4 ms·

I did the unthinkable and worked full-time for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I walked away without debt. It was hard, but I recommend it over ta

by ronnier 16y ago

I did the unthinkable and worked full-time for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I walked away without debt. It was hard, but I recommend it over taking on debt. There are other benefits, such as finishing school with working experience and learning how to master time management.

AgentConundrum 16y ago
I'm really kicking myself for this. My first semester in college I worked part-time at a corner store near where I lived (with family). I quit after four months because I got paranoid about selling cigarettes - apparently one of the tobacco companies had sent a kid to do a check, and I'd accidentally sold to a minor. I probably wasn't in any danger criminally, because I was told the cigarette companies use "old kids" (i.e. a year younger than legal) whereas the cops use 13/14 year olds and are pretty obvious about it. Still, I got paranoid and started carding so much that people were fairly regularly bitching me out about it and I couldn't take it anymore. I wish I had kept that job now, since the constant pressure I feel about my debt now is probably worse than "normal" job stress back then.
pbhjpbhj 16y ago
>I did the unthinkable and worked full-time for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. Distance learning? I've done an undergrad level diploma over 3 years with the Open University (just over one-third of a B.Sc degree IIRC) by working 4½ days and studying in my spare time. But I could never have done my undergrad degree and worked full-time - lectures started at 9am, lab days in until 5pm, other days there would be reading to do, presentation prep, course assignments, tutorials (oral study classes with a postgrad or lecturer doing questions and going over course materials). Do 9-5 (not that uncommon) and then do a couple of hours of reading or essay writing; when do you have time to work for money?
- ronnier 16y ago
  No, I went to class on campus every day/night. http://www.utdallas.edu/ http://www.utdallas.edu/
  - pbhjpbhj 16y ago
    You did classes day and night and had a full-time job? Can you define "full-time job" for me. Also how many years did you take to get your degree, in what subject?
    - SHOwnsYou 16y ago
      Working during college is not as daunting as it sounds. I worked the entire time I was in school, the first year part time, the last 3 years were full time (40+ hours per week). I graduated on time with a degree in Economics with as much of a focus I could put on Game Theory and Statistics.
      - pbhjpbhj 16y ago
        >Working during college is not as daunting as it sound I don't find your suggestion daunting. I find it ludicrous - how does one fit in all their lectures and essay writing, tutorial assignments and work a full-time job. Did you skip lectures. As I did a modular course I had both essay assignments, tutorial assignments and lab work (programming, experiments, etc.) as well as about 30 hours contact time (lectures mainly). I suppose if I hadn't slept and had a flexible job that I could work at when I wanted and without any hard deadlines. Perhaps the key is the job you had, were you a life model of someone studying in a library?
        ronnier 16y ago
        I went to the library to study nearly every night, except Friday night. I had no choice but to study, do assignment, projects and so on all day Saturday and Sunday.
        SHOwnsYou 16y ago
        I had a real job. No sitting in the library for me. I was a jack of all trades type at my job. Some software development, but I dealt pretty extensively with strategy as well. I had very hard deadlines all the time. My job was 8-5 every day, but I would usually have to leave for an hour or so 3 times a week for class. That didn't really change anything, it just meant that I was working later than 5pm every night and fitting classes in later. It wasn't that hard. It helps that I don't stress about anything. But I would like to point out that I was not obsessed about my grades like some people tend to be. I carried a decent GPA through school, but nothing impressive. The nothing impressive was partially a function of my own doing and partially my heavy schedule. I was never pressured into getting great grades and never put that on myself. Mostly Bs with some As was fine for me.

by ronnier 16y ago

AgentConundrum 16y ago

I'm really kicking myself for this. My first semester in college I worked part-time at a corner store near where I lived (with family). I quit after four months because I got paranoid about selling cigarettes - apparently one of the tobacco companies had sent a kid to do a check, and I'd accidentally sold to a minor. I probably wasn't in any danger criminally, because I was told the cigarette companies use "old kids" (i.e. a year younger than legal) whereas the cops use 13/14 year olds and are pretty obvious about it. Still, I got paranoid and started carding so much that people were fairly regularly bitching me out about it and I couldn't take it anymore. I wish I had kept that job now, since the constant pressure I feel about my debt now is probably worse than "normal" job stress back then.

pbhjpbhj 16y ago

>I did the unthinkable and worked full-time for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. Distance learning? I've done an undergrad level diploma over 3 years with the Open University (just over one-third of a B.Sc degree IIRC) by working 4½ days and studying in my spare time. But I could never have done my undergrad degree and worked full-time - lectures started at 9am, lab days in until 5pm, other days there would be reading to do, presentation prep, course assignments, tutorials (oral study classes with a postgrad or lecturer doing questions and going over course materials). Do 9-5 (not that uncommon) and then do a couple of hours of reading or essay writing; when do you have time to work for money?

ronnier 16y ago
No, I went to class on campus every day/night. http://www.utdallas.edu/ http://www.utdallas.edu/
- pbhjpbhj 16y ago
  You did classes day and night and had a full-time job? Can you define "full-time job" for me. Also how many years did you take to get your degree, in what subject?
  - SHOwnsYou 16y ago
    Working during college is not as daunting as it sounds. I worked the entire time I was in school, the first year part time, the last 3 years were full time (40+ hours per week). I graduated on time with a degree in Economics with as much of a focus I could put on Game Theory and Statistics.
    - pbhjpbhj 16y ago
      >Working during college is not as daunting as it sound I don't find your suggestion daunting. I find it ludicrous - how does one fit in all their lectures and essay writing, tutorial assignments and work a full-time job. Did you skip lectures. As I did a modular course I had both essay assignments, tutorial assignments and lab work (programming, experiments, etc.) as well as about 30 hours contact time (lectures mainly). I suppose if I hadn't slept and had a flexible job that I could work at when I wanted and without any hard deadlines. Perhaps the key is the job you had, were you a life model of someone studying in a library?
      - ronnier 16y ago
        I went to the library to study nearly every night, except Friday night. I had no choice but to study, do assignment, projects and so on all day Saturday and Sunday.
      - SHOwnsYou 16y ago
        I had a real job. No sitting in the library for me. I was a jack of all trades type at my job. Some software development, but I dealt pretty extensively with strategy as well. I had very hard deadlines all the time. My job was 8-5 every day, but I would usually have to leave for an hour or so 3 times a week for class. That didn't really change anything, it just meant that I was working later than 5pm every night and fitting classes in later. It wasn't that hard. It helps that I don't stress about anything. But I would like to point out that I was not obsessed about my grades like some people tend to be. I carried a decent GPA through school, but nothing impressive. The nothing impressive was partially a function of my own doing and partially my heavy schedule. I was never pressured into getting great grades and never put that on myself. Mostly Bs with some As was fine for me.