<p>Hey guys, I was wondering how many of you are trying to support yourselves while in school for engineering. I might have to do this next semester because I don't want to rely on my family anymore. Is it possible to work around 20-25 hours a week and still do well in school? For those of you who have done it. What are your advice?</p>
<p>I’m 24 with 3 kids; 7,5,4 years old. I work 30-35 hour a week. I’m currently enrolled in 9 Cr Hrs for Fall 2012. (4th semester - limited class remaining) Social life is pretty much nonexistent for me. 1st year in CC was okay, I could go out often because classes were easier; I was also “Full Time” 12-13 Cr per semester.</p>
<p>I have 3.5 GPA with about 60 Credits. 20-25 hrs is doable if you have your priority straight.</p>
<p>Learn to say “No” often to friends. Need good GPA to go where you need to go so studying should be primary focus. </p>
<p>Depending on teacher due dates are critical… so if you must try to bypass sleeping and finish assignments that you know are due. Last semester and this semester I find myself sleeping around 2-3AM alot and waking up 6AM to drive kids to school then work 11AM.</p>
<p>I could probably sleep earlier if I quit fooling around on the internet… notice the time of this post. It’s because I’m doing homework still and getting sidetrack.</p>
<p>It really depends upon the student and your job. One year, I went to school full-time, and “averaged” 36 hours per week of work. I say “averaged” because some weeks I worked a lot (when nothing much was going on at school), and some weeks I cut back because of demands of school. Fortunately, my job was very accommodating (although the job did have its demands that I occasionally had to balance).</p>
<p>It depends on how much stress you can handle, how disciplined you are and how long you have to keep it up. It also depends on what you consider a good GPA.</p>
<p>Stress really is the most important factor because it is all encompassing. If you are less disciplined, sticking to a schedule will add stress. The longer you have to juggle your responsibilities, the more stressed you’ll get. The higher you set the bar for your GPA, the more stressed you’ll get. If you add external factors such as spending time with a girlfriend/wife, maintaining/building a social network, raising a child, etc. = stress. Lack of sleep = stress. </p>
<p>I consider the guys above here supermen, there is no way I could work that many hours and keep a 4.0 and stay at home with my daughter during the day and keep my wife happy without having constant meltdowns. So I scale back one or more things until I reach an equilibrium. Here are a couple of averaged schedules, two proven, one speculative.</p>
<p>With baby - High Stress
Credits = 10
GPA Goal = 4.0
Work = 5 hours
Social Life = 5 hours
Home with daughter /household chores = 48 hours
Time in class/lab = 11 hours
Time at library = 16 hours
Sleep = 48 hours
Commuting = 10 hours
Awake time with wife = 10 hours
Unproductive time = 15 hours (remainder)</p>
<p>Married, Without baby - Medium Stress
Credits = 15
GPA Goal = 4.0
Work = 15 hours
Social Life = 10 hours
Chores = 6 hours
Time in class/lab = 16.5
Time at library = 25 hours
Sleep = 54 hours
Commuting = 6 hours
Awake time with wife = 20 hours
Unproductive time = 15.5 (remainder)</p>
<p>Single, no kids - Low Stress
Credits = 15
Work = 25 hours
GPA Goal = 4.0
Social Life = 15 hours
Chores = 2 hours
Time in class/lab = 16.5
Time at library = 25 hours
Sleep = 58 hours
Commuting = 6 hours
Unproductive time = 20.5</p>
<p>How about 6 credit hours while working 35 hours a week?</p>
<p>6 credits w/35 hours per week is pretty easily doable. I did it while working 40/week, both classes were high workload, and still had time for something similar to a life, but not really a life.</p>
<p>I know someone in college right now (single, no kids, etc.) who works 48 hours per week and maintains a 4.0 GPA with a full time school schedule. His commute is about 2 hours a day to school as well. He is a chemistry major and the classes he is taking are no joke. He is planning on going to med school soon. Granted, he is the the smartest person I have ever known, but not a genius by any stretch of the imagination (31 ACT score).</p>
<p>I work 30-32 hours a week and am taking 15 semester hours and he asked me what I did with all of my free time. Really made me feel like a slacker. It also motivated me knowing someone is capable of accomplishing the things he is accomplishing with such a daunting schedule. </p>
<p>I am planning on taking Chem 1, Physics 1, and Calc 2 (possibly a blowoff class like speech as well) next semester with 30 hour work weeks and am not too worried. My social life is nearly non existent, but you have to do what you have to do to pay the bills and support yourself when you have no one else to rely on.</p>
<p>Be careful. Chem 1 and Physics 1 alone take a lot of work. Combining it with Calc 2 will be tough.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I am in chemical engineering and it will be really tough to have the pressure of paying bills and keeping a job while doing well in school. But I can do it.</p>