georgia Tech’s new, “Massively Online Master’s” program in CS. Apparently it’s really cheap, too. I think that’s definitely worth checking out.</p>