How Many Hours Can You Work as a Full-Time Student?

When you’re thinking about becoming an online student you might have concerns about how much you can work while going to school. Although there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there are some points to consider when reviewing your current situation and how you can fit school into it.

The good news about online school is that without set class meeting times, you are in control of your schedule. If you need to get up at 7am to start school work or do it after finishing work, you are free to do so. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can decide how much work and school you can handle.

What Kind of Work Do You Do?

If you come home from work every night so exhausted you can barely fix yourself dinner, you might want to rethink going to school right now. If you regularly work 60-80 hours, fitting in your education, especially full time, is going to be incredibly difficult. Evaluate your energy level and the time it would take to earn a degree with your current situation.

Of course, it’s always possible to go to school part-time (although it will take longer) or talk to your boss about cutting back on hours if you work far more than the traditional 40 per week. Just make sure you’re not setting yourself up for failure by taking on more than you can accommodate in your schedule.

What Other Responsibilities Do You have?

If work is under control, examine what else takes up your attention. Will you need to cut back on a hobby? Perhaps see your friends a little less? What about family obligations? Do you own a home that needs your care? Do you have other projects in the pipeline?

Be sure when you sign up for online classes that you are ready to devote your attention to it. If you have too much going on, it will be difficult to keep up and possibly even remember assignments and projects a they roll in.

What Does Your Support Network Look Like?

Everyone needs some help now and then. Who can you count on if you need someone to watch the kids while you take an exam? Do you have a friend who would make you dinner one night that you’re struggling to get homework done? Can you afford to hire and manage people to take care of obligations like lawn work or other forms of maintenance when you need to concentrate on your classes? Having a network in place is essential as things will happen, deadlines will loom, and you will need to call some backup on occasion.

What Are You Willing to Sacrifice to Earn Your Degree?

No college degree comes easy from an accredited school. If you’re working, full-time education is not going to seamlessly fit into your lifestyle without a hint of disruption. It will be important for your to analyze how you currently spend your time and what you can cut out of your day and what you can’t. Make sure you have enough time to focus on your education and make the grade. The last thing you want to do is devote the time, money, and attention to an endeavor like earning a college degree and struggle to get by.

So, Can You Work and Go to School at the Same Time?

Many people have done it before. But you have to make sure it’s the right path for you. It’s not going to be easy, parts of it won’t be fun either, but if you keep focused on donning your graduation robes and walking across the state, all of the sacrifices you make today can be worth it in the future.

Are you interested in online education that fits your schedule? If you want to earn a degree in health science, business, criminal justice, or technology, consider ECPI University for your education. With several degrees offered online at an accelerated pace, this could be your opportunity to earn a degree on your time. For more information, connect with a friendly ECPI University representative.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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