“If we wait until we're ready, we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives.”
― Lemony Snicket, The Ersatz Elevator
You probably understand the value of an education in improving your workplace skills and furthering your career. In fact, you may feel that your professional advancement depends on obtaining a particular degree or industry certification.
The issue is that you work full-time, and there are only so many hours in a week. As much as you’d like to go to college, you may be thinking that it’s just not practical with your existing schedule.
The truth is that working and going to school is doable—and highly rewarding. As a working adult, you can balance education with your full-time job by following a few important guidelines.
Clarify Your Goals and Commitments
Make sure you have clear objectives for going to school. Perhaps there's a particular level of education (bachelor's, master's, etc.), a particular course of study, or a specific degree or certification that you need to help reach the position you seek. Maybe there's a certain set of skills you want to acquire to excel at your job. Being as specific and intentional as you can be regarding your education goals is key to achieving them as efficiently as possible.
You’ll also want to take stock of your existing commitments, in and out of the workplace. Family and community responsibilities, religious commitments, and other personal activities that may demand your time and attention should be accounted for before embarking on an education path.
It may be helpful to conduct an informal time audit to assess all the things you do, when you do them, and how long they tend to take. This can help you manage your time and identify the free time in your schedule. (You may discover there’s more of it than you thought.)
Jami Rodis, a success coach at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), encourages students to invest in themselves.
“People want to be the best version of themselves,” said Rodis, “and education provides a direct path to where we are at our best: financially, intellectually, and emotionally. Lean into the hope that you can and you will meet your goals.”
Speak to Your Employer
It’s important to get your bosses in on the conversation to let them know you’re considering this move and to see how your goals might align with your organization’s. Oftentimes, employers will appreciate the initiative and be willing to work with you in various ways as you press on toward completion.
In addition, employers may offer some form of educational assistance as part of their employees’ compensation for the purpose of improving the quality of their workforce. Your Human Resources department might be able to offer valuable information that can help you plan your education and meet your time and finance needs.
Create a Plan
To make working while going back to school achievable, you’ll need a plan that takes into account several factors, particularly time and money.
Adding school to your already busy schedule means that the time you spend on your studies has to be organized and productive. Setting a consistent schedule for schoolwork—and sticking to it—is crucial to effective time management. Figure out what time of day is most conducive to focusing on coursework, and block off that time each day. Make sure those around you understand that study time is your time, and strive to keep interruptions to a minimum.
“Students tend to be concerned primarily with time management and feeling overwhelmed with the idea of juggling work and school,” said UMGC success coach Chandra Smith, “For students who are nervous about time management, especially if they have other responsibilities such as children, spouse, military, etc., UMGC offers our JumpStart webinars that students can attend at no cost to learn different tips and tools for getting started and how to balance work, life, and school.”
Your success coach is there to help you map out a plan for personalized support and tailored resources to make your first year—and your entire educational journey at UMGC—a successful and rewarding time. UMGC's first-year experience program provides an intentional enrollment framework designed to facilitate your success, skills acquisition, persistence, and course and program completion.
You’ll also need to meet and manage the costs associated with going to school. UMGC is committed to ensuring finances don’t get in the way of your success. Our team of financial solutions advisors is ready to assist you with specialized financial guidance. Keep in mind that plans can change as situations change, so it’s important to stay informed and to be flexible.
Our team can help you find ways to reduce your out-of-pocket costs and finish sooner, including exploring scholarships and grants for those who qualify and determining how many transfer credits you may have. You may be closer to a degree than you think.
Muster Your Support
Working full-time while going to school can be a rather significant undertaking, and from time to time you may need some help. Whether you need someone to run an errand, look after your kids while you study, or offer a sympathetic ear or shoulder, you'll benefit from knowing who you can turn to when you need help.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a strong support network, identifying and communicating with these folks in advance is an important step. Family members and friends can sometimes provide great support.
Even if you don’t have other people to rely on, you still don’t have to face your academic challenges completely on your own. At UMGC, you can always turn to your dedicated success coach whenever you have questions or concerns. Classmates and colleagues can also provide words of advice and encouragement and can be great study partners.
Smith describes the concerns she encounters in her role as a success coach and how she advises students during difficult times.
“First, I always validate their fears and concerns, as they are understandable!” said Smith. “Second, I share that UMGC has so many resources available to them, such as tutoring, the Effective Writing Center, the Virtual Library, Career Services, and so many more. I also inform students that they will be paired with their own designated success coach to help them every step of the way after they are registered for their first set of classes. Lastly, I assure students that they are always fully supported throughout their entire academic journey here at UMGC and encourage them to reach out to our team of success coaches whenever they need anything. We are always ready to help!”
Prioritize Self-Care
One common obstacle to academic success for working adults is burnout—a serious condition in which students find themselves exhausted, stressed, and overwhelmed from putting in all the extra effort while neglecting their own wellbeing. Not only can it keep you from completing your program, but it can also have detrimental health effects.
Balancing multiple commitments requires maintaining a healthy balance in your daily life. Make sure you set aside time to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s important to get plenty of rest and relaxation during these times. Be sure to eat well, stay hydrated, and spend time doing the things you enjoy with the people you care about.
“My advice to anyone approaching their educational journey is to simply be kind to yourself,” said Ryan Clabby, admissions advisor at UMGC. “It may feel like a huge mountain to climb, but take comfort in knowing that, if you trust in the process and give yourself grace, you will be walking towards your well-earned diploma before you know it!”
Remember that the time you spend taking care of yourself is just as important as the time you spend at your work or your studies. Block it off and make use of it.
Find a School That Meets Your Needs
Choose an institution that has the courses you need for success, and one with a strong reputation, not only for competitive academics, but also for comprehensive student support services.
You may find that having to attend classes in person at a specific time and place won’t work for your schedule. If so, you’ll want to explore online degrees with asynchronous courses (courses that are accessible at varying times and locations and that do not have set times to log in).
Studying online affords you the ability to learn at your own pace, on your own schedule, and from wherever you are. And because you’re not tied to a specific location, online education allows you to expand your choice of schools, giving you even more opportunities to find one with the programs and services that fit your situation and goals. In addition, being able to coordinate your learning schedule around your workday can improve your chances of success.
Why Choose UMGC?
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) was founded more than 75 years ago specifically to serve the higher education needs of working adults like you. We offer more than 135 skills-focused undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates, designed to give you the workplace skills you need to advance your career.
UMGC offers online courses that you can access virtually anywhere in the world, each built from the ground up specifically for the virtual environment to deliver a seamless, collaborative, and satisfying online classroom experience that prepares you for today's digital business environment. Hybrid options are also available. Plus, our online courses are typically offered in 8-week sessions, instead of 16-week semesters, so you can complete more courses in less time.
We’ve also replaced bulky, expensive textbooks with no-cost digital course materials in most courses. The materials are easy to download within your online classroom and continually updated with the latest industry information.
Designed With Working Adults in Mind
We make it easier to fit school into your busy life by offering multiple start dates throughout the year and a streamlined admissions process that doesn't require the SAT®* or GRE. You can apply, enroll, and access a comprehensive array of support services and resources—all from your electronic device.
To make your education more affordable, we offer a variety of ways to help you meet, manage, and reduce your education costs, including tuition and fees that are competitive, reduced military tuition rates, and more than 140 merit- and need-based scholarships.
We also offer multiple ways to get you the most credit for what you already know, including transfer credit for college coursework, as well as credit for prior learning, military experience and training, and workplace learning.
UMGC is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a constituent institution of the University System of Maryland. The university has repeatedly received awards and recognitions for our innovative educational programs and commitment to excellence.
It’s Not Easy—But It Can be Done
Kamoya Boothe, senior admissions advisor at UMGC, understands the motivating factors that prompt working adults to go to college, as well as the apprehension they feel about taking on such a challenge.
“My advice to working adults is that working while going to school will not always be easy,” said Boothe. “It will take time and dedication, but they should face this challenge head-on, because time will be passing regardless. There is so much pride in continuously working on your personal goals and striving for better. I encourage them to keep the end goal in mind on those hard days.”
With the right approach, the right support, and the right institution, going back to school while working full-time can be your path toward creating the change you would like to see in your life.
*SAT® is a trademark registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, UMGC.
Reference on this webpage to any third-party entity or product does not constitute or imply endorsement by UMGC nor does it constitute or imply endorsement of UMGC by the third party.
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