Quit my steady $65,000 a year job to attend college full-time? Advise needed badly!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Ok, here is my current situation: I have been working on my Associates Degree at a local 2 year school and I am nearly complete. However, I have been working a new job which is steady and make $65,000 a year not including overtime. However, this is the problem: I work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 3pm-11pm. Have to commute 1 hour each way. That makes it 10 hours a day. Additionally, the job is very demanding (electrical/electronic), and I DO work a lot of overtime (about 12 hours a week on average).
This has affected my GPA at my community college, and it has dropped to a 3.12 as of right now. I had to drop classes because of the job last semester. I currently have about 50 college credits, and plan on finishing up with my associates degree before starting on my bachelor degree immediately after.
My questions are: Have any of you quit work in favor of attending college full-time? Any advice or recommendations on this matter? Is it even possible to live off of student loans while completing your bachelors and graduate degrees?
I do own my house, and I just bought a new car (2014 Toyota Prius), plus I have a dog. I want to keep everything the way it is at home, just want to quit work so I can bring my GPA up and focus on school. Here are my expenses roughly estimated:
- $1,200 a month for mortgage payment on house
- $425 a month for car payment
- $200 a month for utilities
- $200 a month for random expenses
- $700 every 6 months for car insurance
- $150 a month for internet/phone bill
I really need some advice guys. I will be finishing my associates this spring, and I have already been accepted to 7 4-year universities for my bachelors. I am struggling to finish my current degree with this job, and I am ready to quit as long as I know I can do this. Can I live on student loans while finishing a few more years of school?</p>

<p>I know this post is kind of long, but I appreciate those who read it and can offer any advise/information.</p>

2

<p>Since you have a good job and lots of living expenses, I would think about how you could complete your four year degree by taking one class at a time. It is too bad that you live so far from your job because the commute uses time that you could otherwise have spent studying.</p>

3

Yeah…for now I am going to continue working at this job until I can figure something out. Don’t get me wrong- I know the money and stability is good, I would just rather go to school full-time. Especially considering that I was accepted to John Hopkins, among other schools. It just bothers me knowing that I have to continue working at this job, my GPA is being affected, and I have to take much less course loads because of it. I am already 27 years old, and was hoping to be in Grad school by the time I am 30.

4

What about online courses? They’re a lot more flexible.

5

can you rent out your house for enough $$ to cover the mortgage and all expenses associated with it? for a few years, while you get the degree, then you can come back? would your employer let you work part time, say, Tues and Thurs., then you could go to the school MWF? or, would he let you come back for breaks and summers as a contractor or help you find something closer to the school? you’d be making more than most college students make! how close is the school you want to go to?