How to go back to school while working full time with a family
Continuing education feels impossible when you have a family and a full-time job that pays the bills, since standard programs and assistantships rarely provide a living wage. Support from partners or employers can also be a major roadblock, forcing people to hide their educational ambitions or risk losing critical income. Without financial flexibility or schedule alignment, adults trying to learn new skills are left trapped between supporting their dependents and pursuing career advancement.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Hiding the education plans from the employer
- 2Switching to union work or alternative employers
- 3Prioritizing immediate income and family stability over formal schooling
- 4Looking into online programs or Ed.D. degrees instead of traditional Ph.D. programs
- 5Taking a year or so off from work or studying to alternate between them
- 6Taking on credit card debt or student loans to survive during practicum and schooling
- 7taking fewer classes per semester
- 8working a morning shift to attend classes in the afternoon
- 9completing assignments during lunch breaks, after work, and on weekends
- 10adjusting work schedules for daytime classes and taking night classes
- 11Sharing notetaking duties with a cohort group
- 12Accepting lower grades ("C's get degrees") instead of aiming for straight A's
- 13Putting friends and hobbies on pause
- 14Communicating with professors when feeling overwhelmed
- 15Getting a Teaching Assistant (TA)
- 16reaching out to multiple universities to compare required credits and costs
- 17taking extra classes at an online community college to save money
- 18choosing competency-based or flexible programs designed for weird schedules
- 19Accepting the overtime pay as compensation
- 20Finding an alternative job or employer with better hours
- 21Upskilling or leaving the industry
- 22Working a reduced schedule with a pay cut
- 23Relying on a partner to solo parent
- 24Looking for a new job outside of public accounting
- 25Going straight from work to a coffee shop or library instead of going home first
- 26Packing a study bag before leaving for work
- 27Listening to lectures during commutes and reviewing notes on phones during downtime
- 28Setting strict time limits or uninstalling social media apps
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I applied for a fully paid scholarship to a local trade school.”source ↗
“I have 5 kids, a family dependent on me. I can’t afford to lose this job, but I also don’t want to skirt any opportunities to learn more.”source ↗
“he doesn’t believe I should enroll in schooling and believes it would be a hindrance to the schedule”source ↗
“So I need to keep my job”source ↗
“I only have an associates degree in accounting and want to go back to school and get my bachelors. I have 3 children so my only option is online. What online school does everyone recommend? Obviously I want a good education, but also have to factor in the amount of time I have to give, which can be very limited.”source ↗
“In the past four weeknights, I’ve only managed to study for an hour on Tuesday. I can’t seem to get into a rhythm. I keep thinking it’ll be okay if I take a break, lie down, and scroll on my phone for 30 minutes—but it never is.”source ↗
“I'm in an online grad program right now, and I'm feeling very overwhelmed between everything I need to do work and for school.”source ↗
“I feel like I never have time for hobbies, my bf, or my friends.”source ↗
“Would have to drive downtown to take night classes after teaching. Was not fun. Wednesday classes were until 9 pm. So 6 am to 10 I was on my feet.”source ↗
“I have talked extensively with Purdue Global. It seems to be one of the more intense programs. I’m not sure I could devote the time needed to do well there.”source ↗
“Unfortunately I only manage it by working a “reduced schedule.” Aka, I’m expected to work 44 hours a week with a 20% pay cut. And I still somehow end up working more hours than that.”source ↗
“I tried 1 busy season full time after having my first kid and it was miserable. I saw my son at dinner time and on Sundays.”source ↗
“I’m just not cool with how little I saw my kiddo.”source ↗
“I’m trying to get a new job before busy season comes around again because I’m just not finding public to be particularly conducive to being a parent.”source ↗
“once i’m through the door at home i’m cooked, doesn’t matter how firm my intentions were.”source ↗
“I’m only taking one class- ACCT 1A, and I’m wishing I could have four day weekends to fully learn the material & instill a solid foundation to properly keep building upon.”source ↗
“Now, it’s Sunday morning & I’m just staring at the homework like 😵💫 and looking at the time. I have only 12 hours until sleep then work tomorrow.”source ↗
“I tried working full time and going to school full time, and it was too exhausting.”source ↗
“I'm just not sure how you survive on that. How can any adult just not have a job? No way assistantships and scholarships are paying a living wage.”source ↗
“I’ve never heard of a PhD student who was allowed to have any job, especially not a full time job.”source ↗
“There is no better way to get students to become disinterested in accounting then to instantly hit them with 50-60 hour work weeks.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 2Why do hangouts always start right at kid bedtime?