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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 did it for one year out of 5. But its not advisable for someone at the traditional college age (18-23).
I did it for a purpose, I wanted a new car, but doing it for your entire College career ruins the experience a bit. COllege is supposed to be when you're still young enough to be a student, but old enough to have full adult rights. Girls now meet guys who have cars, and guys now meet girls that don't have a curfew.
There should be a fair amount of partying and socializing to mix in with being a student.
Those who worked full time for the majority probably missed out on developing some social skills and relationships and probably did not enjoy the experience overall as compared to someone that did things a typical college student will do.
Now for individuals who attended college later in life (25+ and up), working full time makes more sense b/c their survival may be at stake if they don't work full time.
I did this with a husband and 3 children in the mix as well.
It is difficult but not impossible and I did not have student loan debt, paid for all classes cash.
It is similar to having a newborn child, you don't sleep for months but it eventually calms down, falls into routine and gets better.
I worked years 2-4 in college, with increasing hours and multiple jobs -- ended up averaging somewhere around 35 hours per week during my senior year.
It built character and did allow me to graduate debt-free, between that and some scholarships (note: I did not have a car at all for one of those years, and received assistance with using or paying for a car the other years). Parents did not pay any of my tuition or books or room and board during years 2-4.
While tuition is higher now and I realize wouldn't be covered nearly as much as it was then (15+ years ago now), the benefit of learning to work hard hasn't diminished. During my senior year, I also was getting a ton of work experience in my field and earned 3 credits with a paid internship, so something like that would still be applicable today. And I'd argue those with a proven work record are more likely to land those types of internships than someone who doesn't have anything on a resume until they're nearly finished with school.
While the schedule is physically possible, I think most people who do this do themselves a diservice since for most, the retention of information and develpment of a good sense of critical thinking and analysis requires good sleep and eating habits which are simply not supported by such a rigorous schedule.
I myself worked part time (16-28 hours/week) while taking a light schedule (9-12 credit hours) for may last two years of college and grad school, and considered it pretty much the max I could do and consider myself to be actually learning rather than essentially cramming.
I did this with a husband and 3 children in the mix as well.
It is difficult but not impossible and I did not have student loan debt, paid for all classes cash.
It is similar to having a newborn child, you don't sleep for months but it eventually calms down, falls into routine and gets better.
I had a newborn child (2x) while completing my grad program.
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?
It doesn't sound that hard actually, but it depends on the class. Tougher classes the two hours per hour of class holds true but for most it does not. I spent more like an hour per hour of class time on average. Some classes more, some less.
I didn't work full-time but carried more units, always over 15 usually 17-19. Sophomore through senior years I was scheduled for 25 hours but it was never only 25 hours. Averaged more like 30-32 except during finals. Quarter system so dead week? LOL what dead week. Class ends Friday, finals start Monday. The only thing tough about it was I didn't have weekends. Worked two ten-hour shifts on the weekends and then one or two five hour shifts during the week. Scheduling worked pretty much like it does for any college student that works 5-10 hours a week, just no weekends for catching up on studying or doing much goofing off. No social life but I got plenty of sleep, time to take care of basic chores, time to exercise and play IM/club sports. Except one quarter when I took 21 units. That was awful.
I had a newborn child (2x) while completing my grad program.
It's insane.
Newborns need to come with snooze buttons.
My cousin is doing that now but only 1x. He just turned six months but no sign of the world's most obnoxious alarm clock without a snooze button going off like clockwork every three hours. I have no idea how she does it.
I had a newborn child (2x) while completing my grad program.
It's insane.
Don't I know it, 7 year old, 2 year old, newborn, home, work, laundry, grocery, cooking, etc. etc.
That doesn't include the hours of study and homework and I was able to maintain a 4.0.
It really was worth it though for me, others may not think it is.
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 had a couple of friends who took 11 credits as grad students while teaching full time. They didn't do this throughout the entire masters degree program and both ended up quitting their jobs. Still, they did do it for a semester. The next semester one of my friend's reduced his credit load to 7 credits and the other reduced her credit load to 8 credits. After then, as MA in Teaching programs require a certain amount of classroom practical experience, they had to quit their jobs.
I could have done it, but I could not have done it and maintained the GPA I did. Something would have been sacrificed, and it would have been the As. At least, some of them.
Wouldn't have been worth it to me, and I had enough scholarships that I didn't need to work ft. Part time during school year and ft summers was enough. Others may be able to pull it off. The way I approach school, though, nah.
Especially since most undergraduate degrees are not designed to be terminal degrees and if one wants a professional career in many fields one needs a graduate degree. With just a bachelor's degree one may end up working in Starbucks in certain fields.
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