15 hours next semster + fulltime work? Am I crazy?

[jread]

I found out tonight that I can graduate a semester earlier if I buckle down and take 15 hours next semester. I also work full-time at 40+ hours per week.

I should also add that 4 of the 5 courses are "accelerated", meaning that they are 7-weeks apiece, or half-semester courses. Two of them will take place the first half of the semester and two will take place the second half of the semester. Now, this is nice to only deal with each class for 7 weeks, but that is an INTENSE 7 weeks. The 5th class will be all semester long. So, it looks like this:

Jan-March: 2 courses
March-May: 2 courses
Jan-May: 1 course

I end up with 15 hours but will only be dealing with 9 hours at a time. It's still going to be brutal but nothing like if I were to be in all 5 courses at the same time.

Given this info, would you still do it?

Is this crazy? I have to register at 6:00 p.m. today so I'd better make a decision soon.

 

[mzkhadir]

Thats what I do now. Full time classes and full time work. Its easy if you have done it before. I am also looking at weekend work now too.

 

[BigJ]

I went from one full-time job to another this semester, and have been taking 17 credits while doing it.

It's possible, but it is going to take a lot out of you.

 

[Cook1]

Same here, work 3 part time jobs and do school full time. It's doable, you have NO social life mind you, but very doable.

 

[five40]

You can do it. I did it for 3 years while in college. You get used to it pretty quick and it's not that hard. You'll get tired every now and then but it's not that bad.

 

[middlehead]

I did it two years ago, but I had all 16 credits through the full semester. It was alright while I was at it, but once the job ended I realized how much the schedule had taken out of me.

 

[sixone]

I wouldn't. Either your job or your schoolwork or both will suffer.

 

[BigJ]

Also, you have to consider what kind of job you're actually taking. For example, working in a UPS sorting facility loading and unloading trucks is going to be much more tiring then waitering or being a cashier somewhere.

 

[DaShen]

That is normal, no biggie, You get used to it.

 

[oboeguy]

It completely depends on the courses involved. With the sort of courses I took most of my time in college it would not have been possible to work 40+ hours per week and still pass let alone do well. Also, as others mentioned, it depends on the job too.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Originally posted by: sixone
I wouldn't. Either your job or your schoolwork or both will suffer.

:thumbsup:

I would like to have a social life in there somewhere too.

 

[jread]

Thanks for the replies so far

I've been taking 9 hours while working and it hasn't been too bad. I guess that's what I should go for this time around as well.

 

[ngvepforever2]

I have been doing it for the past three years ( right now I am working 40 hours/wk, driving 10 hours/wk and taking sixteen credits dispersed into six classes (most CS). It helps that my job is programming (database programming). It sucks, but it's doable.

Regards

ng

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: jread
I found out tonight that I can graduate a semester earlier if I buckle down and take 15 hours next semester. I also work full-time at 40+ hours per week.

I should also add that 4 of the 5 courses are "accelerated", meaning that they are 7-weeks apiece, or half-semester courses. Two of them will take place the first half of the semester and two will take place the second half of the semester. Now, this is nice to only deal with each class for 7 weeks, but that is an INTENSE 7 weeks. The 5th class will be all semester long. So, it looks like this:

Jan-March: 2 courses
March-May: 2 courses
Jan-May: 1 course

I end up with 15 hours but will only be dealing with 9 hours at a time. It's still going to be brutal but nothing like if I were to be in all 5 courses at the same time.

Given this info, would you still do it?

Is this crazy? I have to register at 6:00 p.m. today so I'd better make a decision soon.

you'll survive.
do what you've gotta do.

 

[PurdueRy]

depends on your major IMO.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I worked 40 hours in college, but I totally slacked off in college and did not graduate. It was rather easy and I still had a lot of free time.
I imagine If I had attended 20% of my classes, and studied for 10 hours every week, then I would have probably done much better, and still had some free time. Ohh well.

 

[misle]

I took 12-14 hours while working full-time (finally graduating in December). But I will admit that my grades did suffer. Should be noted that I'm an EE major, math minor.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: PurdueRy
depends on your major IMO.

 

[jread]

My major is Public Administration, so definitely not as tough as engineering or mathematics. Mostly boring crap about the government and politics. I'm going to graduate school for a Master's in CIS, though. The sooner I finish my undergrad, the sooner I can move to that

 

[Mayfriday0529]

I'm doing this right now.
I work full time 40+ hours a week and taking 15 credits. Four classes: two classes are on weekdays Monday and Tuesday 6:45pm - 10:15pm. The other two are accelerated classes, only half the semester on weekends. I already finished my first one which was Saturdays 9am-4pm and I just had my second week on the second class 9am-2:30pm.

After work, Wednesday-Friday I?m at the library studying and reading, damn chapters take at least 2 hours to read. Saturdays I do some studying after class, but school library closes early 6:00pm. Sunday I pretty much spend most of the afternoon in the library until around 8:00pm.

There is lots of time to study, but to have the will to continue on and on is hard.

I finalize my registration for next semester tomorrow afternoon at 2:00pm, I?m going to take 16 credits.

 

[bay]

Originally posted by: sixone
I wouldn't. Either your job or your schoolwork or both will suffer.

<---right now. First semester working seriously at college, i work at the med schoo here, so my hours are when med students are here, which means running between classes to the med school and working early (imo, im not much of a morning person). If you can set up your schedule correctly, which I did not do, it can be done.

basically, this rambling, im just saying "be careful"

 

[jread]

Well, it looks like it was decided for me anyway

I registered for 15 hours and the tuition came out to be: $8295

The maximum financial aid I am eligible for this semester is: $5892

So, I dropped it down to 9-hours and the bill comes out right at $5000, which will be completely covered. I guess that's what I get for going to a private school. Ah well, it seems that it was meant to be this way. I can still take a class at the community college and come out at 12 hours total this semester. That will be more manageable I'm sure.