Choosing to study is a big decision; finding the right school, course, and mode of study for your needs is a big decision, but once you decide what and where, the last big choice is whether to study full-time or part-time. Both have their merits, but at the end of the day, you want to make sure that the time constraints are possible; after all, college courses can be intense, and you want the time to get good grades, plus having time to sleep in every now and again is a bonus. 

Flexibility and Time Management

Time is a finite resource. That’s why allocating time from one task to another needs to be done carefully. With full-time study, the balance of that allocation has to be heavily skewed toward your courses. Unfortunately, this means less time for all the other things like work, family, and personal commitments. If you believe these commitments can fit in with your schedule as a student, great, but make sure to ask yourself genuinely if you can actually manage to juggle your life commitments on top of study. 

Some people manage to balance full-time jobs with university, and there are many success stories, but keep in mind everyone's jobs, and courses have different demands, so take the time to genuinely ask yourself how much you can hope with before overcommiting. 

So you’ve looked at your weekly schedule, crunched the numbers, and decided that full-time is a little too much; there's no problem with that. The attraction of part-time study is the flexibility. You can often take courses that do not clash with your other commitments, vary your workload each semester as suits, and spread the pressure over a longer time. 

Financial Considerations

Let's face it: college courses do not come cheap. In 2021, the average cost of college was between $12,300 and $27,740 per year for a full-time student, and that's the average after financial aid. For many of us, that is just not possible. You may choose to take out a loan, borrow from family or other sources to fund your studies, or work your way through; the latter is why many students choose part-time study. 

If you have done your research and decided that working while studying is the best option for you, part-time study can offer the flexibility needed to manage a job and college at the same time. This way, you can continue earning an income while gradually working toward your degree, potentially reducing the amount of debt you’ll need to take on. Balancing work and study isn’t easy, but with careful planning and time management, it can be a good path to achieving your academic and career goals without overwhelming financial strain and pressure. 

Workload and Study Intensity

As much as your buddy studying dance theory tries to pretend all degrees are not made equal, a study on American medical students found that 50% of A-grade students studied between 6 and 8 hours a day while the majority of B-grade students study 3 to 5 hours a day this is on top of lectures which can be well over 10 hours per week. There are a lot of content-heavy degrees that explore a lot of complex topics in a short time, such as pathophysiology in nursing, so you might prefer reduced hours to ensure you have enough time to dedicate to study.

Luckily, flexibility has increased greatly in recent years; you can now complete many degrees online or take part in a degree long distance.  This lets you customize your study schedule around your life commitments, making it easier to manage your workload and maintain a healthy balance between education and other responsibilities.

Career Goals and Progression

Having a solid long-term plan is important, and if you are considering taking on a college degree, you likely know what you want to get out of it. The question is how long you are willing to spend working toward that goal. They say when the ‘why’ is strong enough, the ‘how’ gets easier, so if you are locked in for the long haul, remind yourself why you are there. Philosophy aside, this is where the part, or full-time question, plays a heavy role. 

If you are raring to go or running out of time, jumping into full-time study can albeit fears of endless study; however, it isn’t always possible, so if you choose part-time, look for opportunities to apply your knowledge sooner, consider internships or part-time work in the field you are studying. 

Support Systems and Access to Resources

When choosing between full-time and part-time study, access to support systems is key. Full-time students benefit from extensive on-campus resources such as academic support centers, mental health services, and career counseling. They can participate in study group wellness events and utilize libraries and research facilities regularly. This access is great for some and really supports both their academic success and overall well-being.

Part-time students may not take advantage of the resources the campus has to offer simply because their time there is often limited. On the bright side, many institutions now offer virtual tutoring, online mental health resources, and flexible office hours to accommodate their schedules. 

Final Considerations

Overall, there are pros and cons to both; no two people will make the same choice, and that is entirely okay.  It is, however, a big choice to make, but one that can be based on a logical list of your needs and requirements. If you are still weighing it up, try sitting down to write a simple pros and cons list for both part-time and full-time; this way, you can see what is missing from both and make the most informed decision possible. 

Another option is to reach out to colleges directly and ask them how their part-time courses work, what support is available, and how your degree could look. They are usually happy and willing to help out–they want your money, after all. 

The bottom line is, don’t panic; there is so much flexibility for those who seek it out. If you plan well and make the most of the opportunities available, that dream will be yours in no time.