Work or School (A nice dillema)

[0g0y0t0]

Hi all, (dunno if it is in the righ threat)

I have to make a difficult choice, I'm 21 years old and currently working as a product manager for an international company. I'm earning $ 3115 p.m. after taxes!!!!

The company has offered me a permanent contract and I'm really happy about it, because I really like my job, however I'm still feeling quite young (average of my peers are 37 years old) and would like to study again (a master study in Europe). Yeah, I really miss my student life

Now I have to make a difficult choice between study or work:
- Study --> freedom again, more free time, no responsibility / no money and no job security in the future
- Work --> money, able to buy house car / no a lot of free time, lot of responsibility.

What would you do if you were me?

[yittz]

If you are happy with your wages and job, go for it. You can always finish your masters later. Though I've been told it's harder to study with age. Also ask yourself how much is that masters going to raise your price.

Imo ask those who are close to you, they probably no your situation better and give better feedback.

[Will-]

Hi all, (dunno if it is in the righ threat)

I have to make a difficult choice, I'm 21 years old and currently working as a product manager for an international company. I'm earning $ 3115 p.m. after taxes!!!!

The company has offered me a permanent contract and I'm really happy about it, because I really like my job, however I'm still feeling quite young (average of my peers are 37 years old) and would like to study again (a master study in Europe). Yeah, I really miss my student life

Now I have to make a difficult choice between study or work:
- Study --> freedom again, more free time, no responsibility / no money and no job security in the future
- Work --> money, able to buy house car / no a lot of free time, lot of responsibility.

What would you do if you were me?

This topic is not a debate but more like a personal question asked to elicit feedbacks. To be honest, you are old enough to make your own decisions and shouldn’t have asked this question online: have control of your life and do what you feel is right.

[mind_wander]

Have you ever put into consideration, to go part-time on your masters, because this is highly common in the US. Plus most jobs understand, if you are going for master either full-time or part-time; somewhere in your work schedule, they should able to changed your hours. On top of that, workplaces does encourage you to excel, for higher education. Either put sometime out, during summer, fall, spring, or whatever you like to choose. Remember you are in control of your time, not the other way around.

Will, you kinda beat me to it on my last line, "Remember you are in control of your time, not the other way around."

[Trien Chieu]

Have you ever put into consideration, to go part-time on your masters, because this is highly common in the US. Plus most jobs understand, if you are going for master either full-time or part-time; somewhere in your work schedule, they should able to changed your hours. On top of that, workplaces does encourage you to excel, for higher education. Either put sometime out, during summer, fall, spring, or whatever you like to choose. Remember you are in control of your time, not the other way around.

Will, you kinda beat me to it on my last line, "Remember you are in control of your time, not the other way around."

I agree with you on this. Study part time while working.

[PJ]

I agree with you on this. Study part time while working.

I wouldn't do this if you want to have a life outside of work AND school. I've experimented with this way, and it sucks, literally.

[annaaa]

I agree with you on this. Study part time while working.

yea that is if you want to put yourself in an early grave. both work and school is very hard.
so work it out now, and try school later. if something happens at work, school is always a backup option.

[pemberly]

lots of people go to work and go to school part time. he wouldn't be the first, and if they can, i don't see why he can't. yes, it's hard to do the balancing act thing, but if he's committed, he'll make it work.

plus, i think because he is still young, it's better to get it out of the way. he's only 21 and he's probably not married and doesn't have a family to support yet.

[CrazyT]

I also miss the school life but definitely don't miss the workload. Homeworks, projects, essays, cram sessions, tests, blaahhhh.

If you like your job right now, do not quit! It's not easy finding a job that you enjoy and getting a master degree does not ensure that you'll enjoy the job you'll get later on. You can definitely work full-time and study part-time but be prepared to give up your social life. I have two friends who are doing it right now and I barely see them anymore.

I also plan to go back part-time to get my MBA. Better to do it now while I'm still single and do not have to support a family.

[LTD]

Like many here, I agree with the whole full time work part time school thing. That's what I do now, but the thing is, my schooling is towards my goal of my actual career choice. Unfortunately, if you could only pick one, then it just depends which one you want more...the job you like or the freedom you miss.

This topic reminded me of something my mom told me one time. She told me that my uncle would always be studying as a kid, and my other uncle would be asking him why he wouldn't get a job to help out. What he said kind of stayed with me..."we have our whole lives to work, but only these few years to study." Might totally be off topic, but it just reminded me of it.

[KeongJai]

If I was you I'd get a few years of experience under my belt first. Not sure about where you are, but in Australia experience is worth more early on in your career. Maybe if you want to move into higher management roles you'd do an MBA, but again, you'd need quite a bit of experience first (unless someone pulls some strings in the old boys' club).

[0g0y0t0]

Hey all, thanks for your opinions and advices. The reason why I put this online is just to see what the opinion of outsiders are and I have to say there is quite a difference between what my relatives/neighbours advice me to do, what mij friends and family advice me to do and what you all advice me to do. It's just very interesting.

When I have more time, I'll will post their opinions and advices.

[imthatlady]

This topic is not a debate but more like a personal question asked to elicit feedbacks. To be honest, you are old enough to make your own decisions and shouldn’t have asked this question online: have control of your life and do what you feel is right.

yayyyyyyy! all hail to Will. took the answer right out of my mouth ^_^V

[Duke_Darcy]

I'd rather go to school than work because the only way to have a decent job is when you have an education.

[darkcser]

If you miss the freedom of being in school then under no circumstances should you work full time and undertake a masters part time.

I started on my masters part time about 6 month after I finished undergrad. My employer paid for it (contingent on a B) so I figured why not take advantage of it. Some of the classes were cakewalk but I remember spazzing out the second quarter I took two classes at once part time.

Undergrad had been very enjoyable for me with few stressful times, and I did farily well.

My masters program took me 4 years part time to complete (over the span of 3 jobs), and I ended up paying for this one class that I had to drop (it was especially painful since my employer at the time reimbursed up front).

With each grad class in the $2500 range it can be quite stressful since most employers will only reimburse a B or higher on graduate level classes. Mix in your work responsibilities and whatever else that may happen it can be quite a handful.

In the end I graduated with a 3.8/4.0 GPA at NEU but there was certainly a fair amount of sweat and blood involved. Incidentally I easily managed a magna cum laude for undergrad at BC.

Since that time I've taken 3 more grad level classses for "personal enrichment" (two at BU and one at Harvard Extension) so it's not all bad.

One last thing to add is that while I loved my major (CS) in undergrad, it lost much of its luster at the masters level. In undergrad you had other classes to balance it out but at the masters level all of your classes are in that area.

My 2 cents.

[mind_wander]

Since this is under work; here is something interesting about Google.com as the 100 best companies to work for: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortu...007/index.html very tempting.

[Suet Seung]

My cousin just got her MBA and she was working full time and going to school part-time. I was still able to see her during the time she worked and went to school, so I don't think it is that difficult to pursue both.

[mind_wander]

The only thing I would say to you, "Time Management." If you can balance both school and work, then yea. If you can't, take one step at a time, by selecting one class, while working. See how things fit your needs, since you are the decider.

[big master]

as much as i prefer school over work, id say u work since u like ur job n u feel that u r compensated well..trust me, its hard to find a good job these days.....

[Duke_Darcy]

I'm going to tutor at my school after football season is over. And I think I'm working at Hollister for the summer.