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I also took summer classes in the late 1990s. My current school has no breaks between semesters. Many of today's programs are geared toward adults who need to work full-time while also getting their degree in four years.
I also took summer classes in the late 1990s. My current school has no breaks between semesters. Many of today's programs are geared toward adults who need to work full-time while also getting their degree in four years.
Neither does mine. The only break my school had is 3 weeks for the hoildays and a week between the spring an summer semesters. My school also had 3 different types of summer semesters A, B, C.
Summer A and B were accelerated. Summer A was from May-late June and Summer B was from late June- the start of Fall.
Summer C was the entire summer May-Fall. You can take as many as 9 credits in EACH summer term. For example you could take 9 Credits in Summer A and 9 in Summer B if you wanted. It was up to the student. However, in order to graduate, you need 9 credits total of summer credits. So you could take one class each summer and meet the requirement.
Its obvious that the responses in this thread differ based on decade of enrollment and region of the country. It must be nice to live in a region where one can go to school then enjoy the summers for work and play. However, in this city (Miami) most people go to school and work year round, unless they are well off financially.
Seems to be easy enough to do as long as you don't mind not having a particular social life until later in life. Also, another thing that makes it easier, regardless of 40 or 60 hours a week, is a schedule that doesn't change. If you're working something standard like 4p to 12p, or even 4p-4a, on the same 4-5 days a week, then you could definitely squeeze some classes in there.
For a little while in 2015 and 2016, I was on a truck driving schedule where I drove 4.5 hours out to a dairy, spent an hour loading the trailers, then 4.5 hours back to the yard for a little rest and then my two classes between 2p and 6p. Of course I was taking three, one night a week classes where two of them were on Tuesday night, and one was on Wednesday night. The cool thing about that particular trucking assignment was that the dairy made a silo every 16-20 hours and the dairyman was quite chill about the pickup times. So I pretty much made my own schedule every work night when I was supposed to go out there. With this particular arrangement, I was able to make some considerable money, while also getting back on track with my post-trucking plans.
But alas, the bottom fell out on that particular assignment after about a year and then it was back to either shuttling trailers to get unloaded at the local plant. Or getting put on a 4-5 barn, strict pickup schedule where I had to start at a different ----ing time each night, severely curtailing any chance of getting to any class on time. And of course, more hours were put in each night, but less money was made.
So, yes. It could be done if you're in a particular situation where self financing must be done for classes and all other avenues for financial have been exhausted. And as far as a social life goes, there could always be a day or two set aside for some personal time/day-trip. As far as studying/getting papers done goes, I'd do that on non-class, work days. Study and write papers at the library, or a non-busy Jack-in-the-Box, or head out to a quiet, picnic area in the middle of nowhere to get some non-work, work done.
I would advise against doing anything at home since the bed is all that easier to climb into.
I don't like the culture that applauds such behavior.
Applauds? Seriously?
I don't know anyone who would get on this kind of hamster wheel voluntarily or for the applause of people.
However, any culture worth its salt applauds people who persevere. Far better to be in a culture that praises people who say, "I will" than a culture that coddles people who say, "I can't."
Try running a business, taking 18 credits per semester and having two children. And keeping a 3.6GPA Both my husband and I did it at different times ; my husband when the kids were small and I did it when they were about 9. We both graduated. And no, we did not have family to help with childcare.
Now our sons are 17 and 19. One is in college taking 18 credits every semester, in the National Guard and also plays rugby. The other son is a senior in high school, works 20 hours a week and is a wrestler. The older son has given up the last two summers for basic training and AIT and will be training again this summer.
They have our drive which is fantastic. Do they get bored ; yes, they have a chilling day where they watch tv. What are they missing ; nothing.
The school I was attending (but didn't finish) runs on a trimester system.
They have a fall, winter, and spring trimester without the big breaks in between that a college run on semesters have. A lot of people have used that system to immerse themselves in their studies and speed up their way to a degree.
I worked 25hrs/wk and took three classes per semester and was maxed out. But I was an engineering major so my classes were kinda brutal, especially my design classes my senior year. During finals week and while prepping for the FE exam I did not work at all. I worked at a geotechnical engineering firm so my boss was very understanding about my work load from school. Most of my classmates did not work at all. If you have an easy major then I think working 40hrs while taking 4 or more courses would be possible but still difficult.
And also, are we talking college at a some place like University of Phoenix or a 'cough' real college 'cough'?
Does anyone else want to call bull when someone says that? I hear this comment so much and never buy it. Simple mathematics shows that it would be virtually impossible not only to get 40 hours a week in while taking a minimum of 12 credits, but also when would you study? For those of you who say you did it, how did you your schedule look?
I call BS every time I hear that. Because it isn't true.
My father missed the GI Bill because he was two young to serve in WWII. He attended a state college in the 1950s. He made it through college while working a 30 hours a week, and earning money in the Summer as a life guard. He lived at home in the Summer and was able to save his money.
His wealthy aunt, gifted him five hundred dollars per year.
He told me it was brutal and that he wanted better for us. He gave us much better.
In the 1950s, I worked summer in a canning factory, dollar an hour. I knew dozens of workers there who were college students in Arkansas and Mississippi. They worked two shifts, slept 8 hours in the bunkhouse, worked two shifts. 16 hours a day all summer 1500 hours, 1500 dollars, enough to pay full cost of 9 months in college. No need to work during the school year.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by cebuan
In the 1950s, I worked summer in a canning factory, dollar an hour. I knew dozens of workers there who were college students in Arkansas and Mississippi. They worked two shifts, slept 8 hours in the bunkhouse, worked two shifts. 16 hours a day all summer 1500 hours, 1500 dollars, enough to pay full cost of 9 months in college. No need to work during the school year.
Similar today in the AK fisheries, and other good paying summer jobs.
One of my kids did fishing and the other wildland firefighting (with special certs to perform medical and fire tasks) Each made ~$40k in 6-8 weeks, enough for college (but during college they kept their winter jobs too + did a lot of stock trading with the equivalent of their loan proceeds). Each were ski and golf instructors (long hours, poor pay, great perks) thus the need for summer big buck jobs.
Some IT friends went to Iraq during college summers for contract positions in war zone. It was very good pay and tax free.
I note the current Amazon and Facebook interns can make a (very) healthy stipend. (others too)
During college...my previous boss did summers at CBOE (Chicago Trading floor), he made PLENTY to cover college (he had a family and kids at home, so burnt through a lot of dough during engineering school.) He also spent his first 20 yrs after college on submarines (that is not a trivial task / commitment). He was a great boss. no BS.. no micro managing, just very detailed and HIGH expectations.
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