Working full time through CC? Disadvantages?

[Ann.without.an.e]

DS has taken a full time job.  He likes it.  He also decided a few months ago that he doesn't want to go to a 4 year university.  He wants to get an associates degree from a cc instead and start a career.  He is smart as a whip but hates academics. He is torn between keeping this full time job next year (working 7-3:30 m-f) and taking classes at a slower pace in the late afternoons/evenings and finding a part time job in order to attend school full time.  I think I like the idea of him continuing a full time job because 1) he likes money in his pocket (he is saving to buy land) (2) He likes to work full time (3) Stretching a 2 year degree out to 3 or 4 years just gives him more time to mature, etc.

So what are the disadvantages?  I want to make sure we look at it from all angles.  

Edited December 5, 2018 by Attolia

[J-rap]

My ds did that.  He's pretty disciplined and not much into the social scene, so it worked for him.  I know he was really, really glad when those years were done.  He had long days.  He's very smart so he could zip through homework assignments.  That helped a lot.

[Ann.without.an.e]

11 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Well the biggest disadvantage I think is that it's going to cost more overall.  

What is he planning to get his associates in?  What sort of career field is he looking to go into?  Will an associates even provide much benefit?

 

He wants to get his degree to be a diesel mechanic.  Most people do not get a 2 year degree for this, but just get certificates so a 2 year degree will put him ahead.

[JanetC]

Agree with happysmileylady -- the more related the job is to his future plans, the more likely this is to be a benefit rather than a positive.

DH worked full time through college -- on the one hand, it hurt his GPA and ability to participate in extracurricular activities. On the other hand, he worked first as a computer backup technician, working his way up to system administrator by senior year. He graduated with a lot of practical computer skills and a work-ethic that have served him well in the long run.

[RootAnn]

A possible negative is that it will take longer and he'll get discouraged and/or decide he really doesn't need to complete it. Also, with a full time job, that is what gets the most of his attention.

[Lori D.]

If he is really motivated to do the program, and has a lot of natural perseverance to stick at something through completion even when it takes years to do so, then that could work.

Potential negatives:
- It can be exhausting working full time, and leave him with little time for actually doing the classes, or for developing healthy lifestyle aspects, such as:
     * developing relationships/social time
     * exercise/working out or physical activity
     * food shopping/preparing nutritious meals
     * house cleaning/laundry
- Some classes for the specialized AAS degrees don't offer evening times that allow you to work full-time daytime hours.
- Going part time makes a student ineligible for possible scholarships through the CC, or federal financial aid (such as a Pell Grant).
- Some courses in a program build on or complement one another, and you get more out of them if you take the courses simultaneously (as recommended by the program), rather than spreading them out in different semesters and losing momentum and info/experience with the material.

A possible compromise: if his place of employment really likes him, they may be willing to work with him -- work 20-25 hours/week during the school semesters, and go full time (12 credits) to get through the degree program more quickly, be eligible for potential financial aid, and more quickly gain knowledge/experience in his chosen AAS field to potentially get a part time job in his field that could lead into full time work.

BEST of luck, whatever he decides! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by Lori D.

[G5052]

I've been teaching at state community colleges for 20+ years, and a lot of my students do this. They take a reasonable course load and stretch it out. Some do it at the college I work for now do it to save for the 4-year so they can go full-time then when then programs are really set up for full-time attendance.

When I taught basic computer literacy, a lot of the pre-nursing students were working full-time as CNA's while they got their prerequisites done for the nursing program and while they saved for the nursing program, particularly clinicals when working while being in school is really, really difficult.

My oldest is a junior in a demanding program and currently has two part-time jobs. He told me the other night that one employer has reworked the schedule so that he's on only 2-3 times a month, and he's GLAD.

When you work, you have to make school first as much as possible. Professors aren't going to adjust your work load because you are working more than you should.

Edited December 5, 2018 by G5052

[regentrude]

one con I see is that working during the day limits him to take evening classes. Those are often very long with fewer class session per week, to accommodate working students. Long infrequent classes that dump a lot of material on the students are not very efficient, because concepts cannot be practiced before the next material, and cannot sink in. A 5 hour math class will accomplish less than two 2.5 hour math classes which accomplish less than three 100 minute classes.

[Bootsie]

Much depends on the community college and the average student that attends.  If many of the students work full time, then it is easier than if most other students are full-time students.  Class schedules will be designed with the working student in mind. A campus which is made up predominantly of full time students will have more required courses offered during work hours, group projects and assignments that are more conveniently done during normal work hours, advising hours that are not convenient for part-time students, etc.