How many hours to work while being a full time college student?

It really depends on you. When I initially planned out my degrees (double major), I had quickly realized that I'd need to take 5 or 6 classes (15-18 credits) every semester, plus summer school courses, and I'd still take an extra year getting both degrees. Yet, obviously, not working for the entirety of the time while in school is not an option for the vast majority of us, regardless of how many classes we take. So, like most everyone else, I needed to come up with a working system and schedule that wouldn't allow my grades to suffer.

So, first, make sure you have a job that will work with your schedule, have flexibility for during exam time and such, and for whom your academic success matters. If the people you work for could care less whether you get an "F" or an "A" in your class, it's more likely to be a red flag, and indicates a potential carelessness towards calling you in to work during classes and so on. I've had many classmates fail courses due to that kind of behavior. For me, the solution thus far has been having my primary job be on campus, where they are required to put their employee's academics in a position of top importance. Though, there are many other positions where this works as well, so it all depends. Just make sure you're not in a position where you'll be called for random shifts, have your class schedule ignored, and so on. You need a set schedule, if you want the balance to be able to work well.

Next, plan your work schedule to go around class times, and also have plenty of set study periods available. You know what your needs are better than anyone else. We all have different needs, strengths, weaknesses, etc., and just because some people can do it one way or get all their work done in whatever period of time doesn't mean everyone can. For instance, I'm visually disabled, so school work takes me a good deal longer and requires more frequent breaks to keep my eyes from being overly strained. Therefore, I needed to account for that, and make sure that there was also time set aside for chores, personal/social time, eating, sleeping (at least 7 hours a night, so I am rested enough to get through the day), etc. The time that's left, with all of those considerations taken into account, is the time open for working.

My actual number of hours working tend to vary based on what classes I'm taking and the heaviness of their workload, as well as the hours that I can be given in the first place. I have a 4.0, and intend to keep it, so school is my top priority. I suggest choosing a reasonable number at the start of the semester, such as 20 hours or so, and adjusting it up or down as needed after a few weeks, as you get used to your workload for your classes. Otherwise, if you plunge in and decide to work way more right off the bat, there's a good chance of overwhelming yourself and then having your grades suffer, as you will not have adjusted to your classes and their expectations yet. But, if it does prove to be too much, you can quickly adjust without having suffered too much by way overdoing it, or if there's still time left to work with, you can ask for more hours, extra shifts, or whatever.

I figure there must be something working okay with my system, as between work and scholarships, I'm set to graduate debt-free.

Work whatever you're comfortable with. If you can only handle 15 to 20 hours a week then so be it. Last year I took 14 credits each semester, and I worked 5 days a week at about 30 hours a week between my two jobs. I still had time to study and hang out with my friends and family. This upcoming semester I'm taking 6 classes (14 credits) and I'll be working 30 to 35 hours a week. I never work past 6 at night and I never work weekends.

The key is having a job that works with your schedule, and making a schedule that gives you enough time to pick up hours at work. I work one job on campus and I work a job off campus as well. All of my classes are right away in the morning from 8 to 9:40 Monday through Thursday, which means I can have pretty much the whole day to work and all of Friday to work.

The nice thing about college is that you can for the most part make your schedule however you want. There's a lot of choices for class times. So set a good schedule for yourself, be disciplined in your studies, and know your limitations for your work hours. When your professors hand out the syllabus, note the days you have exams so you can potentially take the night before or the day of those exams off to be prepared for it. You'll do just fine.

Many students carry a full course load AND work full time. There are enough hours in the week to do it if you are disciplined enough. Leaving a job after 3 months or 6 months really doesn't make a difference. Stability in a job is 2+ years. If you don't want to, and don't have to, work while in school then don't. If you want to, then I'd stay around 20 hours a week and see how you are doing.

No one will blame you for leaving a job to finish school. It won't hurt your resume.

Work whatever hours are comfortable for you, based on the courses you have and the work required for them. 25-30 hours/week with a full courseload is HARD. If you can manage it, great, but I'd cut back to 20. You need to sleep and you need some downtime, too.

Do not work more than 20 hours per week when you have full course load. You can work full time in the summer. If you want to continue working when school starts stay under 20 hours per to maintain your sanity.

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