So, who else did (is doing) the "work fulltime and go to collge" routine?

[jread]

I'm in the process and it's definitely not easy. Makes me wish I would've had my sh*t together back when I was 18 and free of bills. Then again, I feel like I'm getting more out of it since I'm more mature and work harder and making good grades (4.0 so far). I took 6 hours last half-semester, taking 6 hours this summer, and taking 9 hours in the Fall. I plan to keep up a year-round schedule until I finally finish. This is on top of working a fulltime job and then my other responsibilities at home. We're also buying our house and getting married next year on top of it all.

I know some others on here have done this (and maybe even much more). How did you get through it? Was it hard to stay motivated and keep your grades up? Would you say that it was all worth it in the end? I know it will go by faster than I think but it's still hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes After the fall I will have 37 hours left to finish.

[zman]

I did not work full time during school, but I wish you the best and envy your (and others who work and learn) spirit in the quest for education.

[otterpop]

I worked full-time and went to grad school for my first year, but just went to school the second. It was just too hard to work and go to grad school.

[Habanero]

I worked nearly full-time to full time (35-40 hours/week) during my undergrad. I wouldn't suggest anyone attempt 21 hours over a summer while working full time- you'll go crazy. Trust me.

I'm going back for my masters and I'll still be working full time, but it shouldn't be that bad.

As far as staying motivated- that wasn't hard. I had to do well. My first sememster at Texas State I didn't have a car so I had to get from Austin to school on the shuttle and still work to pay for school. I knew what I wanted to do and I wanted to get it over with a.s.a.p. I sacrificed a social life for it most of the time, but I don't regret it one bit. I think motivation this time around may be a little harder since we'll have a newborn in the house, but ah well, we'll manage and I've got a better support system now.

[The Irish One]

I work full time and school part time. I sucked at school when I was young and now I'm pretty good at it -besides English.

[lec9496]

I work full time while getting a graduate degree in Business Administration. I've gone year round except taking one semester off to study for the AICP exam and train for a ski race. It's tough but I like the fact that I will be debt-free when I graduate.

[PlannerGirl]

I worked 3 jobs while I was in college (undergrad) I think it was about 35-40 hours a week and took a full load with 2 majors, married, sorority etc.

Yes major burned out by the time it was done and now have zero desire to go to grad school.

[jread]

I worked nearly full-time to full time (35-40 hours/week) during my undergrad. I wouldn't suggest anyone attempt 21 hours over a summer while working full time- you'll go crazy. Trust me.

I'm going back for my masters and I'll still be working full time, but it shouldn't be that bad.

As far as staying motivated- that wasn't hard. I had to do well. My first sememster at Texas State I didn't have a car so I had to get from Austin to school on the shuttle and still work to pay for school. I knew what I wanted to do and I wanted to get it over with a.s.a.p. I sacrificed a social life for it most of the time, but I don't regret it one bit. I think motivation this time around may be a little harder since we'll have a newborn in the house, but ah well, we'll manage and I've got a better support system now.

You are the man! I know how far it is to San Marcos from here and I know how ridiculously hard it is to schedule undergrad classes at TxState if you work during the day. I could never do that.

The main that that's going to be bad for me is my amount of debt when I'm done. St. Edward's costs $532 per credit hour

[Habanero]

You are the man! I know how far it is to San Marcos from here and I know how ridiculously hard it is to schedule undergrad classes at TxState if you work during the day. I could never do that.

The main that that's going to be bad for me is my amount of debt when I'm done. St. Edward's costs $532 per credit hour

LOL, thanks. Luckily, for part of my employment, the City of Austin was doing flex schedules where I'd work 4-10s from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday (and I got to count that job as an internship as well). Otherwise I was logging that much as a waitress so my schedule was much more flexible than a traditional full-time schedule. I was still single though, so it worked for me at that time. Forget me trying to do that now, it'd never happen.

That much per credit hour? I'm going to be paying about that much for my masters, but I'll get about 80% paid for by my husband's employer and my job will pick up the other 20% (hopefully, we'll see if I want to be an endentured servant for years to come to pay them back in time worked).

[jread]

LOL, thanks. Luckily, for part of my employment, the City of Austin was doing flex schedules where I'd work 4-10s from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday (and I got to count that job as an internship as well). Otherwise I was logging that much as a waitress so my schedule was much more flexible than a traditional full-time schedule. I was still single though, so it worked for me at that time. Forget me trying to do that now, it'd never happen.

That much per credit hour? I'm going to be paying about that much for my masters, but I'll get about 80% paid for by my husband's employer and my job will pick up the other 20% (hopefully, we'll see if I want to be an endentured servant for years to come to pay them back in time worked).

lol, I have also worked the 3-1 shift at the City when I was a temp. Send me a PM... I probably know who you are

[Rumpy Tunanator]

Full-time during my days animating in Pittsburgh, full-time during school in Buffalo. Had to go with my work ethic since the paperboy days.

[donk]

I am debating it right now. It is not the work or $$$ that is scaring me, but having my schedule dictated by someone else for the next 3 years, especially in the summer. Just want to get it done, while my GMAT score is still slightly above average.

[michaelskis]

When I was in College I worked full time at the ski hill as a Manager and took full time classes. Now I am taking full time Grad classes and working full time as a Zoning / Codes guy.

[Salmissra]

For undergrad, I only worked in the summers, and then it was usually 2 jobs. I worked on campus my senior year, which was my easiest year since I'd busted my butt the first 3 and took 18 hours each semester.
Grad school was full time school, 2 part-time jobs at first. One internship with a city, one at a bookstore. That lasted the first two semesters. From then on it was work full time, school full or part time, depending on which required classes were offered on weekends. I did end up finishing on time, but it was a killer on my budget. Work didn't pay for any of it, so I was on my own there.

I feel your pain on the work and school thing. I did lose some motivation through the 21/2 years of school, but I coped by being ruthless about my free time. I lost a boyfriend while in school, but it wasn't a great loss. He wasn't that supportive of my educational efforts, anyway. If anyone tries to tell you that they are more important than your desire to learn, dump them fast.

[Jaxspra]

Yes, waited tables and bartended my entire time doing my undergrad, last semester was pregnant, commuted home (3 hrs) every weekend to work my 2nd job and took 21 hours (and got a 4.0 )...looking back that doesn't seem nearly as hard as working 50 + - hour a week, raising the 2 little ones on my own and starting grad school...we shall see in the fall... I am only taking one class the first semester and will add more as I get back into the swing of things.

[Suburb Repairman]

As an undergrad I worked as a RA for three years. It sounds like an easy job, but it was really very time consuming with lots of paperwork and counseling students. Also, I worked in a predominantly athletic dorm, which has it's own unique issues, especially in the off season. The last year I was the Senior RA for the dorm, which meant that not only did I write-up violations, I also adjudicated a few and supervised the rest of the RAs. I maintained 16-18 hour courseloads while doing that.

I'm now working full time as a Planning Director and attending grad school at night. I've taken six hours the past two semesters, but am only taking three in the fall because of scheduling conflicts with evening meetings.

[Planderella]

I worked part time at Eckerds, sometimes full time...depending on how many hours I could wrestle out of the store manager, while carrying a full course load in undergrad.

First year of grad school, I worked full time while I had a part time course load. The next 2 years, I carried a full course load and worked as a graduate assistant. My last semester, I worked full time while I completed my thesis/final project.

How did I stay motivated? It was fairly easy. In undergrad, I knew I didn't want to work at Eckerd's for the rest of my life, like some of the people there. At the time, I had plans to go to law school, so I knew I had to keep my grades up.

By the time grad school rolled around, I postponed law school plans and ended up in planning. The same things motivated me. I worked at a hotel the first year and I didn't want to make a career out of it as some of my coworkers had done.

You have to keep your eyes on the prize. Good luck!

[teshadoh]

My first 2 years of college I only worked 20 to 30 hours, but for the next 3 years I did work 30 plus hours at a bookstore. This did result in my difficulty in finishing college - because I didn't manage my time wisely - so I quit college & worked full time for a year.

For the next 2 years I worked full time & took night classes, finishing my undergrad degree in a whopping 8 years. Depends on the parents & circumstances - my parents were'nt the type to pay for college - they viewed it as a neccessity but since their parents didn't help them out, they weren't obliged to help me out (except for a discount room & board at $200 a month).

[jread]

If anyone tries to tell you that they are more important than your desire to learn, dump them fast.

Luckily my fiancee is very supportive and understanding of my desire to finish school, and she has tried her best to let me do what I need to. She knows that I am not going to let anybody or anything get in my way, but I didn't even have to tell her that.

[the north omaha star]

Undergrad - part-time jobs here and there. You name I've done it. From janitor for high-rise office buildings to producer on a news radio station doing CBA games for the Omaha Racers.

Grad School - By the second year, I was working full time and going to grad. school full time. It was fairly easy until it came to write my thesis. My typical weekday consisted of going to work from 8 to 4:30, go to class at 5, go the library at Johns Hopkins at 8 to research and write, get home at 11 or 12 to type until I woke up with my keyboard drenched in slobber and the thesis looked liked this ;lsjf;lsjfl;sdf;s;lfjsl;fjs;lsjfsjfl;sffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff. But I graduated on time, and wouldn't change the experience for nothing in the world.

[The One]

I worked full time while in grad school, but only took between 6 and 9 hours of classes each semester.....it worked out well....

[Ass. Planner]

I worked 25-35 hours per week during undergrad - and put my social life first, so my grades were not the best. But I intend to go back to school next spring while working full time. Most of the classes I will be taking are night or weekend courses, so I won't have to mess around with my work schedule. This is probably a good time for me to go back to school since I don't care as much about my social life, and I am really looking forward to being a student again. The thing that bothers me the most is that I don't want to go for my MPA, but it looks like that is the only option for me right now. This is the reason I have been putting off school for so long....

[The Shadoe]

I am working full-time along with being a full-time college student. It's quite a balancing act, but I like keeping busy. I don't want to drop my job because it's entry-level which is awesome since most of my friends work in retail, and I was hired because of my knowledge of Final Cut Pro and website skills. They'd flip if I left. And I don't want to.

Plus, something is just so awesome about working downtown Saint Paul. I love the vibe.