If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

I have the opportunity to quit my current job (which I CANNOT stand) and go back to school full time.

I would still need to get a part time gig (which I'm fairly certain I could get) to pay a couple of bills (nothing substantial) and have money for gas, food, etc but conceivably I could do it.

Here's the rub (isn't there always?!)
I'm scared shitless to just quit my job...there are a ton of "what ifs" and while I'm usually not someone to really worry about the "what ifs" I can't help but worry this time around.

I make decent money, the job market SUCKS right now. The reason I'm going back to school is to finally get my undergrad degree so that I can finally pursue the career path I want.

But, what if...
I can't afford to live on a PT salary?
I can't find a PT job?
I can't find a job when I get out of school?

Has anyone ever done this? If so, PLEASE offer insight!!

Obviously, a positive to all of this is that it would take me significantly less time to get my degree than if I go to school PT and work FT. And I could even consider getting my masters too...

I really don't know what to do...

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Me? In a HEARTBEAT! Right now I wish I had the ability to do that, but I can't.

Things that I think of are:
-Health Insurance.
-Getting a job after getting degree.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

IF you hate your job, then I definitely would. I wouldn't want to be miserable some place you spend 40 hours a week at, that's no way to live

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Being a person that works F/T and goes to school P/T...if you can switch the scenariio, GO FOR IT! It is taking me forever to get my degree..I'd rather just be done already.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

The factors to consider:

Health Insurance and your bills.

Crunch the numbers and see if you can comfortably do it. The last thing you need when attending school full-time after being out of it for a while is added stress due to finances. That is going to impede your success in school.

I couldn't afford that so I work full-time and go to school full-time.

The place I work has great benefits and the money is good and will get better as time goes on, it is totally secure and 'recession proof' so I have good job security. I can go to school FT b/c I attend Empire State College -- for working adults. This college is reading/writing based so you don't have to attend formal classes, thus making it easier to work full-time.

A lot of the cops go to Empire, got my brother into it (he finished his degree about a week before he was hurt lol Murphy's Law - it's ok though!) and he turned me onto Empire and I have been attending now for 2 years - I will be done with my Bachelors in about nine more months!

I'm going to be a Home and Careers teacher (there is a demand for this subject b/c it is state required for all students yet only one school offers the Masters program and that's Queens College). After Empire I'm going there and then I'll be good to go to teach H&C.

The other question -- is the area you are looking to get a degree in a good area? Are there jobs available in that area? Could you get a job pretty easily once done with school in this crappy market? Does it pay well once you're done? Will you be able to pay off your student loans and make a worthy salary?

DH went back after graduating with a Marketing Degree. After a few subpar "Marketing" job experiences he was really down and decided to go back to pursue something he was passionate about - science.

He went to CW Post to take the classes he needed to take that Marketing Degree and then get a second degree in Science (Bio) -- that took a year and a half. He hustled and CW Post took his previous science credits. And then he went to Dowling for his master's in Education which he completed in nine months lol again, hustled, so that he could enter the job market this past September and he got a job at a great district! He loves it! So, he feels it was the best thing he ever did but he entered a field that is in 'demand' and will make him a great salary -- science, even with all the teaching/budget issues recently is still in demand. So, consider all these things.

He feels the big mistake he made was going for marketing to begin with -- it is not an area that is in big demand and stands to have you make good money. It is not something he could have really made a career out of -- it was more like a salesperson field and once he realized this he thought about it from a financial standpoint.

And take a look into Empire if it will make it easier on you! I couldn't do what I do w/o Empire.

HTH!

Message edited 7/12/2010 1:39:21 PM.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Yes

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

No.

Not if I wanted to do something specific and someething you need training for like a nurse, doctor, lawyer, etc.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

I did it! I took a PT job and went to law school. You can take out education loans and use it to pay for living expenses if really needed. I took out loans to cover tuition and living expenses. I am in student loan debt like you wouldn't believe but it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

No, absolutely not, I coudn't.

I could not give up a full time salary and go back to school (esp if it meant incurring student debt.) There are VERY few careers out there that offer the return on the dollars spent (esp factoring in the lost salary.)

At this point in my life (or the past 10 years even) the only way I would consider doing this is going to school p/t at night. I just could not justify quitting a f/t job.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

I actually did quit a full time job to go back to school full time to change careers, and I'm so glad I did. It opened a lot of opportunities for me to do internships and make contacts in my new field that I wouldn't have had if I had continued to work in my previous position.

If you can swing it financially, and are willing to make some sacrifices, I say go for it! Good luck.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Yes. Yes. Yes!

Don't let the ":what ifs" get to you. Plan and deal with whatever comes outside of that plan.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

In your situation I would! You hate your job - that says it all to me.


If I weren't tied into a pension, I would quit my job to get my PhD (the school I started PT, made it required to go FT )


My sister had a BFA, worked for 10 years in her field, went to school PT to get her MA in teaching and quit at the end to student teach.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

In the long term, you will be happier. I'm all for dealing with a short term challenging situation if you end up better in the end.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

I'm doing it right now...I work part time and take evening classes full time for master's degree. I definitely don't regret it b/c I couldn't see myself in the position I was in long term. I can fully focus on school work now and don't have the stress that comes with my previous job.

I took the chance and in Dec. I will be finished. Yes its scary but I think the end result will be way worth it.

Best of Luck to you!

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Well, I didn't QUIT the full-time job I had, I was laid off, and then decided to give up the lucrative contract work I had found to go back to school to get my master's, and now I'm a teacher.

It was scary, and it was a gamble (I was afraid I wouldn't be able to handle teenagers, but luckily I really love my job.)

So, if you are going to work towards a field that has the prospect for jobs in the future, and you really hate your job now, I say do it!

Or at least start with a few classes at night and see if it is really for you, before you take a big step like this.

Good luck!!

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

If I could really afford to do it w/just a PT job and I would still have health ins I would in a heartbeat - I'm on too many asthma meds to do it w/out ins though Big changes in life are always scary, but if you put some thought into it & you can cover all of your bases (like it sounds like you can!) I would take the step. No one ever gets anywhere by standing in the same place GL!

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Do it.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

In a heartbeat. I loved going to school.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Posted by jam11308
No one ever gets anywhere by standing in the same place GL!

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

You're welcome Lot's of luck to you no matter what you decide

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

I am in the middle of this now. I quit job a year ago so that I could apply to radiography school. I got accepted & am almost finished my first semester. Quitting my dead end job and going back to college was one of the best things I ever did for myself! I couldn't have done it without the support of my DH. If you have the opportunity I say go for it.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

in a heartbeat. I am actually trying to figure out how to do this. It unfortunately may mean that we have to move again :(

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

If it was in the cards financially, I wouldn't even think twice about doing it.

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

Yes. Do it!!!

Re: If you could financially; would you quit your job and go back to school full time?

it would depend on what degree i was going for. if i were going for an MBA or JD i'd def go FT b/c chances are that I'd make a decent salary coming out of graduation (assuming I could find a job). And, chances are I could get a job w/ little to no experience in the field.

If it were an MSW or a job where I would be making less, and from what others on here have told me, it would be hard to find a job coming out of my degree, I'd probably switch to a job that was more in line with what I want to do on the very bottom, entry level, and then go PT. This would give me both a leg up on experience, and some cash. the going would be slower but I would be making progress in another way too.

Message edited 7/14/2010 11:56:34 AM.