Work or School full-time

Applying to College
1

I am in a quandary. I currently work full-time and go to school 2 classes a semester studying computer science. At this pace I will finish summer of 2017. However, if I were to go to school full time I could finish around or even before summer 2015.

The job I have pays quite well for my stage of life (around $45K) and is with a company that is known somewhat for computer science related work; however, the work I do is not programming or anything that I would be doing after graduating. It’s also not work I enjoy/tolerate well. My dilemma is whether to live poor for 1.5 years and finish about 2 years earlier or whether to continue at this pace. I would of course still have to take a part time job as I have not done well in the savings department as I didn’t foresee this type of dilemma.

Other factors in the decision: I currently take out enough student loans to cover books/tuition, I could reduce monthly expenses to under $500 if necessary, I only have the “hard” classes left, I plan on going for an MS after BS, and I’m in my late-ish 20s.

I keep hearing how valuable my work experience will be when I graduate, but will it really replace 2 years worth of work in a related field I would be able to do if I graduate 2 years earlier?

2

It sounds like you’re better off playing it safe.

3

I’m inclined to agree. Given that you have come this far doing school part-time, adjusting to the significant change in lifestyle to switch to full-time might actually be harder for you than staying the course.

It sounds like either way you will have some changes and adjustments to make, though. So take a step back and think hard about all of the new challenges and opportunities you will be taking on in both scenarios. If you adopt a detached and patiently analytical perspective about the options, I am sure you will see your way forward.