Full Time Work to Full Time Student

[diamondice79]

Has any of you non-trads, went from working full-time to being a full-time student.

I am a 26 yr old single mom, with a full-time job and a pre-schooler. Going to work full-time, and trying to do classes as night I thought would be pretty easy, but I feel like I am missing out on a lot.

For example pre-med prep groups, study sessions, research, time with my little one.

I don’t know what to do, I would love to go school full time, and maybe work a few hours a week or on the weekend, but I have mortgage, car notes, etc.

Has anyone successfully taken on the full-time student roll, and still take care of home.

Or do I just have to suck it up, and accept the fact that I have to be a mom first and a student second... Stick to my two classes a semester and missing out on any opportunities that other pre-meds have....

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[mshheaddoc]

Sometimes in life there are priorities. I do not have a child and my fiance is in medical school. Therefore, I quit job to go back to school and live off of loans. If you want to live off of loans, you can do the full-time thing. But I would take it as mom first, student second. Being a non-trad gives you advantages of life experiences. You may not get all the pre-med experience but you don't need all of it. You've been caring for a patient for a while now Everyone takes a different path in life, its what you make of that path that matters!

 

[DocteurMarion]

Some of us just can't quit jobs - Personnally I am 27, working full time and like you, I can only take 2 classes/sem (sometimes I get frustrated and wish I could go full time) - I have a SO and no children but quitting my job right now is not an option (plus they participate $5000 for classes /year).
You will get there eventually, we are all doing it!

Good luck

 

[ShyRem]

I was working full-time and due to injury, lost my job. Had surgery two weeks after I got canned, and was in school full-time two weeks later (on crutches). I had a pre-schooler and a first-grader when I started, a husband, a house, two dogs. It *is* doable - but difficult. I did homework in the living room while watching my kids play. I helped my children with homework while I did my own. I did reading assignments while I stirred dinner and as my bedtime reading. I read in between classes, while eating lunch, etc. Granted, I was taking 21 credits a semester, so my load was a bit heavy.

The end result, it *is* possible - you have to be a master at managing your time. I didn't have day-care except while I was actually in classes, so my study time was after the kids went to bed (let's hear it for early bedtimes!). Good luck!

 

[Twitch]

I went from full time job plus evening/weekend school to full time school. Not having the cash flow coming in certainly sucks. Try persuading the financial aid office that you've gone from a six figure salary to $0 and you're in need of financial aid and they give you this puzzled look.

I like the extra time to study though. Hopefully one of these days I'm going to use it to do just that....ha ha

 

[mshheaddoc]

I went from full time job plus evening/weekend school to full time school. Not having the cash flow coming in certainly sucks. Try persuading the financial aid office that you've gone from a six figure salary to $0 and you're in need of financial aid and they give you this puzzled look.

I like the extra time to study though. Hopefully one of these days I'm going to use it to do just that....ha ha

I second that, but I had to file 2nd appeal to my schools financial aid to tell them I'm not making the money I used to.

 

[diamondice79]

Well it is nice to see others have done it. I guess for now I will stick with working and part-time school. To be honest I do ok not having that luxury until I run across a stumbling block and decide I cant do them both. But I guess I will have to turn down my research opportunity and go to work… Anyway
Congrats to everyone that has been successful and good luck to all those on their journey.