WomenCo.

I put myself through college by working full time, and I did finish in four years. I graduated without any loans, but I missed out on a lot of social activities because I worked all the time. Also, I was sleep deprived because of my hectic scedule.

I did not attend graduate school until I had a FT position as a teacher. I went to graduate school PT, but I finished in two years because I took classes during the summer sessions.

I got my Master's degree at the same time as I was completing a full-time fellowship that was essentially a full-time job. My classes weren't even only just in the evening -- they were during the day, too! So stressful. But my university -- Columbia in NYC -- was very understanding and helped me find a schedule that worked.

This forum is so helpful to me!  I am about to apply to a graduate program and am scared of working full time while taking classes.  I have a wonderful opportunity, having the institution cover the vast majority of tutition as an employment benefit.  However, still terrified of balance.  Thank you for letting me know this is attainable!

kar23 says ...

This forum is so helpful to me!  I am about to apply to a graduate program and am scared of working full time while taking classes.  I have a wonderful opportunity, having the institution cover the vast majority of tutition as an employment benefit.  However, still terrified of balance.  Thank you for letting me know this is attainable!

HI!

I had a class size of about 13 of us...all of us with full time jobs...very driven...all assisting each other...when we were at our worst ready to quit....we really had a bunch of support...within the class...and the colleges these days try to tailor the assignments so that you could even do homework around a current work challenge or situation.  So the workplace is getting free advice (often from yourself and the professor..who could go wrong there!) 

I had to pay for my own education...so you are so fortunate. to have some assistance..and I am so pleased you want to take advantage of that!!  It took me over 7 yrs to do it...but WHAT ELSE ARE YOU GONNA BE DOING FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS ANYWAY!?  That thought got me into doing it at all!  :-)  For me the benifits far outweighed the challenges.  I tripled my salary in a matter of 3 yrs from the point of my graduation date.  (and others told me I inspired them to go back to school...i cry when I think of that!)  It was one of the hardest things I had to do...but the confidence I felt after graduation, or the confidence overcoming daily homework hurdles....all such a great growth experience for me!  I feel like I can say that I can do anything I want now since that was such a hurdle.  The most inspiring thing and humbling thing for me was watching those in class who had families, no computer (just a typewriter) and larger family/work challenges than I.  I thought if they can do it, I need to quit my crabbing and get it together!!!  You go gurl!!!!

seabrownthree says ...

I was going to university and pulling a 4.0 grade average.  I was a single mother on welfare, though, and I got tired of the snide remarks and people looking down their noses, so I told my profs that I was quitting to go to work.  They called my social worker, who came to my house to beg me to stay in school so that I could be a CPA in just three more years.  I told her when people could change the way they treated mothers on welfare, I'd consider it and I quit.  I did try to go to uni again whilst working full-time, but I was only seeing my daughter when I was carrying her asleep to the child minder and when I was carrying her asleep home again.  I got about two hours of sleep a night, and forgot that I had a bird.  Which had a tragic outcome for the bird.  I finally quit uni and took a vocational college course.  I managed to finish an 11-month course in three, and then went to work for H&R Block as my first employer.  The rest is history.  But I'm not in accounting now.  I want to do different things.  Still, that's how I did it.

You are an amazing and tenacious woman!  When you set your mind to something...you are determined to finish...very inspirational.

I attained my AAS in Business Office Systems in the normal 2 years - full time student, full time employee & lived outside of town (commute was 1 hr each way).  I didn't really mind, the drive home was my unwind time so that when I got home I could start on what homework I had left to do.  I also took advantage of any quiet corner between classes to get the majority of my homework completed before I would head of to work.  I don't remember much else from the time frame, births & weddings during that time frame are only remembered because they have been written down enough I now remember them.

Now 13 years after I graduated with my AAS, I am back in school while working a 40 + hr week.  I guess I didn't get enough punishment the first go around .  Actually, I started back to school to obtain my BS in Business in February with online classes - all sort of on a whim.  My sister has a golden opportunity if she would JUST get her degree, so I told her I would go to school with her - I followed through & was enrolled and she is still dragging her feet saying she is too busy.  I had always thought of going back to get the Bachelor's degree but I never could get the scheduling to work quite right until now.  The online format is not for everyone but it does definitely give you flexibility in how & when you study.  In a conventional school I would have had to go to the class room at least 2x a week - with online I have to sit in front of my computer once a week (for each class/ semester) on the day & time that I choose when registering and participate in a chat with 20 other people on the topic of the class.  Each semester is 10 weeks longs, each week is one unit - you have from Wednesday to Tuesday to get the assignments for that unit completed & submitted.  I love it.

The only problem I have found so far, my exercise routine has sort of gotten put to the back burner  but I will pick it back up when I get out of school.  Timeline for this endeavor - started Feb 2008 should graduate Oct 2010 (I believe) - will keep you posted.

I don't know yet if I will go for my Master's

shayz says ...

I attained my AAS in Business Office Systems in the normal 2 years - full time student, full time employee & lived outside of town (commute was 1 hr each way).  I didn't really mind, the drive home was my unwind time so that when I got home I could start on what homework I had left to do.  I also took advantage of any quiet corner between classes to get the majority of my homework completed before I would head of to work.  I don't remember much else from the time frame, births & weddings during that time frame are only remembered because they have been written down enough I now remember them.

Now 13 years after I graduated with my AAS, I am back in school while working a 40 + hr week.  I guess I didn't get enough punishment the first go around .  Actually, I started back to school to obtain my BS in Business in February with online classes - all sort of on a whim.  My sister has a golden opportunity if she would JUST get her degree, so I told her I would go to school with her - I followed through & was enrolled and she is still dragging her feet saying she is too busy.  I had always thought of going back to get the Bachelor's degree but I never could get the scheduling to work quite right until now.  The online format is not for everyone but it does definitely give you flexibility in how & when you study.  In a conventional school I would have had to go to the class room at least 2x a week - with online I have to sit in front of my computer once a week (for each class/ semester) on the day & time that I choose when registering and participate in a chat with 20 other people on the topic of the class.  Each semester is 10 weeks longs, each week is one unit - you have from Wednesday to Tuesday to get the assignments for that unit completed & submitted.  I love it.

The only problem I have found so far, my exercise routine has sort of gotten put to the back burner  but I will pick it back up when I get out of school.  Timeline for this endeavor - started Feb 2008 should graduate Oct 2010 (I believe) - will keep you posted.

I don't know yet if I will go for my Master's

 

 

• Wow....you go gurl!  You can do it!  It was tough to fit in the exercise too...but it got to the point where the excercise was important to relieve my stressful days...and somehow fit it in...at one point you could have found me on the stationary bike with my books studying away!   Sounds like an online study system is a great and flexible way to go...too bad they did not offer that for me at the time I went....:-)