The Disadvantages of a Part Time College Experience

Not everyone has the luxury of dropping everything when college hits, able to fully focus on the task of completing a degree. A word to the wise, however: if you have the chance to be a full-time student, don't turn it down. The chance to fully focus on your studies and dismiss the stresses of everyday life during the process of obtaining your degree is a rare and beautiful gift. There are detriments for sure, and full-time academia is not for everyone, but if you're truly dedicated and looking to get the most of your college career, a full-time focus is key. What is a part time college journey more challenging than a more focused option? Let's discuss.

The amount of stresses in our lives seems to increase on a weekly basis. From friends and family, job and money-making duties, to every day tasks and personal maintenance, many feel there just aren't enough hours any the day to accomplish everything they feel is necessary. Add continued education to the mix, and the balance can be thrown off completely. As a part time college student, your full focus will never, ever be on your studies. Often, every day tasks will demand a more prominent attention, and as any student who's paid their way through college knows, if the job stands in the way of class attendance, the job is going to win. It's hard to choose the avenue that's costing you money over the one that's paying you, when push comes to shove. Therefore, you'll maintain several distinct advantages if you have the opportunity to go to school full-time and delay your entrance into the working world. Besides that, you'll have the rest of your life to slave away; Corporate America isn't going anywhere.

Beyond the very obvious notion of time, focus is also sacrificed by the part time student. Depending on you area of study, this can appear in varying degrees of seriousness and setback. A college degree in the arts, for example, can often benefit from a full-dedicated, eyebrow-deep focus. Getting into a truly uninterrupted creative process can produce far superior results than those who are distracted by various outside influences. This is precisely the reason there are so many writer's and artist's retreats; the creative process just works better when the world ceases to interrupt your thoughts. If, instead, you're maintaining a full time job, family, personal life, etc. and still trying to achieve an advanced, creatively focused education, your ability to shift gears into and out of the artistic mode becomes a critical asset. Not everyone can turn creativity on and off like a light switch, and those that have difficulties would greatly benefit by a full-time education focus.

It's a simple fact that not everyone can afford to postpone employment during the pursuit of higher education, but if you're one of the lucky few who is offered such a luxury, don't hesitate. The fear that perhaps the working world will surge forward without you isn't exactly valid -- the jobs will still be there, and your chance to accelerate and truly focus on the learning process will prove to be far more valuable than those extra couple of years in the workforce. While part time education is a viable option for today's busy professional, it isn't exactly ideal. If you can dedicate most or all of your attention to your education, it will certainly flourish all the more.

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