How to Work and Get a College Degree

December 7, 2012

Choosing to further your career and improve your future by obtaining a college degree is a big step. However through this endeavor, you also have to worry about supporting yourself while you're in college. If you're not able to live at home rent free and still need to get a job, it can be difficult but not impossible. The following tips will help you balance your life between work and school to be sure you earn a living while still having time and energy to pay attention to your school work.

Flexible Scheduling

When looking for a job you can do while still enrolled in college, try to find one that offers a flexible schedule. They will need to allow you to work around your school schedule which may be early morning, late at night, weekends, or the middle of the day. It may take some balancing to schedule your classes and your work opposite from each other while still having time to sleep, eat and of course, study. Jobs like retail, food service, and home-based job opportunities typically offer flexible scheduling.

Alternate School Schedules

Aside from finding flexible work schedules, you may also need to find a college offering classes around your working time. Many community colleges and universities offer night and weekend classes as well as online classes. Getting your degree online is helpful when you have to work because you can spend as much or as little as you need to on your studies and it is easy to work around your job. You may also schedule just one or two classes at night while your other classes are available online.

Keep a Strict Schedule

This is important because it can be easy to fall behind when trying to balance work and school. Write everything down, including classes and seminars for school, when papers are due, and what days and times you need to be at your job. Stick to your schedule and make it as detailed as possible. This will help you not only to balance work and school but to try to find some time in between for yourself; otherwise, you will get burnt out and can neglect both responsibilities.

Inform your Employer

In the end, you will decide which is most important to you, but you should really pay attention to your school work above all. Let your employer know you are in college full time and that you can only work certain days. If you're asked to stay late one night but have a paper due tomorrow, don't hesitate to inform your employer you aren't able to work the extra shift. By being honest from the beginning, you can save yourself lengthy explanations later on.

Source: http://www.yourdegree.com/blog/how-to-work-and-get-a-college-degree

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